Birds of the Ai River (July 2021)

 

In July, the weather continued to get hotter and there were few birds along the river. Interestingly, while I hadn’t seen many ducks along the river in recent previous months, there were a couple of groups of Spot-billed Ducks (Anas poecilorhyncha) in July.

I was also able to photograph a

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo).

and a Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).

Also, this Feral Pigeon:

Other birds such as tree sparrows were also seen but not photographed.

Birds of the Ai River (February 2021 Update)

Very little rain, and almost no snow has fallen in the Osaka area this year.  As a result, water levels in the Ai River have continued to be low.

As can be seen in the photo below, much of the riverbed is gravel and dirt.  Last summer there was a huge soil removal project to improve the drainage capabilities of the river.

Before the soil removal project, there were large berms of earth in the middle of the river that were covered with grass and brush.

As can be seen in the two comparison photographs below, the environment along the river is quite different from one year ago.

Last Summer

Now

This is an update on the birds that were spotted along the Aigawa in February.  If I have made any mistakes in the identifications, please send me a comment.

 

Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)

Common Teal (Anas crecca)

Eurasian Wigeon (Anas Penelope)

On one of my February walks, I came across the below carcass of a Eurasian wigeon.  Judging by feathers scattered on the river bank near the body, I think the most likely suspect was a stray cat.  Alternatively it may have been a Tobi (Black Kite) (Milvus migrans).  On the morning I spotted this carcass, I witnessed a panicked flock of ducks escaping a Tobi flying overhead.

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Japanese Wagtail (Motacilla grandis)

White Wagtail (Motacella alba)

White-cheeked Starling (Sturnus cineraceus)

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Crow (Corvus sp.)

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) (juvenile)

Common Gallinule (Gallinula chloropus)

Plover (Charadrius sp.)

Dusky Thrush (Tardus naumanni)

Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)

Feral Pigeon (Columba livia)?

Other creatures found in the Ai River

Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta)

First brought into Japan in the late 1950’s, these creatures became a popular pet in Japan during the 1960’s.  They are now found throughout Japan, and are officially designated by law as an invasive species.  Although I saw a number of them last summer, I hadn’t seen any during December and January.  I wonder where and how this fellow spent the winter.

Birds of The Ai River (January 2021)

 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Japan, it has proved to be a strong deterrent to visiting zoos or traveling to natural areas.  Having not photographed any animals for almost the entirety of 2020, I decided that in 2021, I would attempt to document the birds that could be seen at my neighborhood urban river.  Since there was very little rain during the months of November and December, the water level was very low. 

The river primarily functions as a flood drainage, so its edges are lined with concrete and there are wide open areas and large earth berms on each side of the river.  The wide open area is designated as a park, and on most days you can see joggers, older people out for a walk, men playing baseball, young families, and the occasional fisherman.

Further upstream, there is a small area of what could be described as a tiny pocket of nature.

The following are birds that I spotted in January:

Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)

Common Teal (Anas crecca)

Eurasian Wigeon (Anas Penelope)

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Japanese Wagtail (Motacilla grandis)

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

White-cheeked Starling (Sturnus cineraceus)

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Pipit (Anthus sp.) 

Crow (Corvus sp.)