Bungo Toyo-oka

These are quite old photos taken on November 10th. I visited Bungo Toyo-oka (豊後豊岡), a small town just north of Beppu, as suggested by Furuso-san. It only took a few minutes by train from Kamegawa Station (亀川駅). As the train rapidly moved through the field of Sekino-E, I saw the two geese standing nicely in the warm morning sun of autumn. The town of Bungo Toyo-oka is very quiet and peaceful. The weather was brilliant and I had a good time walking through the urban area out into the wild. There are more rice fields here than in Beppu, all were harvested. Black-eared Kites were very common. I saw lots of them throughout the morning walk.

First-year Vega Gull (Larus vegae)

First-year Common Gull (Larus canus Kamtschatschensis)

There was a big flock of gulls bathing in a small harbour near the town. Most of them were Black-headed, Black-tailed and Vega Gulls. There were also a few first-year Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus), and an odd first-year Common Gull (Larus canus Kamtschatschensis), a bird I don't see very often around here. There were also fresh footprints of a weasel on the sandy shore, too bad I couldn't find one. Common Sandpipers and Little Egrets were feeding along the small canal nearby as well.

Female Bull-headed Shrike (Lanius bucephalus)

Male Eyebrowed Thrush (left) with male Brown-headed Thrush (right)

Male Brown-headed Thrush (Turdus chrysolaus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

Male Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis bengalensis)

I chose to walk upstream to the mountain side. Along the way, I came across a very big flock of thrushes, mostly Dusky, Pale and Eyebrowed with several Brown-headed. The Brown-headed and Eyebrowed are not the birds that I often see in Beppu. The birds seemed to be enjoying some kind of wild berries fruiting along the riverside. Unfortunately, all of them were so shy so I couldn't get any decent shot of them. All of the above shots were cropped.

Japanese Weasel (Mustela itatsi)

Male Eyebrowed Thrush (Turdus obscurus)

While I was photographing the thrushes, a Japanese Weasel popped out of the bush in the river below. I tried to get some nice photos of it, but it was really difficult to catch up with. It moved so fast through the bushes and the rocks. The above shot was the only acceptable shot of it in the open. There was a Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) soaring high up in the sky while I was watching the thrushes as well. It was later chased by a flock of Large-billed Crows. Daurian Redstarts and Common Kingfishers were along the river in quite a good number. I later took a bus back to Beppu around 11.30 as the wind started to get too strong and the birds began to disappear.

Yet Another Entry

...dedicated for waders at Rokushou-en. I went there very often during the last two weeks. It's a hot season for spring migrants, so I just didn't want to waste my time doing nothing at home. These birds won't be seen again for at least another four or five months, so I should take these opportunities as much as possible.

Beppu Bay during low tide

Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus variegatus?)

These birds were enjoying bathing and preening.

Grey-tailed Tattler

I think this one is a very bleached 2nd year Vega Gull. It's been staying here in the bay for quite a while now. Normally it would roost with other gulls at Spa Beach, but it also fly to Rokushou-en. I think I first saw it since early April.

Some more tattlers in closer range

This one has the most distinct barring on underparts.

I tried to capture some good flight shots but never seemed to be successful.

I personally like this picture. They look like tiny people on a small island.

A summer Black-tailed Gull

Grey Heron

Snowy Seagulls

Here's a set of photos taken yesterday when a semi-blizzard struck this little subtropical Beppu. The weather forecast website said the lowest temperature was -8 celcius degree. I was shock when I woke up around 9 and found that everything was white outside the window. I quickly went out to the balcony and looked at the Spa Beach and, oh my god, it was also completely white. It's the first time in my life to see a white beach. I've always been wishing to see one at least once in my life since the time I watched the movie Eternal Sunshine and the Spotless Mind by Michel Gondry. My brain immediately sent an order for me to take my camera, grab some pieces of bread and rush out to the beach. It was freezing cold, yet I was so happy with all these photos I've got. The snow really has made these cute gulls look cuter, and the photos really look Hokkaido-ish despite the fact that they're all taken in Kyushu.

These common Black-headed Gulls look so much better with snow!

With a little bit of bread, you'll easily get photos like this.

They look so cute head-on.

More and more birds have developed the blackish feathers of breeding plumage.

The above shots were taken with my 18-55mm lens.

I've been questioning myself for a long time that do some of them actually have pinkish feathers on the underparts, or my eyes were just not right. Now with all this white snow surrounding the birds, I can see the answer clearly for myself, some of them are actually pinkish!

Some more pinky gulls!

Something unexpected, the Sun!

A funny-looking Vega Gull

This one is bad. It kept chasing the others all the time.

Alright Hokkaido,
Here I come!