Ogura

The name Ogura refers to an extensive area of arable land south of the Uji River, on the southern side of the city. Once a huge flood plain between the Uji and Kiso rivers it must have been spectacular for birds. Though now tamed it's still an attractive place for birds and offers something different to the hilly, forested habitat that otherwise surrounds Kyoto. Ogura is something of a misnomer as the closest station is Mukaijima on the Kintetsu line rather than Ogura, the next station down the line.



View



The fields can be very interesting in winter. Northern Lapwings often become even more numerous than the resident Grey-headed and in some winters it's possible to see a good variety of birds of prey, though Eastern Buzzard, Merlin, Peregrine and Eurasian Kestrel are the staples. Large flocks of Rooks disperse across the fields at first light and in most years they have at least the odd Daurian Jackdaw with them. A good cross section of passerines is possible too; this is the most consitent place locally to see Russet Sparrow, buntings are well represented with Rustic, Black-faced, Meadow and Reed all common while resident Chestnut-eared are more difficult to find. Pallas's Reed Bunting is very rare and the formerly regular Japanese Reed Bunting is far less likely nowadays. Dusky Thrushes are common and Naumann's Thrush can sometimes be found among them but it isn't to be expected. Major rares I've seen here include Rough-legged Buzzard (a big rare for this area), Fieldfare and Meadow Pipit.


In spring and autumn flocks of egrets dot the area, both Cattle and Intermediate are common migrants. If there are wet fallow fields, the place can be fantastic for waders and I've recorded over 30 species, but saddly the right conditions hardly ever coincide with peak wader passage. The drier areas can still be productive, I've been lucky enough to see a Little Whimbrel here but Latham's and Swinhoe's Snipe are both regular and in August Oriental Pratincole can usually be found. Migrant passerines are mainly birds of open country, Siberian Stonechat, pipits, wagtails and larks but I've also found Hoopoe and Middendorff's Warbler. A streaked Shearwater was exceptional!


The adjacent riparian habitat is excellent with reedbed, scrub and small areas of trees stretching for kilometres. Often I'll walk downstream from Mukaijima station to Yawata-shi on the Keihan line. The name of the river changes from Ujigawa to Yodogawa at Yodo, half way between the two places.
The Yodo valley is clearly an important flyway which can make for excellent birding and I've seen some great birds along the river, usual species include the four commoner flycatchers, Sakhalin Warbler, several thrushes, Chestnut-cheeked Starling, Japanese Yellow Bunting. Green Pheasant is common but not always easily seen and Long-billed Plover can be expected in suitable areas. Rarer species I've found include Whiskered Tern, Chinese Penduline Tit (formerly a more regular winter visitor), Black Redstart (a major rarity in Japan) and Little Bunting. Recently along the
Yodogawa there has been Great Grey Shrike, Isabelline Wheatear and Petchora Pipit. Anything could turn up along here.


This is arguably the best single location around Kyoto. The area has great potential and the combination of different habitats within a short distance makes for interesting birding. A day can be spent along the river and across the fields, or just a section can be accessed returning via the same railway station.


Take the Kintetsu line from Kyoto station and get off at Mukaijima immediately after crossing the Uji River (local train stop only, though the express can be taken if you change at Tambabashi), or use the subway and change to the Kintetsu line at Takeda. The fields are obvious to the west from the station with the river you've just crossed to your right. Alternatively take the Keihan line from Kyoto to Yawata-shi, directly after crossing the Yodo and Kiso rivers and walk back up river. If you start early morning Mukaijima is the better option to keep the sun behind you.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

I used to have to walk through this shrine to get to my house so not surprisingly I've spent a lot of time birding the shrine precinct and the hill behind it, seeing some really good birds.


Perhaps, because of that I'm unreasonably biased but I don't think seeing so many good birds is solely down to the time I put in, and for me this has to be one of the two the best sites around the city during migration. Mount Inari, which at 265m might call into question quite what qualifies as a mountain in Japan, is the last of a narrowing line of hills separating Kyoto from Yamashina and I can imagine this line could funnel migrants to this terminal point.


