April 3, 2021
This is the month of growing and greening, especially the weeds in my yard! But I have to say that the birds do love them for their tiny seeds and shoots, so I don’t complain that much.
A few species of birds have already raised and fledged young, such as the Long-tailed Tit (Enaga), but most are are either in the courting or nest building phase.
The past few weeks, I have been spending some time at a small pond, walking around a lake, and through the fields.
I found one of my favorites, the Common Kingfisher at the pond, along with the first Bullfrog of the year. He, (the Kingfisher) was a good fisherman, and managed to catch something about 50% of the time.
Around the lake, I came across the cheerful Daurian Redstart (Jobitaki) and some Yellow-throated Buntings (Miyama Houjiro).
In the fields, the loud call of the gorgeous male Common Pheasant (Kiji) can be heard, making it easier to find them, but they can quickly disappear into the undergrowth if you approach too closely.
Day by day, different birds are arriving from their wintering grounds. The cheery Skylark and Swallows have arrived, bringing with them their uplifting melodies that always cheer the heart. Something we all can appreciate in these trying times. Ah, happy spring!
MOSTLY BIRDS 
Thanks, Tom. Wow, that male pheasant is an amazingly colorful bird! The kingfisher is one of my favorites also. Is it really turquoise?!
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Yes. This time of year, the males are at their most brilliant. The females, unlike other species, are colorful also.
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At first I thought it was a red-faced owl in the brush( with it’s big eyes). I was thinking, I’ve never seen such color on an owl before! Then the full body photo of a pheasant.
Did you use flash to capture the photo of the bullfrog?
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The bullfrog was illuminated by the sun, which was low on the western horizon. Normally, the bullfrog’s pad is in heavy shadow.
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