Morning mist and bird calls

May 30, 2011 

Having only arrived back in Niseko after a few weeks in the US last Monday, my roommate woke me up early last week to go explore Asahigaoka Park with one of the NPB’s nature guides, Naomi, and a few others.

The weather may not have been ideal, but the birds certainly didn’t care. We could hear a number of different type of warblers, some small woodpeckers, crows, and other types of (mostly small) birds with beautiful songs.

Naturally, there were a few other things to see in the park. The snow has really only vanished in the last month or so, and the wildflowers are starting to pop up throughout the park. For that matter, they’re sprouting throughout Kutchan, Niseko, and Hirafu, adding some energetic splashes of color to the recently revealed greens on the mountains and streets. The cherry blossoms have been blooming for a while now, and the pinks of some of the late varieties are astonishingly deep.

I’m happy to say that, even though it was early, we weren’t alone in the park.

There were a couple of other groups out enjoying the view and the still morning. Right as we got to the top of the local ski hill (part of the park), the clouds had just started to lift from Mt. Yotei. All in all, a beautiful morning. May there be many more like it.

- Max

Posted by: Max  |  category: Uncategorized |  Tag: