April 24, 2021 The Hill of Oshitoishi lies about 20 kilometers north of Mt. Aso. I discovered it on Google Earth while searching for a place to photograph the Milky Way. It has relatively dark skies (Bortle class 3), and is free from trees on top, providing a beautiful and unobstructed 360 degree view of the surrounding area . It is a power spot, with a group of mysterious rock formations.

https://www.guidoor.jp/en/places/2672

I was surprised to see a few camps set up near the parking area, as camping facilities were not mentioned on their website. I ended up taking occasional naps in the somewhat uncomfortable car. It proved to be windy all night long on top of the hill, so the time lapse was too shaky and I had to delete it. Some stills turned out okay. I also saw a fireball, but it was out of frame. A beautiful place, and I will return with a tent the next time.

The next post will be of my continuing search for the elusive Ruddy Kingfisher, as I return to the Miike Wild Bird Forest in Miyazaki prefecture. Wish me luck!

https://www.japannatureguides.com/miyazaki-prefecture/

Oshitoishi Milky Way

Mt. Aso, a huge, dormant volcano

Oshitoishi panorama

Sunset on Oshitoishi Hill

April 3, 2021

This is the month of growing and greening, especially the weeds in my yard! But I have to say that the birds do love them for their tiny seeds and shoots, so I don’t complain that much.

A few species of birds have already raised and fledged young, such as the Long-tailed Tit (Enaga), but most are are either in the courting or nest building phase.

The past few weeks, I have been spending some time at a small pond, walking around a lake, and through the fields.

I found one of my favorites, the Common Kingfisher at the pond, along with the first Bullfrog of the year. He, (the Kingfisher) was a good fisherman, and managed to catch something about 50% of the time.

Around the lake, I came across the cheerful Daurian Redstart (Jobitaki) and some Yellow-throated Buntings (Miyama Houjiro).

In the fields, the loud call of the gorgeous male Common Pheasant (Kiji) can be heard, making it easier to find them, but they can quickly disappear into the undergrowth if you approach too closely.

Day by day, different birds are arriving from their wintering grounds. The cheery Skylark and Swallows have arrived, bringing with them their uplifting melodies that always cheer the heart. Something we all can appreciate in these trying times. Ah, happy spring!

March 16, 2021  Yesterday morning, I drove to Yasukogen and arrived just before daybreak. This area has a growing population of Sika Deer, and I was hoping to photograph them. They are quite wary, with excellent eyesight, hearing, and smell. Luckily there was no wind, and I had a line of trees to hide behind as I approached an open area where I knew they liked to forage. Peeking through the branches, I saw a lone female about 100 meters away, and she was unaware of my presence. Soon she disappeared behind a small hillock. I was surprised when she emerged on the other side with twins.  Sika deer twins are rare.  These were yearlings  who were born the previous year. They are much bigger than fawns, and have lost most of their spots.

   Sika are also called ‘whistling deer’  because they have a very loud, whistle-like alarm call.  I was surprised again when, as I took the first photo, her head shot up, looking in my direction. I didn’t move a muscle, even though only my lens was pointed through the branches of the cedar I was concealed behind. For some minutes, she stood frozen, looking in my direction for any movement as the yearlings continued eating. When she finally started nibbling on some wild blackberry leaves, I took another shot, and again she stared right at my position. For some reason, (perhaps my scent or a slight movement on my part)  she suddenly whistled the alarm, and in a flash, they were gone. 

   Sika deer populations are increasing dramatically in many  areas of Japan, and are posing a problem for farmers and gardeners. The have no predators, as the Japanese wolf went extinct over 100 years ago,(though some believe it still survives in Chichibu Tama Kai national park), hunters are decreasing in Japan, and forest lands are being cleared, creating more grazing areas for the deer.  The bird photo is of a Bush Warbler, called the Uguisu here in Japan. 

February 16, 2021 One of the harbingers of spring in Japan are the blooming of the plum blossoms. If the weather is fine, the plum trees typically start blooming around the middle of January, and usually reach full bloom (mankai) from the middle of February.

Two species of birds that enjoy sipping nectar from the blossoms are the Japanese white-eye (Meijiro), and the Brown-eared bulbul (Hiyodori). Important pollinators of the plum tree, as most insect pollinators are not active yet.

These images were taken at Tenpai Lake.

The nimble Japanese white-eye often feeds upside down.

The Brown-eared bulbul also can feed inverted, but is not nearly as nimble as the White-eye, as the following video shows.

February 9, 2021 Last Sunday morning, I went to Wajiro estuary in Hakata Bay. I was lucky to see some Oystercatchers (Miya kodori). A rather rare transient in this area. Common Shelducks (Tsukushigamo) were also there. Like their name suggests, they are common. They forage in shallow water by upending and head-dipping, but mostly by moving their bills back and forth through the water (scything), or by dabbling and digging on mudflats. I observed a few of them feeding in a style I have never seen before. They were stamping their feet rapidly, apparently to bring up prey to the surface of the mud. Other ducks do this on land to cause earthworms to come out of the ground. Perhaps it mimics the vibration of the rising tides, to bring up the small mollusks and other invertebrates that feed in shallow water.

As it was rather cloudy, I rode the bike back to where I had parked the car (no parking around Wajiro) at Tataragawa, about 7 kilometers away. When I arrived, the sun had started coming out from behind the clouds. I noticed the same small group of Black-faced Spoonbills I had photographed the weekend before (previous post) and took a short video.

They afternoon of the same day. Some images taken at Homan river near my home. A Pale Thrush (Shirohara), Common Kingfisher (Kawasemi), and Rufous Turle Dove (Kijibato) taken during the golden hour.

Thanks for visiting! Be safe everyone.

February 2, 2021 There are at least eight important coastal areas along the Ariaki Sea in Fukuoka prefecture that provide shelter and food to many animal, plant, and bird species. Hakata Bay also has estuaries and tidal flats that are equally important. These tidal flats (higata) are important stopovers for resting and feeding for many bird species during migration, and are also wintering grounds for some.

One such bird is the Black-faced Spoonbill (Kurotsura-Herasagi). Over the past ten years, I have noticed an increase in their numbers at Tataragawa Estuary, which is also one of their wintering grounds. Recently I learned through the WBSJ (Wild Bird Society of Japan) that the nationally protected Wajiro Tidal Flats area six kilometers to the east, has been extended to encompass Tataragawa Estuary.

These areas are vital to the preservation of many species. Unfortunately, these refuges are not permanently protected. Rather, their protection status is extended by the national government for ten year stretches. It is a constant battle for organizations, such as WBSJ, the Audubon Society, and the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) to watch over and preserve these delicate habitats.

Thank you for visiting my site, and may the wind always be under your wings!

P.S. Check out post of April, 2019 for a close up view of the black-faced Spoonbill.

Link to Wajiro Tidal Flats

Fukuoka City HAKATA Minato Gallery-Wajiro Tidal Flat

A time lapse taken near my home in Dazaifu, and in Hoshinomura, (Village of the Stars).

Have a great New Year everyone!

November 27th, 2020 Last week’s time lapse of the Leonid meteor shower taken over two nights at two different locations in the area of Hoshinomura, in Yamemachi, Japan.

Be safe everyone. Go hug a tree.