Blue-and-White Flycatcher, オオルリ in the west

It's dark in the forest. And humid. But that's where we meet. Every year. Please don't ever give up!

Blue-and-White Flycatcher, オオルリ

Red-billed Leiothrix, ソウシチョウ

The frogs are back again! 

ニホンアマガエル, Japanese Tree Frog

How I missed you last year.

But that also means we'll see more snakes again...

On a lighter note: the butterflies

Common Bluebottle, アオスジアゲハ

Daimio Skipper, ダイミョウセセリ

Common Mapwing, イシカケチョウ

Black-female Fritillary, メスグロヒョウモン？

Low mountain forests

An expedition to find some colorful wings. This is what I got:

 Masked Bunting, オアジ

Very shy Male Red-flanked Bluetail, ルリビタキ

The female was around as well, but her portrait is not worse publishing 😒

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, コゲラ

Red-billed Leiothri, ソウシチョウ

Olive-backed Pipit, ビンズイ

Female Daurian Redstart, ジョウビタキ in a bush of colorful berries. There were no White-eyes

Finally, in a dry field south of the city: Green Pheasant, キジ

male

and female

Others in the park

One morning I arrived early and headed for the 'komadori kaidan'. Something was there! I could see it, hear it. There were 2 or 3. Soon they appeared: 

Red-billed Leiothrix, ソウシチョウ

A bit disappointing, but at the water basin they looked good

Other birds coming to drink or bath: Yellow-throated Bunting, ミヤマホオジロ

It gets busy here sometimes. Japanese Grosbeak, イカル  Pale Thrush, シロハラand Brown-eared  Bulbul, ヒヨドリ

Grey Bunting, クロジ

My bad luck with them hasn't changed. There are several around, I heard, but...

White-bellied Green Pigeon, アオバト

Brown-headed Thrush, アカハラ

Pale Thrush, シロハラ

Long-tailed Tit, エナガ

Ryukyu Minivet, リュウキュウサンショウクイ

Mt Kuju area 2, Flycatchers and others

Sitting quietly at my spot near the water, watching birds coming and going, I could hear a Flycatcher calling continuously, so I wasn't surprised when it came to a tree nearby.

Narcissus Flycatcher, キビタキ

What DID surprise me was that it came to sit right in front of me.

Prrrt, prrrt, he said and stayed for the best part of 2 minutes

Prrrt, prrrt

Prrrt, prrrt

A female appeared as well, but the male chased her away....

Later on, a noisy bunch stopped by and moved on rapidly

Red-billed Leiothrix, ソウシチョウ

Just once, Meadow Bunting, ホオジロ

On the way from the carpark I noticed 2 Bull-headed Shrikes, モズ in the same tree as last year. And the year before, and before that and... how many years?

Also a yearly sight, but rather far this time

Cuckoo, カッコウ

Late afternoon at the stream

Visitors at the stream in the late afternoon. There is very little light. Shutterspeed around 160, ISO 2000 or more. Many in the delete box. Birds come and go a lot, 1 SD card of 32GB is barely enough.

Eurasian Siskin, マヒワ

Warbling White-eyes, メジロ

Red-billed Leiothrix, ソウシチョウ

Varied Tit, ヤマガラ

Yellow-throated (Elegant) Bunting, ミヤマホオジロ