So I've been away from this blog for quite a while...here's the final post for the Japanese stuff I took before flying back to Thailand. Nothing much, just a bunch of common birds and some landscape shots from the top of Mt. Tsurumi. The Chinese Plum in Beppu Koen was already starting to bloom since February 2. There were a few trio; Japanese, Varied, Long-tailed Tits, hopping here and there among the plum trees. The Japanese Tits were concentrating on singing their sweet songs and trying to attract the females.
Japanese Tit (Parus minor)
Varied Tit (Parus varius)At the Beppu Ropeway bus stop, I was a bit surprised to see a pair of Varied Tit busily looking for a place to build a nest. One of the bird, possibly a male, was very tame and vocal, while another bird flew up and down the roof checking anything with holes that could fit its body. Seems like spring has already made its appearance and the breeding season has finally arrived once again. There were lots of Meadow Buntings feeding on the small lawn near the ropeway station as usual. Among them were a few Black-faced and Yellow-throated Buntings. I noticed that most of the male Meadow Buntings had brownish eyestripe instead of black, almost like the subspecies found in China. I guessed it's a matter of breeding/non-breeding plumage.
Varied Tit (Parus varius) "Anyone knows when's the next bus?"
Male Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides)As the cable car went up towards the summit of Mt. Tsurumi, I could see many Sika Deer feeding out in the open down below. They seemed to favour grassy area among the forest. I could grab a few shots as the car was moving. At the summit, I spent time taking some landscape shots as the scenery and the weather were just brilliant. There was some common stuff around as well, including the Long-tailed, Coal and Willow Tits, Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers and Meadow Buntings. I also saw my first Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) for a few minutes. It was a female bird perching far in the woods.
Sika Deer (Cervus nippon)
Mt. Yufu viewed from the top of Mt. Tsurumi
Willow Tit (Parus montanus)
3 comments:
That Japanese Tit is so much like Great Tit, I had to look more than twice. Meadow Bunting, what a terrific bird, lovely plumage and the name conjures up pictures of the far east countryside I saw in Langkawi? Nice landscape with the earth's curvature very obvious.
Some wonderful photos. Really like the surroundings and the landscapes. The tits are all beautiful but often taken for granted here.
Wonderful photos! love the landscape shots..
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