Perry Island

東京湾唯一の自然島、猿島に行ってきた。島、無人島といっても横須賀からフェリーで10分。
Sarushima, an only natural island in Tokyo bay is just ten min away by ferry boat from Yokosuka.  Its Japanese name, "Sarushima," means "island of monkey" although there is none on the island.  The name came from a legend of Nichiren, a famous Buddhist monk, who was led to this island by a white monkey when he was caught in a sudden rainstorm. 



When Matthew Perry came to Japan in 1853 to open the country, he, of course, found this island and wrote about it as "Perry Island."
Located at the narrowest point in Tokyo Bay, it was an important place for defending Tokyo from the sea.  Since the end of Edo era there had been gun batterirs.  



It was a "Cormorant Island" rather!



Pelagic Cormorant （ヒメウ）
昼間はヒメウのほうが多かった。



Japanese Cormorant （ウミウ）
夕方になるとウミウがどこからか集まってきた。行動時間が違うのだろうか。



島から海を望遠鏡で眺めるとクロガモ、ヒメウそしてウミスズメが一羽浮かんでいた。東京湾側にもいるんだ！



あまり鳥影が少なかった寺家ふるさと村。それでもカシラダカの群れを発見。黄色いのを探したけれどいなかった。



I thought it was rather a rare opportunity to see both grey and Japanese wagtails at the same place, at a paddy field!



Japanese Green Woodpecker（アオゲラ）
頭を真後ろから見るとこんな風に赤い線があるんだ。