First Birding of 2020

The winter vacation has passed, finally, and I have had a few days out shooting in a garden near my house. I searched whether there are any blossoms in the Japanese apricot trees, but could not find any yet. I believe it’s a matter of day or two till we can see the first flowers.

The bird scene is pretty much the same as it was towards the year end. The female daurian redstart the and male red-flanked bluetail are still around. Anyhow, it appears to me that the stronger and bossier redstart has taken over some of the territory of the weaker bluetail, which seems to be searching for new territory very close by.

In the garden there are also two goldcrests, of which is injured. It doesn’t seem to be able to use one of it’s legs at all. Nevertheless, it looks like it is doing just fine standing or hanging on one foot only. When flying and hovering it looks just the same as the healthy bird. The two birds can at times be seen joining flocks of Japanese white-eyes and long-tailed tits.

冬休みが終わって、やっと近くの公園で野鳥の撮影をまた楽しむ事ができます。梅はもうお花が咲き始めていないかと探していましたが、一輪も見つかりませんでした。きっと明日、明後日ごろ咲き始めるだろうぐらい蕾が膨らんでいました。

相変わらずジョウビタキのメスとルリビタキのオスが出ていました。しかし、ルリビタキはもっと強いジョウビタキに負けて、縄張りの一部を奪われたように見えます。新しい縄張りを探しているようです。

公園にはキクイタダキも二羽がいます。一羽は可哀相に足を怪我しています。驚くほど器用に片足で立ったり、ぶら下がったりしています。ホバリングや飛ぶ時は他の鳥と変わらない様子で、とても元気に見えます。二羽は時に他の鳥、メジロやエナガと混じって動いていました。