Studies of Plants and Wildlife: January 2010

January 30, 2010

Nogawa Park (January 31st)

Shibateranthis pinnatifida (Setsubun-sou).

We went to Nogawa Park in our neighborhood this weekend again.
We found lots of Shibateranthis pinnatifida (Setsubun-sou) flowers blooming.
We also saw a kingfisher near the ponds in the park.
Adonis flowers were also blooming.
Just before we left, a male bird of Phoenicurus auroreus (Joubitaki, Daurian Redstart) posed for us about 15 minutes.

今週も野川公園、行ってきました。セツブンソウがかなり咲いていました。
カワセミやジョウビタキなども見られました。

Shibateranthis pinnatifida (Setsubun-sou).

Shibateranthis pinnatifida (Setsubun-sou).
There were much more than we found last weekend.
It seems they popped out just a few days before "Setsubun" (February 3rd), the day between winter and the beginning of spring in older Japanese calendar.

Lonicera gracilipes var. glabra (Uguisu-kagura).
The flowers were only 7 or 8 centimeters, but they looked like little stars.

Phoenicurus auroreus (Joubitaki, Daurian Redstart) .

Jindai Botanical Garden (January 30th)

Shibateranthis pinnatifida (Setsubun-sou).

We went to Jindai Botanical Garden, which is 15-minute bike ride from our home.
There were lots of plum blossoms blooming already.

Shibateranthis pinnatifida (Setsubun-sou).

Alcedo atthis (Kingfisher) by a pond in the garden.

Adonis amurensis (Fukuju-sou).

Plum blossoms by the Adonis garden.

Prunus mume "Michishirube" （道知辺）.

Prunus mume "Touji" （冬至）.

Prunus mume "Shiro Nanba" （白難波）.

Prunus mume "Oo Sakazuki" （大盃）.

Prunus mume "Mori-no-Seki" （森の関）.

Prunus mume "Renkyuu" （蓮久）.

Prunus mume "Kumo-no-Akebono" （雲の曙）.

Prunus mume "Mikaikou" （未開紅）.

Prunus mume "Kankou" （寒紅）.

Hamamelis × intermedia cv. "Diana".

Hamamelis × intermedia cv. "Pallida".

Hamamelis × intermedia cv. "Ruby Glow".

Hamamelis mollis (Shina Mansaku).

Psidium guajava (Guava) in the greenhouse.

Strongylodon macrobotrys (Hisui Kazura, Jade Vine) in the greenhouse.
There were lots of buds of this plant... It will be really amazing when all those flowers open.

Colmanara "Wildcat" in the greenhouse.

January 29, 2010

Hyakuhiro Waterfall, Okutama (January 24th)

Hyakuhiro-no-Taki (waterfall).
百尋の滝。

We went to see some ice of Hyakuhiro-no-Taki (waterfall) in Okutama area, Tokyo.
We took a bus to Kawanori-bashi BS from JR Okutama Sta. and walked by the creek for 2 hours or so. The waterfall was not frozen as much as we saw it 2 years ago.
It was nice day all day and we enjoyed hiking in the cold fresh air.

On the way to get to the trail.

Beautiful blue sky.

There are several waterfalls on the way to Hyakuhiro watarfall.

The trail was beside the creek.

Interesting forms of ice on Magnolia obovata (Hoo-no-ki) leaves.

Nice-looking waterfall.

When I slow down the shutter speed of the camera, the stream turned out to look interesting.

The wall of icicles.

The trail was covered with soft thick layers of fallen leaves.

Hyakuhiro waterfall.

The ice by the stream.

Hyakuhiro waterfall.

January 22, 2010

Nogawa Park (January 23rd)

Shibateranthis pinnatifida (Setsubun-sou).
This shot was taken with flash.

We took a walk to Nogawa park in our neighborhood this afternoon.
There were not many Shibateranthis pinnatifida (Setsubun-sou) flowers yet.
We found Adonis amurensis (Fukuju-sou) flowers already had come out of the ground.