Winter 2020-2021 part 1

Our camping car trip to Gifu got canceled, due to the up rise of the Corona virus plus the amount of snow. We decided that staying inside a camper, visiting mostly desolate places, meeting no more then 4 people at the time (except for the 2 occasions that we entered a supermarket and the occasional remote temple or shrine) would be a perfectly safe way to spend the holidays as long as we stayed in a radius of 1 day driving from our home in Fukuoka. So we went to Oita, and Miyazaki. Drove around the Kunisaki Peninsula and enjoyed a peaceful change of the Year. In the previous post I described the snow, this time it is mostly scenery, as seen through the lens of my camera. And a few birds - of course.

Daikampo, December 25th

Kokonoe, December 26th, early morning

Oita countryside

Kitagawa, Miyazaki, December 27th

About 6 or 7 Barn Swallows, ツバメ took shelter for the rain and snow at night in a public toilet building. I had heard about these birds spending the winter in the south of Kyushu, but I'd never captured them before.

Amanoiwato shrine, Takachiho on December 29th

Pre-camera security guard

Stacking stones is a Buddhist practice. We find them on trails, telling us we are on the right track. The 1000s of piled stone stacks at Amanoyasukawaru seem to tell us something as well. What would it be? Are we on the right track?

The prettiest of all temple cats

Mandarin Ducks, オシドリ at the Iwato River

Takachiho - the standard picture of the gorge.

Walking back to the car we found this thing crawling and wriggling across the foot path. Not a snake, maybe a Horsehair worm, ハリガネムシ? It was at least 30cm long. 

Back to Oita to await the snow storms on December 30th

Venturing outside when thee wind died down and finding so many animal tracks in the fresh snow. What are they all? Deer? Raccoons? Rabbits?

Something red, something strong

This tree seemed to collect pockets of snow, trapped by the leaves

To be continued

Ice

With all the freezing conditions of this winter there were many opportunities to shoot ice scenery. Frozen waterfalls are most popular. This is a little different. Water was spraying out of the hole of a fractured water pipe near a hot spring. Despite the temperature of the water ice had formed on the trees and bushes around it. With the sun out it provided a ton of magical mystical scenes!

Naumann's Thrush, ハチジョウツグミ

 Thrushes, Starlings, Wrynecks and Bulbuls all like this place. It has some Multiflora Rose ノイバラbushes with berries. It also gives them protection from the Harriers. Today our yearly guest, Naumann's Thrush, ハチジョウツグミ

Around Imazu

January 11th. The snow has disappeared in the low lands and temperatures are above zero now. Was this our only cold spell for the season? 15 Smews, ミコアイサ were reported in the 2 lakes at Tajiri. I found them on the other side of the river

A flock of 40 something White-cheeked Starlings, ムクドリ included 6 Commons, ホシムクドリ

Black-faced Bunting, アオジ and Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホウアカ

Male Daurian Redstart, ジョウビタキ

Kanatake in the snow

 Friday January 8th

Snowy, cloudy and a few sunny periods. We donned our winter gear (including crampons) and went for a walk. I often wondered what the place would look like when covered in snow. After so many summer and spring walks, here is the winter version

A White Wagtail, ハクセキレイ came close, just when the sun peeped through the clouds

He seems to like the snow, acting kind of playfully

Feathers extending from the body to keep warm

Other birds that came down: Black-faced Bunting, アオジ

And Dusky Thrush, ツグミ

Oops, better move on

When we drove up route 49 to go to Imazu the road quickly became icy and we skidded across the lane. An oncoming truck did the same thing and thus we got stuck. 6 Hours later we could make our way home !!!