With less than two days left until Kamikochi welcomes busloads of visitors on the occasion of the official opening, we thought we’d share a less often talked about aspect of life in the park: bird life. You could say it’s Kamikochi’s very own Twittersphere and while it doesn’t yet have the global reach of Twitter, the user base is waaaaaay cuter. Thanks again to the intrepid guides at NPG for sharing their photos from around the park.
We begin with the aptly named red flanked bluetail seen above. Despite there being little in the way of leaves in Kamikochi right now, this little fellow has swooped in to spend some time before heading to higher points in the mountains this summer. If you’re lucky, you might spot him before then. The females are similar in shape, but lack the bright blue plumage of the males.
Next up, we have the black-faced bunting, so named for the distinctive black patch across its eyes.
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Notable for it’s loud, distinctive cry, this bird can be seen around Taishiro Marsh and other wetlands, often perched at the top of a tree (don’t forget your zoom lens!)
Which brings us to the adorable willow tit.
And also the Daurian redstart. I’d never heard of this brid before, but its bright orange plumage is striking.
Lastly, we have a species that Wikipedia informs me is called the Parus minor or…Japanese tit.
With snow still on the mountain tops from the winter season and birds already singing in the trees, it’s a great time of year to visit Kamikochi. I’ll be back tomorrow with a Kaizansai Festival preview, so be sure to check back as we prepare to welcome a new spring season in Kamikochi.
Source of Infromation:
National Park Guide website: http://npg-alps.net
