Stock for winter

I found that fruiting trees outside my window are very important places for many species around here. Actually these trees have been fruiting for more than a month now, but still there are several birds come visit them. A pair of Daurian Redstart is the main visitor. Dusky Thrushes also come to these trees frequently last month, but these thrushes are so shy that everytime I try to photograph them, they just fly away quickly. Another interesting species is the Hawfinch, which I saw a flock of about 5 birds visited the trees for few days last month. Even though the bird guide says that they are common winter visitor to Japan, but I don't see them quite often around here.

A female Daurian Redstart picking up the fruit

Although I've been observing these fruiting trees for a month now, but I've never got any pictures of the birds that visit them. Today I decided to go out and get some shots, and there were one female Daurian Redstart, 3 Japanese White-eyes, and a shy Oriental Bush Warbler feeding on the trees. The bush warbler, as I expected, flew off into the bush quickly. So I finally managed to get only the photos of this female Daurian and the White-eyes.

The weather forecast says that it will continue to be snowing for few days. The heaviest will be on Monday, which will be snowing from 6am until 11am. Good new is...it's my holiday this week! because it's Japanese Coming-of-Age Day, or Seijin shiki (成人式), which all Japanese teenagers who are hitting 20 this year have to go back to their hometowns, and do the ceremony with their families. May be I should get out and take some photos of white Beppu!

A flock of Dusky Thrush in cold winter light

The same female Daurian Redstart