Blue Eyed Birder: Day 8 - Winter in Japan for Bird's Wildlife & Nature

We packed up and left Izumi as soon after breakfast as we could and made our way straight back up into the hills to Kagowa. It was a little misty but there was no wind or rain which made it perfect for Bunting Hunting.

Bunting heaven - the old chicken farm

the old chicken farm - Jim Willett

They were just waking up as we arrived and ticking could be heard (by me at least!) all around. They are all quite similar and only Meadow Bunting is properly distinctive to my ear and they often run three slightly squelchy ticks together in a Robin like way.

As usual seeing anything other than Meadows was tricky and if one did appear it did not often linger for very long and within our group they became known as Discretionary Buntings. You saw whatever you were quick enough to get onto. Most seen were Maskeds including a couple of dowdy birds that were only given away by the yellowy throat and sub-moustachial stripes while Dave picked up a couple of Yellow-throated Buntings that paused for the briefest instant before darting back down to cover. I was pretty sure I could hear the ultra high tik of Grey Bunting and a male zipped low across the road twice but as usual it was very frustrating when only I could hear the birds and had to try to get people onto the area in which I thought they might appear. I can only imagine what it was like for them and it made me cherish my hearing even more than usual. Some careful ditch stalking did finally get everyone good Masked Bunting views as they fed with a couple of Meadows on the tiny wild grass seeds.

Masked Bunting

Meadow Bunting

There were other rewards though that were easier to see and enjoy including at least nine White-bellied Green Pigeons that kept returning to some very high laurels to feed, singing Oriental Turtle Doves that sound more like a four note Woodpigeon and calling and drumming Japanese Green Woodpecker. A Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker was making some awesome sounds on the giant bamboo!

White-bellied Green Pigeon

White-bellied Green Pigeon - Chris Darby

A Japanese Bush Warbler sung almost continually and occasionally we heard the whistle song of Japanese Grosbeaks too and several parties played chase over the high canopy. Likewise at height, Ryukyu Minivets flounced between the tree tops but never stopped in views but that trilling was always audible once they were on the wing. A male Daurian Redstart was enjoying the early sunshine and sat for an age in Chinaberry tree calling softly to itself.

Daurian Redstart

Pale Thrushes were once again encountered but not one stayed out for long enough and a Red-flanked Bluetail played games with us for a while as we explored a track along an arm of the reservoir where a flock of twenty Mandarins erupted from down below us and Common Sandpipers and Common Kingfishers zipped back and forth. Brown-eared Bulbuls were noisy but seldom seen and Japanese Jays squawked from the bamboo stands.

It was a glorious morning session and the blue skies held Kites, Buzzards and Ospreys before we looped back down to the bridge for a final short walk. There was nothing new but the Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers were displaying and Masked Buntings were numerous down by the river’s edge where a Great Egret stalked for breakfast.

All looking in different directions as usual - Jim Willett

I amused myself with some of the wonderful ferny foliage spilling down the escarpment as we made our way back to the vans to set about the journey back to Kagoshima and our first of two flights that we see us on the northern island of Hokkaido in the dark for the last leg of our adventure.

I think that this is Lesser Galangal - Alpinia officinarum

Asian Holly Fern - Cyrtomium falcatum

Carrot Fern - Onychium japonicum

Climbing Fig - Ficus pumila

Elliptic Colysis Fern - Leptochilus ellipticus

Lepisorus microphyllus

Lepisorus thunbergianus

Medicinal Spikemoss - Selaginella involvens

Wineberry - Rubus phoenicolasius

On the way out we stopped at some roadside loos (Dave said they were posh...) and this tiny truck was selling awesome pastries and such like. He was a very happy vender and with a big smile, packed and left as soon as we were finished purchasing his wares!