Bio Garden News

Now that the Kagami-biraki ceremony is over, it's getting colder and colder.
In the Millennium Forest, the leaves and flowers that added color to the area have withered and fallen, leaving a completely wintery scene.
Do you know this plant that is familiar during the New Year holidays?
This is Manryo, which has aspect red fruit.
Because of its cheerful name, Manryo is used in New Year decorations.
There are not many plants that bear fruit in winter, so it really catches your eye.

On a refreshingly clear winter afternoon, I discovered a great tit in the stream connecting two ponds!
He looks like he is enjoying bathing in the water very much.

After watching the tit bathe for a while, a small bird came next to it.
This is a Japanese white-eye with its striking light green body.
The vivid color of the uguisu mochi (Japanese bush warbler) is likely to remind one of the Japanese bush warbler, known for its famous song "hohokekkyo," but the color of the Japanese bush warbler is a green that is closer to light brown.
As its name suggests, the white-eye has aspect that surrounds its eyes.

Apparently, Japanese white-eyes and great tits sometimes form mixed flocks with other birds of different species.
Each one enjoyed bathing in their own way.

When I looked into the pond, I spotted some mallards!
Are these two laid back?
They spent their time relaxing in the pond, floating and resting. The ducks' reflections on the water's surface were very beautiful.

In contrast, this one is swimming vigorously in the pond.
After finishing preening, it flapped its wings and then continued swimming happily.