From Ume to Sakura

March 4, 2019

It’s about 10 days since I first photographed the red-breasted flycatcher in a Tokyo park. Since then, I went there two more times and found her in the Japanese apricot tree or ume garden. The number of photographers capturing that one little bird had increased since my first visit and - at best I believe- it reached some 50 people. I don’t know whether the bird is still in the park as I have been busy with other errands and the weather has also been miserable with cold and rainy days.

In my neighborhood there is a children’s play park with several trees of an early blooming cherry species, the kawazuzakura. Every year I spend a few days capturing Japanese white eyes and red-ringed parakeets enjoying the blossoms. I went to the park a few times to see how the blossoms are doing. While there are some flowers in bloom already, it seems to take some time till the trees reach full bloom. A few warmer and sunny days would probably do the trick!

I found only a few Japanese white-eyes on the cherry trees. I am sure there must have been more nearby but a flock of brown-eared bulbuls were very aggressively protecting what they think is their territory and chasing the white-eyes away. It is still difficult for the white-eyes to hide when there are very little flowers.

There were already several red-ringed parakeets in the park, some of which were perching in the nearby trees and some of which were already savouring on the pink flowers. The parakeets cut the flowers off, drink the nectar inside the flowers and and then drop the flowers. It is a waste but with their curved beaks it is the only way they can reach the nectar. The Japanese white-eyes and the brown-eared bulbuls on the other had, just drink the nectar and leave the flowers intact!

初めて都内の公園でニシオジロビタキを撮ってから、10日が過ぎました。その後二回撮りにいきまして、いつもの梅林の中で飛び交っていることが確認できましょた。天気が悪いなどのせいで最近公園に行く機会はなかったです。ニシオジロビタキはまだ公園にいるかどうか、分かりません。

毎年カワズザクラがある近所の公園でメジロやワカケホンセイインコなどを撮りに行っています。最近何回か様子を見に行きましたが、寒いせいか、まだまだ満開まで時間がかかいそうです。

あいにくメジロはまだとても少ないです。お花が少ないうちにヒ大勢で来ているヨドリから隠れるのは大変でしょうと勝手に推測しています。

ワカケホンセイインコは公園のあちこちに多く見れました。普段はなかなか近くで見れない鳥ですが、この季節だけに必ずカワズザクラに来ます。ワカケホンセイインコは一輪一輪を切って、中の蜜を吸ってから、お花を捨てるといったもったいなそうな食べ方をしています。曲がった嘴でそれが唯一出来る食べ方だろうと思います。メジロとヒヨドリは細長い嘴で中の蜜だけを吸って、桜の花を切らすにすみます。

まだまだ梅の花が続いていますが、これからの桜の季節も楽しみですね！

Apricot Trees in Bloom

February 15, 2019

Japanese apricot trees are in bloom. Unlike cherry blossoms that bloom all at once for approximately a week, apricot trees bloom gradually and therefore one can enjoy the blossoms for a rather long time. Today I decided to take a stroll in Koishikawa Botanical Garden, that has a large apricot tree grove. I was hoping to capture some birds there. I thought I would at least find Japanese white-eyes enjoying nectar of the flowers. I could smell the sweet scent of the flowers from a distance and my hopes were getting high.

Despite of waiting for a long time the apricot trees didn’t seem to attract any birds. There were some Japanese white-eyes and Japanese tits nearby but they seemed to be more interested in the seeds of Chinese tallowtrees nearby. A flock of long-tailed tits arrived merrily chirping but they disappeared as quickly as they had arrived and I thought I would return home with photos of blossoms only. Luckily, my long wait was finally rewarded; I could find a male daurian redstart and a dusky thrush, both of which were after the seeds of the Chinese tallowtrees, too.

梅の花が咲く季節です。桜と違って梅の開花期間は長くて、２−３週間ぐらい楽しめます。今日は小石川植物園の梅林に野鳥を撮りに行って来ました。梅の蜜を好むのメジロを期待していましたが、寒いせいか、梅林は静かでした。長い間待っていても、小鳥の気配はありません。近くのナンキンハゼだけにはメジロやシジュウカラがたまに実を食べに来ました。梅だけの写真で帰らなければならないかと思いましたが、やっとオスのジョウビタキとツグミが現れました。両方ともやはりナンキンハゼの実が目当てででしたが、幸い梅の枝にも止まってくれてました。

Let It Snow!

February 10, 2019

It snowed yesterday. Apparently, it was already third time this season to snow in Tokyo, but for me it was the first time to see any. I was hoping to capture birds in snowy landscape and rushed to my favourite garden. As soon as I arrived and took my gear out of my back bag a male red-flanked bluetail greeted me. He didn’t seem to be much bothered by my presence and let me photograph from rather close distance. There wasn't much snow at all and my model avoided the areas where the layer of snow was somewhat thicker. I bet it was easier to find food where the earth was not covered with snow.

I was also lucky to find a female red-flanked bluetail. She let me know of her presence by her call. Her territory is next to the male’s and the two bluetails often have territory disputes along the borderline of their territories. This time the male wasn’t close, so I didn’t get to witness any fighting.

While it was still snowing, I went to see whether the Japanese apricot trees had reached full bloom yet and whether I could find any birds there. After some waiting a flock of Japanese tits and Japanese white-eyes arrived to savour of the blossoms, some of which were already in bloom.

I managed to see a glimpse of a male daurian redstart as well. Usually they get accustomed to people very easily, but this one, despite of the fact that it has been in the garden for long time already, is still very skittish and flies away as soon as someone approaches it.

I didn’t manage to capture the kind of images I was hoping for as the weather was a little too warm for snow to accumulate. I keep hoping to get some more snow this winter!

昨日雪が降って、所々ほんの少し積もったからカメラを持っていつものフィールドに行くことにしました。

着いたら、オスのルリビタキが直ぐに迎えに来てくれました。次第に人に慣れて来て、近い距離から撮れましたが、雪がもっと積もったところでは餌は見つかりにくいせいか、雪を避けているように行動していました。

鳥運が良いことにメスのルリビタキも見つけました。縄張りはオスの縄張りと隣接し、良く縄張り争いもあったが、今回はドラマチックなシーンに恵まれなかったです。

雪はまだ舞ううちに近くの梅林に行ってみました。梅の一部は綺麗に咲いていました。少し待ったところにメジロやシジュウカラの群れがやって来ました。オスのジョウビタキも一瞬顔を出しました。普段人懐っこい鳥ですが、この個体は中々人に慣れなくて、近づいたら、すぐに逃げます。

雪と鳥の共演を望んでいましたが、雪は思ったより少なかった為、思うような写真にならなかったです。今年の冬もう一度雪が降ってくれないかな？