Bird Watching in Japan & Asia

2011-04-10

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (April 10, 2011)

Spring has come. Japanese Bush Warblers were singing everywhere while Chinese Bamboo Partridge was very vocal, too. Cherry trees are nearly full bloom while magnolia's flowering season was nearly finished. Most of winter migrants seemed to leave as the forest has become quiet.

Cherry flower

Peach flower

dandelion and violet

violet

violet and bee

holly blue

magnolia

Varied Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Long-taied Tit

Pale Thrush (male)

Pale Thrush (female)

Black-faced Bunting (male)

Japanese Bush-Warbler (male)

2011-04-03

Birdwatching in Kasai Rinkai Koen (April 3, 2011)

It seems a Silky Starling has left the park. Although cherry has started flowering a few days ago, due to cold climate, just 10-20% is flowering so far.

As there were lots of people, I left the park around 10:45 a.m.

Black-necked Grebe (breeding plumage)

Great Crested Grebe

Dusky Thrush (female)

Pale Thrush (male)

Pale Thrush

Magnolia kobus

2011-03-27

Birdwatching in Matsudo (March 27, 2011)

As I found a Golden-crowned Sparrow has started changing the plumage, I re-visited Matsudo City. There were only less than five birdwatchers when I arrived at 7:15 a.m.. The sparrow was singing with unfamilar call, which reminded me Yellow-breasted Bunting, White-throated Sparrow and Blue-and-Whte Flycatcher, but was different from all.
It was often singing in middle storey of willow tree while it sometimes sang from reedbed. It probably takes another two or three weeks to be full breeding plumage.
When it was feeding on the ground, it sometimes dig on the ground by its legs unlikely buntings.
Taiga (or Red-breasted Flycatcher) was still in the same reedbed. It was agile but much easier than the sparrow to see. So, I enjoyed photographing it for 1 hour after photographing the Golden-crowned Sparrow

Oriental Greenfinch (female)

Golden-crowned Sparrow (singing)

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Black-faced Bunting (female)

Eurasian Wigeon

Oriental Turtle Dove

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Daurian Redstart (female)

2011-03-20

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (March 20, 2011)

Due to influence of earthquake last week, train service is still not stable. So, I visited Maioka-koen this weekend, too. Most of highlights have probably left while Japanese Bush Warbler and Chinese Bamboo Partridge are very vocal. Black-faced Bunting, which is normally wary and loves in the bush, are now tame while Dusky Thrush also keeps open field.