Unexpected migrants I've found here include Mugimaki Flycatcher, a pair of Yellow-rumped Flycatchers one spring, my only Broad-billed Roller in the city and Japanese Scops Owl. After coming across three Japanese Night Herons in the same spot in different years (Sept/Oct) it's almost an expected migrant but others that definitely qualify are Oriental Honey Buzzard, Grey-faced Buzzard, Ashy Minivet, Japanese Paradise Flycatcher, Siberian Thrush, Japanese Robin, Siberian Blue Robin none of which I've seen in city parks.


It's rather quite in summer but the old growth trees in the shrine precinct have had breeding Japanese Woodpecker and Brown Hawk Owl breed there too. This is the only place I've seen Giant Flying Squirrel in Kyoto. Higher up the mountain are breeding Ural Owls and Copper Pheasant used to be fairly easy to see but unfortunately they seem to have disappeared entirely.


Winter birding is okay but there's nothing that can't be seen elsewhere around Kyoto and often the hills further north have a bigger variety of birds. I sometimes see Grey Bunting under the trees near the shrine where there's little understorey and birds can be seen well but they aren't so regular here in my experience. There is an excellent location for them elsewhere on the mountain but the undergrowth is so thick it can be a long wait, Takaragaiike may be a better bet.


To get there both JR and Keihan have a station at Fushimi Inari, from either it's a short walk towards the shrine, just head towards the hill. You'll walk up a pedestrian approach road into the shrine, through the complex and into the woodland beyond. As you walk up the short approach road the resaurants on the left sell grilled sparrow. I've never met anyone who's tried them and most people I've asked find the idea rather off putting, but they must sell. In fact not all are Eurasian Tree Sparrows as advertised, while I've seen an old guy arrive with a large basket of Sparrows and seen feathers post plucking in the back street, I've also seen boxes marked produce of South America. Produce of Equador... Argentina... or anywhere else is one thing but "South America" is vague? Who knows what they're grilling or where from.


After looking round the old-growth area, there have been breeding Japanese Woodpecker here and I've seen Giant Flying Squirrel at night, keep heading uphill through the torri gates. You'll soon come to a pond by a small shrine, follow the main path left then right at the top of a flight of steps. After that just keep going up till you come to a "crossroads" at a view point and turn right continuing uphill. Eventually you'll come to the shrine complex marked as Inariyama on the map below. There are several such places along the route but you'll know this one as it's the first you'll leave heading downhill. Soon see an unpaved track heading off to the right. Take that track, which is where (hopefully) the best birding starts. If it doesn't at least you'll have lost the crowds and no longer have to peer between gaps in the torri gates! Follow this track soon turning sharply left rather than going down some steep, rough steps until you come to another junction. On the map below you'll be in the north/south dark green strip beyond which the green is distinctly lighter because of an absence of conifurs. Turn left or go straight on, the former only goes about 150m before offering another choice of direction, the latter will bring you to the same point but takes longer. You could do a loop there and return the same route. Alternatively turn left downhill in the direction of the city which will eventually bring you back into a built up area and past Tofukuji temple to a busier street at the bottom. Turn left and in about 300m Keihan Tobakaido station will be to your right. There are numerous other tracks you could take but it would be a good idea to have a map of the area. The loop route I mentioned is where all the Japanese Night Herons have turned up in autumn.


Don't go at New Year as about two million people visit the shrine in the first week of the year.

Takaragaiike

An area of wooded parkland hills, mainly secondary growth, and a shallow artificial lake at the International Conference Center located in the north east of the city at the end of the Karasuma subway line. The area is easy to cover in a half day visit.



This isn't a crucial site but in winter it's the only place in the city guarenteed to hold Mandarin Ducks. Apart from a few Eastern Spot-bills it doesn't attract other ducks on a permanent basis.


