Migrating birds in Minami Koen

Gathering before their departure to the breeding grounds further north:

Japanese Robin,  コマドリ

Black-faced Bunting,  アオジ

Grey Bunting,  クロジし

Brambling,  アトリ Partying in the pool

Male and female

An intruder!

Taking over:  Siskin,  マヒワ

These big bright poppies are flowering in the botanical gardens from March. Though I prefer the more delicate wild flowers I couldn’t resist stopping by for a shot or 2.

Also seen that day:  Varied Tit,  ヤマガラ(residents)

Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Welcome to Fukuoka Minami koen:

オオルリ,  Blue-and-white Flycatcher  male

Imazu early April

Summerbirds are slow this year, but this was seen around Imazu lately:

Meadow Bunting on rape,  ホオジロ, 菜の花  

Far Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ

Little Ringed Plover,  コチドリ

Wood Sandpiper, タカブシギ

Little Grebe, カイツブリ With its catch of the day

今日の勉強  菜の花  Nanohana,  Rape

Farewell to the winter birds

These photos were taken over the last winter months.
The pretty Red-flanked Bluetail was one of my favorite birds to capture. I went back several times to see it and the assurance that he was there every time oddly put me at ease.

ルリビタキ,  Red-flanked Bluetail

クロジ,  Grey Bunting

シロハラ, Pale Thrush 

Dusky Thrush, ツグミ

愛宕神社, Atago jinja

Still in the sakura mood: Atago jinja. 20 min walk from home is Atago, a rocky outcrop with Atago shrine on top. A good place for runners training for a mountain course, like Jaap. Also the site of our heron colony.

roof detail

Cherry blossom on Atago 

There were many of these flowers, I'll have to find out their name. 

(It's Nirasumire I've been told)

             Great Egret, ダイサギ                                   Grey Heron, アオサギ

  

View of the city from the top of Atago, with Muromi River and Fukuoka Tower. Very different from when we came here first, 24 years ago. 

今日の勉強  愛宕神社, Atago jinja

桜 Sakura

Sakura is a big thing in Japan.

The progress of the young flower buds that are about to open in the end of March is tightly monitored and updated frequently in news sites all over the country. People plan their cherry blossom viewing parties and when the time is right, all the trees have an audience of hanami party-goers beneath them, sitting on sheets with baskets of food, like special sakura bento’s and drinks. Their talking, singing and laughing continue for the biggest part of the day and night.

This year the sakura started early in Fukuoka and also lasted a long time. Lots of chances to get great shots. My party today was with Lalala, the day service center of the Kakohs, where I sometimes go to entertain the oldies with my English songs and  games. But this morning it rained and it doesn’t look good at all for today, so I gave it a miss and decided to use the time for long overdue tasks, such as a proper story with my normally hastely updated blog posts.

This is for all you people in Holland and the rest of Europe, in New Zealand and the USA, where most of my readers seem to be coming from and of course for my Japanese friends, at least those who read English.

   

 Sorry, have to put a bird in there…シジュウカラ,  Japanese Great Tit

One of the most popular locations is down town in Maizuru koen around the ruins of Fukuoka castle.  

The sign announcing the event reflects the pink blossom against the dark blue sky in a nice way. I quite like it.

A tree full of blossom, picnic gear and a bunch of friends; ingredients for a hanami party

You guys in the Netherlands are all complaining about that white stuff coming from above.

Our Easter has been white as well, with cherry blossom snowing all day long. 

(This year it really looked like snow!)

今日の勉強 　桜 Sakura,  Cherry blossom