Last birds of spring 1

Need more hours in a day! These photos are way overdue. I really would like to turn this blog into a diary, with frequent updates, not 1 month old. Maybe one day…  遅くなってごめんなさい

Eastern Crowned Warbler,  センダイムシクイ

Asian Brown Flycatcher,  コサメビタキ

The forest is full of sounds. Young birds crying constantly for food, parents and helpers working hard to please them.

Japanese Great Tit,  シジュウカラ fledglings

Parent with a bit of caterpillar for the chicks

Not able to fly well yet, it flutters its wings as a true baby.

More, more please!

Blue-and-white Flycatcher,  オオルリ

Great Egret,  ダイサギ

What would the turtle be thinking now?

Wild Iris,  シャガ (Iris japonica)

To be continued

Herons and Egrets 2

The white egrets can be hard to photograph in harsh light conditions.
Capturing the beauty of their lace-like spring plumage is a challenge.

白い羽毛で飾ったサギ

At first Little Egret,  コサギ

Next Great Egret,  ダイサギ

  

今日の勉強   白い = white

白い羽毛で飾ったサギ shiroi umoo de kazatta sagi,  white-plumed egrets

Herons and Egrets 1

A heron colony in neighboring Saga holding many residents. Grey Herons, Night herons and different Egrets all build their nest close together in what reminds me of the old Walled city in Hong Kong. It’s a bustling place with much to see in spring. Young lovers trying to impress each other and building nests. Young families with 3 or 4 chicks of various sizes. Busy parents looking after the nests, quarreling over space, flying in and out with food. And babies constantly crying out for more. Crows hang out nearby, watching the colony for unattended nests. Every now and then a little chick gets taken. It’s painful to watch. Nature can be so cruel. But overall the sense of spring, new life prevails. It gives me a boost of energy.

Grey Heron,  アオサギ

When breeding the bill turns a bright red and the birds ruffle their feathers in display.

An intruder coming too close to a nest. Mum bravely scares him off. She had been waiting for her husband all day long to come in with food for the babies. When we left after 3 hours he still hadn’t shown up…

Common Pheasant in Dazaifu

In spring pheasants come out of hiding to look for mates. Their acts of display are quite impressive and a popular subject for photographers. This male had lost his tail in a fight. Too bad for him, but it suited me as the entire bird fitted in the frame this way.

Common Pheasant, キジ

On the same day, on the same location a female Shrike was posing in the Wisteria. I still have to find a way to capture the flowers in a pleasing way, but for the moment the bird added a nice touch.

Bull-headed Shrike, モズ

 Wisteria, 藤

A male in another tree nearby.

Springtime in the Botanical Gardens 3

A few more scenes of Minami Koen and the Botanical Gardens

Blue-and-white Flycatcher,  オオルリ

Carrion Crow,  ハシボソガラス

A crow stole a bag of lollies from an inattentive birder.

What did he do? He took it to higher ground. 

Opened the bag.

Took out lollies one by one

And….

 Burried them in the undergrowth!

PS. The female joined him later. Did he have something to please her!