December 28th
The following is the list of species that park rangers observed today.

Gadwall、Mallard、Spot-billed Duck、Northern Shoveler、Teal、Common Pochard、Tufted Duck、Little Grebe、Great Cormorant、Grey Heron、Eurasian Coot、Common Sandpiper、Black  Kite、Eurasian Sparrowhawk、Northern Goshawk、Common Buzzard、Oriental Turtle Dove、Common Kingfisher、Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker、Bull-headed Shrike、Large-billed Crow、Japanese Tit、Brown-eared Bulbul、Japanese Bush Warbler、Japanese White-eye、White-cheeked Starling、Pale Thrush、Dusky Thrush、Daurian Redstart、Eurasian Tree Sparrow、White Wagtail、Oriental Greenfinch、Black-faced Bunting
　(33species)

Ranger's Activities
Research : Daily Surveys  and  updating records
Habitat management : Patrol、Plowing
Education : Providing visiter services at the Ranger Station
Other : Nothing to Report

Ranger’s blog yesterday (Dec 27th)

In the early afternoon a Goshawk stayed in the shallow water of East Freshwater Pond. The hawk strangled a duck under the water to kill.

After a while the Goshawk pulled the duck and landed on the island of the pond.   When the hawk began to feed the duck a Common Buzzard, a Black Kite and Large-billed Crows came around the hawk being attracted to the prey.

The movie covers a scene of feeding of the Goshawk.  Please be careful for watching the movie since it is a bit bloody.
MOVIE

The following is the list of species that park rangers observed today.

Gadwall、Northern Shoveler、Common Pochard、Tufted Duck、Greater Scaup、Little Grebe、Black-necked Grebe、Great Cormorant、Grey Heron、Great Egret、Eurasian Coot、Common Sandpiper、Herring Gull、Black  Kite、Northern Goshawk、Common Buzzard、Oriental Turtle Dove、Common Kingfisher、Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker、Bull-headed Shrike、Azure-winged Magpie、Large-billed Crow、Japanese Tit、Brown-eared Bulbul、Japanese Bush Warbler、Japanese White-eye、White-cheeked Starling、Pale Thrush、Dusky Thrush、Daurian Redstart、Eurasian Tree Sparrow、White Wagtail、Hawfinch、Black-faced Bunting、Reed Bunting
　(35species)

Ranger's Activities

Research : Daily Surveys  and  updating records、Vegetation Study

Habitat management : Patrol、Trail maintemance 、Trimming Bushes

Education : Providing visiter services at the Ranger Station

Other : Nothing to Report

Ranger’s blog yesterday (Dec 26th )

It was a pretty warm day.
The fallen leaves were rustling in the wind. 

On the trail from Observation Hut 1 to 2 another rustling sound was audible.  A Hawfinch was foraging on the ground. 

The Hawfinch, like thrushes, eagerly removed fallen leaves and probed seeds with its characteristic broad triangular shaped strong mandibles.

Ranger’s blog before yesterday (Dec 24th)

December 22nd was the winter solstice. Only a few is remaining this year.

Besides of the wintering birds, billion of insects in the park also manage their own measure for wintering. Some insects overwinter as adults and others as pupae or eggs.  Detecting wintering insects might be an alternative way to enjoy the bird park.

For examples mantises and Joro Spider Nephila clavate overwinter as eggs. Please find their oothecae and egg sacs in the western part and the central part of the park, although the number of wintering eggs currently are decreasing due to enthusiastic management work for gardening. 

(An ootheca of Japanese Giant Mantis Tenodera aridifolia in a planting at the central part of the park)

( An ootheca of Giant Asian Mantis Hierodula patellifera on a tree in Lawn Square)

(Cocoons of Joro Spider on a tree in Lawn Square)

(This egg sac of Joro Spider on a Winged Euonymus fixed and covered by leaf with spider silk)

For successful wintering they need to be blessed with some luckiness since they are satisfactory prey for many bird species. 

(A Great Tit attacks an ootheca of Japanese Giant Mantis: the phot was taken in February 2017)