Himeji Shizen-Kansatsu-no-Mori (Himeji Nature observing Forest)

My husband bought a nice camera last spring, and he has been looking for chances to take good pictures.  Yesterday he took me to Himeji Shizen-Kansatsu-no-Mori (or Himeji Nature Observing Forest).  We left our place after lunch, and drove about 40 minutes to get there.  This place is operated by Wild Bird Society Japan, which I used to be a member of.   We have been to this place for many times. 

                                          

                                          

My husband, who teaches Science at a local junior high school, sometimes visits this facility with some of the students as one of the school activities.    The three pictures below are borrowed from Himeji Shizen-Kansatsu-no-Mori website.

 

 

                                 

This place is operated by Wild Bird Society of Japan, but I think Himeji Municipal Government cooperates with them.     

 

In winter season, birds experience a difficult time to find food. They usually hide in trees, and people could not find them.  But in this facility, staff members place bird feeders on branches of trees and give a bit of seeds for food every morning.  They enable visitors to find birds easily because the latter frequently come out for food.  Visitors enjoy observing wild birds from the windows and the veranda. 

 

Every November they place two kinds of bird feeders.  They call them "bird's restaurants."  

 

 

 

We talked to one of the staff members yesterday and she said that she has noticed that Yamagara or Parus varius are the only ones which come to the bird feeders.  We can expect about 6 or 7 kinds of birds that will feed themselves on the bird feeders every January of the year (or every first month of the year.)

Yamagara is one of my favorite small birds because it is cute.  We would like to find more kinds of birds, so we plan to visit this place again in January.   



 

The two pictures above were taken by my husband.  I had a small camera with me but mine was unable to take a good shot of such a small bird. 

 His camera weighs 2 kilograms and the tripod is also heavy.
The photographer, who is my husband, looks tired in the picture.



 I was happy that he was able to take good pictures of Yamagara,
but he has been in bed complaining about his backache after carrying heavy stuff.