Late this afternoon I decided to hike up Mt Kinugasa and see if there was any migration action. I arrived at the summit at about 16:30 and stayed until 18:00. During that time I saw a lone Chinese Goshawk, but it was quite far and on the sunward side of me, so I didn’t bother […]
Tag: japan
Flesh Fly
Flesh fly larvae (maggots) feed on corpses and carrion, and sometimes on the wounds of mammals, hence their common name. They are also found on excrement and decaying organic matter. Adults feed on sugary liquids like nectar, sap, and fruit juice. But sometimes they just sit in the sun casting tiny shadows. The one I […]
Summer Wildlife in Japan
For many people, Japan conjures up images of high technology, fast-paced modern cities, ancient temples and shrines, unique cuisine and intriguing traditions; but Japan is also well worth visiting for its wildlife, particularly during the summer months when escaping from the hot sweltering cities to the cooler, refreshing countryside is rewarding in itself. Not only […]
August Migrant Shorebirds
I visited Daijyugarami, Saga prefecture, last Friday to see what birds had started migrating through. The highlights were a solitary juvenile Asian Dowitcher, a Long-billed Dowitcher in breeding plumage, a Red Knot also in breeding plumage, a Broad-billed Sandpiper, a Long-toed Stint, four Black-faced Spoonbill, one Saunders’s Gull, a few Black-tailed Godwit and plenty of […]
Mount Aso Highlands
Last Friday afternoon I revisited the highlands near Mt Aso, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Usually I visit this location in the early morning, but I wanted to see what was happening in the late afternoon. Also, the light direction is better in the afternoon, so more options to photograph species active in the area. The scenery […]
Mount Norikura, Gifu Prefecture
Last weekend I decided to go up to central Honshu island and search out some personal “firsts” seeing as I had a total of four days. I was planning to visit both Mt Ibuki (Shiga prefecture) and Mt Norikura (Gifu prefecture), the first location for Golden Eagle and the second for alpine birds such as […]
More Japanese Reed Buntings
I had planned a longer photography trip this weekend, specifically to look for Pleske’s Grasshopper Warbler, however the typhoon that was supposed to pass across from the Japan Sea to the Pacific Ocean promptly decided to turn itself into a depression and sit just off the western coast of Kyushu! After a bit of procrastination, […]
Japanese Reed Bunting | Emberiza yessoensis
Yesterday I visited the Aso-Kuju area in central Kyushu. Specifically I wanted to see Japanese Reed Bunting (aka Ochre-rumped Bunting), but also other summer birds of higher altitudes. Although this was the middle of rainy season, the forecast seemed promising so I arrived at dawn. Soon after starting off a trail famous for having my […]