In The Reed

January 23 saw me wandering around Sekinoe for the last time before flying back to Thailand. It was a beautiful morning with clear blue sky and nice warm morning light. I initially wanted to get some better shots of the White-winged Scoter, but the bird was still hundred metres away in the sea as usual, so I failed to do so. I then walked along the reedbed and found that there were quite many Reed Buntings feeding in it. I still haven't managed to get a decent shot of this species so I spent time trying to photograph them. Some of the males have already possessed some of the breeding features like blackish feathers on its head and breast.

Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

I walked along a small road to the APU's dorm which is sided by a small area of reeds. I surprisingly came across a very tame Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis). It was feeding quietly in the undergrowth on the roadside. I frequently see the species during early spring, when it shows off its flight display over the grassland. Although a fairly common species, I've never been able to photograph it here in Japan before. This time, the bird was kind enough to let me grab a few shots before disappearing into the reeds. The subspecies C. j.brunniceps is the subspecies found in Japan and northern Philippines. It looks really different from the subspecies C.j.malaya which is found in Thailand.

Non-breeding Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis brunniceps)

Oriental Bush Warbler (Cettia diphone)

The geese were still doing well, here's the Tundra Bean (A.f.serrirostris)

This Black-eared Kite seemed to be collecting nesting materials.

I walked to the fish pond near the lotus field and was surprised by a large flock of the Japanese Grosbeaks (Eophona personata) feeding on the lawn on my left. I estimated more than 60 birds, the largest flock I've ever seen. The flock was joined by the Dusky and Pale Thrushes. I didn't know what they were feeding on, but it might be some kind of seeds or berries. However, the birds were extremely shy and never let me get close to them while they're on the ground. I, by the way, got some better shots of them while perching on the trees nearby.

Japanese Grosbeak (Eophona personata)

Some more shots of them while feeding on the ground

Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)

Brown-eared Bulbul (Ixos amaurotis)

Oita River

These photos were all taken earlier in January at Oita River. I started my day by dropping out at Kaku Station, then made my way upstream along the river to Onozuru and Taromaru. The scenery of Mt. Yufu and Mt. Tsurumi was perfect in the warm morning light. I just wished there were more snow on the mountains. Along the reeds, there were many Reed Buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus), but they mostly kept hiding inside the reeds and rarely popped out into the open. A small flock of Common Teals and Mallards were resting in the rivers, as well as a pair of Ruddy-breasted Crakes, which I heard them making weird sounds inside the reeds.

A view of Mt. Yufu (left) and Mt. Tsurumi (right)

Non-breeding Reed Buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone orientalis) calling

Around Kaku area, I spotted a single Northern Goshawk soaring high up in the sky. The bird later landed into a very thick bush on the river side. There was another female Common Kestrel flying around the area as well. Actually, the target of the visit was the Japanese Waxwing, of which a small flock was photographed a few days earlier. I searched through the area but found nothing but the common stuff, including a flock of Long-tailed Tits, Meadow Buntings, Japanese Grosbeaks and Oriental Turtle-Doves.

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus trivirgatus)
Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

Oriental Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia orientalis)

A Cold Morning at Furui-chi

So I'm gonna finish up the photos from that visit on Sunday. It was a brilliant morning with beautiful sunlight, yet very very cold. It was so cold that the water in the lotus field was almost completely frozen, the first time for me as well to see frozen water pond. The Japanese Tits (Parus minor) were singing from high branches and electric poles and many Turtle-doves were flying around. Daffodils were everywhere and they really add a beautiful feeling to this already very lovely morning. A small flock of 3-4 Common Snipes (Gallinago gallinago) were gathering together in a small ice-free corner of the field and many were hiding along the dikes. I even saw one flying from nowhere then landed directly in the middle of the pond and funnily slipped on the ice. It must've thought that was water. A flock of about 20 White-cheeked Starlings was also feeding on a fruiting next to the railway, and a pair of male and female Bull-headed Shrike was also presenting around the lotus field.

The same pair of Black-eared Kite from the previous entry

A male Pale Thrush

A closer view of the Black-eared Kite

A group of Common Snipes

These snipes just had to wait until the ice completely melted.

A Japanese Tit (or Great Tit P.major minor)

I walked to the other side of the field to the Sekino-e(関の江) area and found a flock of Grey-capped Greenfinch feeding along with many Black-faced Buntings. I tried photographing them but these finches are always too shy to get good shots. Unlike the Black-faced, the Meadow Buntings around Sekino-e area were very approachable. They were all feeding in a small front yard of a house near the other APU's dorm. A male Black-faced Bunting also came aound but flew out too soon before I could get any better shot as usual. The teals were still around but in small number, didn't know where they've gone to. The surprise of the day was a flock of Reed Bunting in the small reedbed near the main road. This is the first time for me to see the species here in Beppu area.

A male Meadow Bunting

The only acceptable shot of the male Black-faced Bunting
Why can't they be all so tame like those Siberian Meadows?

A male Grey-capped Greenfinch

And a record shot of the Reed Bunting in Beppu!