Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (April 24, 2011)

Spring migration has started.  A few Asian Stubtail were calling vocally while an Eastern Crowned Warbler was singing in the oak forest.  A few Brown-headed Thrush has also arrived and was singing time to time.  Although I wasn't able to focus, a male Blue-and-White Flycatcher's call was also heard. 

Winter migrants have also singing in the forest.  Beautiful songs of Black-faced Bunting and Dusky Thrush were heard while Siskin was calling, too.

Other interesting birds seen were a Eurasian Sparrowhawk, a male Grey Bunting and a Water Rail.

1. Eurasian Sparrowhawk  1 2. Chinese Bamboo Partridge 3. Water Rail 1 4. Oriental Turtle-Dove 5. Common Kingfisher 6. Japanese Woodpecker 7. Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker 8. Barn Swallow 9. Olive-backed Pipit 10. Brown-eared Bulbul 11. Dusky Thrush 12. Brown-headed Thrush 2 13. Asian Stubtail 14. Eastern Crowned Warbler 15. Japanese Bush Warbler 16. Blue-and-White Flycatcher 1 17. Long-tailed Tit 18. Varied Tit 19. Great Tit 20. Japanese White-eye 21. Meadow Bunting 22. Black-faced Bunting 23. Grey Bunting 1 male 24. Siskin 25. Oriental Greenfinch 26. Hawfinch 27. Tree Sparrow 28. White-cheeked Starling 29. Large-billed Crow

Black-faced Bunting (female)

Black-faced Bunting (female)

Black-faced Bunting (female)

Brown-headed Thrush (female)

Siskin (male)

Olive-backed Pipit

Great Tit (female)

Great Tit (female) collecting nest's material

Great Tit (female) collecting nest's material

Great Tit (female)

Great Tit (female) bathing

Great Tit (female) bathing

Water Rail

Water Rail

Water Rail

Water Rail

Water Rail

Anthocharis scolymus (female): a typical spring butterfly

Viola grypoceras

Corydalis incisa

Birdwatching in Oike Koen (December 31, 2010)

Certainly the last birding day of the year 2010.  Oike-koen is located in Asahi-ku, Yokohama City.  Approx. 1 hour from my house.  It is currently known as Kodomo-Shizen-koen, means Kid's Nature Park in Japanese.  Local birdwatchers told me this park holds more variety of birds than Maioka-koen, where I often go. 

It takes 5 min. from Totsuka station to Higashi-Totsuka station by JR train and 20-30 min. by Sotetsu bus to Maki-ga-hara Oike bus stop.  The park is a well-maintained urban park.  There are two ponds and wide types of vegetation. 

As today is a fine day and off for most of Japanese (new year's eve), there were hundreds of people inside the park.  Despite many people, I was still able to see some good birds, such as a flock of Siskin and a male Orange-flanked Bush-Robin.  As the park holds good dark forest, there would be Grey Bunting as some bird watchers have photographed in this winter.

Obeserved species are as below.

1. Little Grebe 2. Spot-billed Duck 3. Tufted Duck 4 Grey Heron 5. Northern Goshawk 1 imm. 6. Oriental Turtle Dove 7. Common Kingfisher 8. Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker 9.Carrion Crow 10. Large-billed Crow 11. Great Tit 12. Varied Tit 13. Long-tailed Tit 14. Brown-eared Bulbul 15. Japanese Bush Warbler 16. Japanese White-eye 17. Pale Thrush 18. Brown-headed Thrush 19. Dusky Thrush 20. Orange-flanked Bush-Robin 1 male 21. Tree Sparrow 22. White Wagtail 23. Siskin 24. Japanese Grosbeak 25. Black-faced Bunting

Pale Thrush

Orange-flanked Bush-Robin (male)

Orange-flanked Bush-Robin (male)

Orange-flanked Bush-Robin (male)

White Wagtail (male)

White Wagtail

Tufted Duck