A scarlet bird: the Ruddy Kingfisher

‘Through the Lens’, Fujingaho Magazine, June, 2021

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Photos and also message: Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado

English Translation: Asia Club, a WBSJ Volunteer Group (YOKOYAMA Kazuko, KASE Tomoko, UENO Naohiro)

This springtime, while exercising “Stay-Home Time” which was launched by the Japanese federal government to stop the spread of COVID-19, I had the ability to invest a peaceful time seeing the trees and also blossoms in the yard of the Akasaka Detached Palace each day. Every year, from fall to very early summer season, I utilized to go to lots of locations to photo birds with my hefty lens and also tripod, however because of the pandemic I have not been anywhere for greater than a year. I’m a little anxious concerning my damaged muscular tissues! This time, the emphasize is the Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda, and also I will certainly reveal you some pictures I took 3 years earlier.

Scarlet reveals the shade of fire and also the sunlight. When flying with the woodlands, the Ruddy Kingfisher actually does appear like a fireball. The bird is extremely distinctive with its unique huge head, thick expense and also brief tail — once it gets to the ground, its reddish-brown body mixes right into the dead fallen leaves and also is well-camouflaged.

It is stated that the Ruddy Kingfisher is seen and also listened to regularly currently than ever. Although I have actually long wanted to observe it carefully, a number of years gone by fruitless. Three years earlier, nevertheless, my desire was given. Thanks to the support of my bird-loving buddies, I had the possibility to invest an entire day hiding in an outdoor tents, and also had the ability to enjoy and also photo the bird. It was such a bright day and also the comparison in between the dark woodland and also the exterior was so solid that I was usually overwhelmed concerning direct exposure and also aperture, however it was actually a pleased and also meeting time for me to have actually viewed and also photographed the Ruddy Kingfisher.

The coming down tone of the Ruddy Kingfisher’s telephone call, “kyo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo”, is rather one-of-a-kind and also excellent. Since the bird types throughout the wet period, and also usually calls when it is most likely to rainfall, it happened nicknamed the “rainfall bird”. Its superior look and also one-of-a-kind, rather melancholic telephone call should have mixed individuals’s creativities and also motivated different individual stories. In one story, the Ruddy Kingfisher contacts us to the paradises, “offer me water”, for it was restricted to consume alcohol water as penalty for a misbehaviour. In one more, the Ruddy Kingfisher utilized to be aCommon Kingfisher Caught in a fire, its quill transformed to red, so it requires water.

The Ryukyu Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda bangsi, a subspecies of the Ruddy Kingfisher, moves toOkinawa Different from the Ruddy Kingfisher on the primary island, it chooses to nest in towns near the shore, and also is for that reason a typical view for regional individuals. More than two decades earlier, when we saw Ishigaki Island in Okinawa, we listened to a Ryukyu Ruddy Kingfisher calling near our resort. My late spouse, Prince Takamado, mimicked its telephone call, “kyo-lo-lo-lo-lo”. The bird came closer to us, bit by bit, and also recalled. Thinking that one more male bird had actually entered its region, it should have intended to drive the intruder away. His Highness grinned and also stated, “As my telephone call is a little poorer, the bird might appear.” He traded phone calls with the bird 3 times. According to him, if the intruder calls extremely well, the bird assumes that a more youthful and also more powerful man will certainly come and also obtains frightened. But if a comparable or weak person has actually come, it’s very easy to remove it, so there’s not a problem. It’s a wonderful memory to me.

Many individuals might link the expression “bird of fire” with the phoenix metro, a never-ceasing bird. Realising its last minutes are coming close to, the phoenix metro studies the blazing fire and also reanimates itself. Throughout human background, lots of worlds died and also brand-new ones have actually been birthed. Even in the battle versus infections, we humans recouped each time. In the here and now COVID-19 pandemic, as well, inoculation has actually begun throughout the globe. I make sure our culture will certainly be born-again and also be successful in recuperating.

They state that whoever has actually seen a bird of fire will certainly come to be pleased. The Ruddy Kingfisher is additionally a bird of fire. Therefore, I desire my dear viewers take a look at these pictures thoroughly and also really feel better, also simply a little.