Birdwatchers' gathering

Birdwatching can really connect people. Today, I went to see birds with six other people in my local nature reserve. I only knew two of them in the beginning, who I got to know just a few days ago, and I met the other four for the first time. And I have no idea what was common among us. But what's the matter about it when we all are birdwatchers/nature lovers, and are in the field? I had wonderful time chatting about birds, sharing the moment in nature.



ヤマシギ（Woodcock)
どういう縁あってか集まった仲間と、地元で平日探鳥会。いつも訪ねたいと思いつついきそびれていた公園で、スター種をのんびり観察。こういう人との縁と時間は大切だ。
I always think of both the woodcock and the snipe to be flying in the sky with the strange sounds. I always loved the moment sitting quietly in the opening of the woodland waiting for nightjars. And there were always woodcocks flying in circle around us above the conifer trees. And who can forget the snipe's "bicycle pump" calls and the display flight?
But today, in winter, they were both very quiet and so blended in fallen leaves and branches. Very good model for drawing, though!



タシギ(Snipe)
When I start sketching, I never really think of where on the sketchbook I should started. I seem to start wherever the space my hand goes... and so often I regret that I should have started somewhere slightly up in the middle or right or left. This one, I couldn't draw the legs properly because that was my paper's end! Stupid me!



コジュケイ（Chinese bamboo partridge）



川沿いを自転車で走っていると、ハシブトガラスの群れが目に入った。どうやらカモ？の死骸に群がっているようだ。カラスがゴミではなくて、ちゃんとこういうところで餌を採っているのはよいことなのだろう。



強い（と思われる）個体はいつも餌の上に陣取っていて、弱いやつは横から隙をみてはおこぼれに預かろうとしているようだ。足の動きがおもしろくて、30分近くも観察＆スケッチしてしまった。描いているときは夢中で、ふと気づくと凍えている。