Blue and Red

Loving the berries, he kept on coming back for more. Blue Rock Thrush, イソヒヨドリ male

Very few other birds were interested. 4 Oriental Turtle Doves, キジバト came once,

First birds of 2019

What happened to winter? Aren't we gonna get any snow and ice this year? It's pleasantly warm, I like that, but cold weather is good too sometimes. Seeing the ducks gliding on thin ice, buntings puffing up in freezing conditions, white frosty edges on the fields... a blue ruribitaki or just a joobitaki in the snow... I walked around the usual fields and came up with the usual birds, the usual images. Still, that is also pleasant. the assurance of continuation. It puts me at ease.

Common Reed Buntings, オオジュリン

Pendulin Tits, ツリスガラ

Winter Wren, ミソサザイ, wants nothing to do with me.

Black-crowned Nightheron, ゴイサギ  one of "the family"

Great Egrets, ダイサギ  all envious of that one with a fish on the left.

Eurasian Spoonbills, ヘラサギ and Black-faced Spoonbills, クロツラヘラサギ  watching the tide

Feeding together now on the incoming tide

Common Snipe, タシギ  not a common sight at the moment

Greater Scaup, スズガモ ladies

Northern Lapwings, タゲリ in flight

All birds were seen in the Imazu area, except for the Wren, that I noticed in someones' garden on the way

Isahaya and Mt. Unzen 何でも遠い！

My yearly winter visit to the Isahaya reclaimed land area with Jaap was right at Christmas. An early start on the 24th gave us fog on the way. We stopped for some scenery shots around Ouchi, Saga

This resulted in a somewhat late arrival at Isahaya, but the bread at my favorite bakery was still warm :-)  :-) . First we payed our respect to the visitor of the season: Chinese Grey Shrike, オオカラモズ who was a wee bit shy.

 A female Kestrel, チョウゲンボウ wanted to proof the opposite. She nearly flew into the car!

At the same time some Water Pipits crossed the road. One looked different: Richard's Pipit, マミジロタヒバリ Stay away from the Kestrel!

White-naped Cranes, マナツル in the adjacent field turned their backs on us,

On to Azuma for the big Whooper Swans, オオハクチョウ

Right in front of me a kingfisher, カワセミ took a moment to decide how to eat this big catch

Hooded Cranes, ナベツル flying to their resting spot at the end of the afternoon

In the far distance some male and female Smews, ミコアイサ as well as Great Crested Grebes, カンムリカイツブリ among the usual ducks. Above one male Smew, ミコアイサ

Look at this Eastern Marsh Harrier, チュウヒ with its striking white head! A young male?

High up a Common  Buzzard, ノスリ

Far out some more Whooper Swans, オオハクチョウ

And even further removed a male Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ

The Ruddy Shelduck stayed out of sight and the Merlin we did see but that was just a pinpoint in the far distance, not worth a picture

The next morning found us at Mt Unzen admiring these spectacular views. A great Christmas gift!

Yes, it was cold!