The surrounding woodland has a greater range of species than the parks in winter but like woodland birding anywhere it takes a bit of luck to connect with everything. Great Spotted and Japanese Woodpecker occur here whereas only Japanese Pygmy can be expected in the parks. It's as good an area as any to look for Grey Buntings and also Eurasian Woodcock, particularly in harder winters.


Of course the usual migrants, thrushes, flycatchers and warblers all pass through but if time is limited the city parks should be more productive.


There are breeding Ural Owl and Brown Hawk Owl.


This is also the easiest place to see Stika Deer in the city, while they don't come to be fed like the Nara animals nor do they bound off at the crack of a twig.

A very typical Kyoto sight.

A Takaragaiike speciality.

Take exit 5 from the Kokusaikaikan subway station marked on the map below and walk syraight ahead to the park. After checking the lake there are numerous tracks heading up into the woodland.

City parks

Kyoto's a very compact city, hemmed in on three sides by forested hills, so it doesn't take too long to get out into the hills, though most of them are covered with established secondary growth or plantations - extensive conifer and localised bamboo. It's only in temple and shrine precincts that old-growth trees remain. While being able to get out of the city with ease can be a big plus, visitors would be as well to stick to the city parks, the Kamogawa and two or three good spots abutting the hills. Unlike the large parks in the vast urban sprawl of Osaka, which routinely concentrate an amazing range of migrants, the close proximity of the forests around Kyoto probably lessens the pull of its parks, nevertheless they're the best bet to see the commoner birds in a short time.


Some migrants, flycatchers such as Grey-streaked, Asian Brown and Narcissus are common enough, reflecting their status generally. However I've never seen some scarce migrants such as Paradise Flycatcher in the city, they do occur but but seem easier in the surrounding hills provided you have the time to put in. Likewise Siberian Blue Robin and Japanese Robin, views can be great if you're lucky enough that your visit coincides with a migrant in the park but there are more of them in the surrounding hills. Similarly, in winter there's a greater range of species on the surrounding hills but not only can they take longer to find depending on the species but they tend not to give the great views wintering park birds very often do; Red-flanked Bluetail and Pale Thrush would be obvious examples of birds that can be surprisingly confiding in the city but are more difficult to see well in the forests.

If any duck can be classed as a park-duck then it has to be the Eastern Spot-billed.

There are two important parks in the city, the botanical gardens and the Imperial Palace, both easily  reached by subway. Years ago I was told the Palace was better during migration and the gardens in winter. There's some truth in that, in winter at least, but I'm not sure all the migrants know where they're supposed to be.


Imperial Palace Park
The park is basically a large area of cropped grass covered mainly with mature pines and maples which in itself isn't terribly attractive except to Dusky Thrushes and Olive-backed Pipits in winter. However it's fringed with huge broadleaf trees, the width of the band varies but the southern, northern and eastern edges are best. The north east section is set aside as a "natural" area and the surrounds of ponds in the south east corner (just north of the tennis courts) and mid-way along the north side can be excellent.


Apart from being good for migrants, it's a great place to see breeding Brown Hawk Owls, the pair towards the north east corner are easiest to see and the nest boxes set out for them are easy to find.


It can be reached from the Karasuma line of the subway from Marutamachi station (exit 1) at the south west corner or Imadegawa station (exit 3) at the north west corner.


botanical gardens
The botanical gardens has the same common resident species as the Imperial Palace Park, Japanese Tit, Varied Tit, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker and so on, it's smaller and much easier to cover thoroughly. It's well worth a visit in winter or during migration. Flocks of Japanese Grosbeak are often very approachable here in winter, as are Pale Thrushes and even Red-flanked Bluetail. In waxwing years there's a good chance of seeing Japanese in the general area around the gardens.


The gardens are located next to the Kamogawa and a walk along the river is also an excellent way to see dabbling ducks, the local wagtails and possibly Long-billed Plover if you're lucky. The Uji River and Katsura River are much better for the latter.


The easiest way to reach the gardens if not walking along the river is Kitayama station (exit 3) on the Karasuma subway line.