Category: ピックアップ

7:30 AM — A slightly later arrival than usual today.

There may have been people downstream — that could have been the cause.

Even so, it was fortunate that the bird arrived once the light improved despite the rain.

Two successful hunts of Pale Chub in full breeding colors.

The second hunt in particular was perfect — the angle as she rose from the water, the vivid coloring of the fish — it became the best shot of the season.

A juvenile male also appeared mid-session, and we were treated to the sight of the two birds interacting and flying together.

The Pale Chub in breeding colors are nearing the end of their season.
Please book early.

【Latest Field Update】
· The school of Pale Chub has shifted position slightly, and shooting distances are a little greater than before. We currently recommend a focal length of around 600mm. At 840mm you can still get the shot, but it takes a bit more effort.

· Temperatures have dropped noticeably. Please bring an extra layer to throw on over your clothing.

· At Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field updates like this every day. Guests with upcoming bookings are welcome to use these reports as a reference leading up to your session.

Please also check our Crested Kingfisher Guide page and availability calendar.

■ Today’s Highlights

BIRDER Magazine May 2026 — Lead Gravure Feature

On sale April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online.

BIRDER Magazine — May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN (Subscription)

BIRDER Magazine December 2025 — Cover Photo

On sale Friday, November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores or online here!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

※ Sessions are held rain or shine. A tent-style hide is planned for use during Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher sessions.

5:05 AM — Arrival almost exactly on schedule. An adult female flew in from the left, a juvenile male from the right.

The two birds chased each other around in the air, but the rainy conditions made it too dark for shooting — we had to give up on photography for that moment.

Even so, two Crested Kingfishers flying so close we could hear their wingbeats — the presence of that moment was more than enough.

After that, the adult female returned. And that’s when the real action began.

After carefully picking her moment, she successfully hunted Pale Chub in full breeding colors — twice in a row. A rainy morning had just turned into the best morning imaginable.

The Pale Chub in breeding colors are nearing the end of their season.
Please book early.

【Latest Field Update】
· The school of Pale Chub has shifted position slightly, and shooting distances are a little greater than before. We currently recommend a focal length of around 600mm.

· Temperatures have dropped noticeably. In the early morning and around dawn, it can feel cool enough to want a long-sleeved layer. Having something to throw on over your clothing is a good idea.

· At Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field updates like this every day. Guests with upcoming bookings are welcome to use these reports as a reference leading up to your session.

Please also check our Crested Kingfisher Guide page and availability calendar.

■ Today’s Highlights

BIRDER Magazine May 2026 — Lead Gravure Feature

On sale April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online.

BIRDER Magazine — May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN (Subscription)

BIRDER Magazine December 2025 — Cover Photo

On sale Friday, November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores or online here!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

※ Sessions are held rain or shine. A tent-style hide is planned for use during Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher sessions.

Hello! This is Ootake Camera.

Here is our Crested Kingfisher Field Report for August 24th. We still have a little more time to enjoy watching the Crested Kingfisher hunt Pale Chub in their stunning breeding colors! Based on our records from previous years, early September is the guideline — please book early^^

· At Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field updates like this every day.

※ A note for our guests: The heat has been intense lately, and the inside of the hide can get very warm. Please prepare accordingly — a small fan, cooling wear, and frozen drinks are recommended.

Please also check our Crested Kingfisher Guide page and availability calendar.

■ Today’s Highlights

★★★ We were featured in the May 2026 issue of BIRDER magazine as the lead gravure spread ★★★

On sale April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online.

BIRDER Magazine — May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN (Subscription)

★★★ Our photo was selected for the cover of BIRDER magazine December 2025 issue ★★★

On sale Friday, November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores or online here!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

※ Sessions are held rain or shine. A tent-style hide is planned for use during Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher sessions.

Hello! This is Ootake Camera.

Here is our Crested Kingfisher Field Report for August 23rd.

◎ Around 5:18 AM — A juvenile male arrives. We were hoping to capture him against the morning sunrise, but today it didn’t quite work out…

Tomorrow for sure!!

After that, a fisherman arrived and the bird stayed away for a while — but shortly after the fisherman left, the bird returned and treated us to a hunting display^^

· At Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field updates like this every day.

※ A note for our guests: The heat has been intense lately, and the inside of the hide can get very warm. Please prepare accordingly — a small fan, cooling wear, and frozen drinks are recommended.

Please also check our Crested Kingfisher Guide page and availability calendar.

■ Today’s Highlights Planning to fly right toward us (hopefully)!!

★★★ We were featured in the May 2026 issue of BIRDER magazine as the lead gravure spread ★★★

On sale April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online.

BIRDER Magazine — May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN (Subscription)

★★★ Our photo was selected for the cover of BIRDER magazine December 2025 issue ★★★

On sale Friday, November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores or online here!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

<td

Hello! This is Ootake Camera.

Here is our Crested Kingfisher Field Report for August 22nd.

◎ Around 5:06 AM — Adult female arrives. An adult female flew in from the right and passed through.

◎ Around 5:35 AM — Adult female returns. This time she perched much further to the right than usual, then launched into a hunt! She caught not one but two Pale Chub in breeding coloration!! It was a bit dark and far away, but she treated us to a truly rare scene.

※ A first for us — an adult catching 2 fish at once, and 2 Pale Chub no less!!

◎ Around 7:17 AM — She returns again! Flew in to the far right once more and hunted another Pale Chub^^

· At Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field updates like this every day.

※ A note for our guests: The heat has been intense lately, and the inside of the hide can get very warm. Please prepare accordingly — a small fan, cooling wear, and frozen drinks are recommended.

Please also check our Crested Kingfisher Guide page and availability calendar.

■ Today’s Highlights

★★★ We were featured in the May 2026 issue of BIRDER magazine as the lead gravure spread ★★★

On sale April 14, 2026!

Hello! This is Ootake Camera.

We received additional photos from a guest who joined us on August 16th!

A wonderful combo shot of a Crested Kingfisher and a Common Kingfisher together^^

Opportunities like this come up every day, but because the two birds are so different in size, it’s rare for both to fit in the same frame — making this kind of shot a truly special moment!

What a wonderful capture^^ Thank you so much!

As these are photos taken by our valued guest, we have added only our guest gallery logo. Thank you for your understanding.

· At Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field updates like this every day.

※ A note for our guests: The heat has been intense lately, and the inside of the hide can get very warm. Please prepare accordingly — a small fan, cooling wear, and frozen drinks are recommended.

Please also check our Crested Kingfisher Guide page and availability calendar.

■ Photos by H.kenken

★★★ We were featured in the May 2026 issue of BIRDER magazine as the lead gravure spread ★★★

On sale April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online.

BIRDER Magazine — May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN (Subscription)

★★★ Our photo was selected for the cover of BIRDER magazine December 2025 issue ★★★

On sale Friday, November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores or online here!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

※ Sessions are held rain or shine. A tent-style hide is planned for use during Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher sessions.

Hello! This is Ootake Camera.

Here is the Crested Kingfisher Base Report for 8/16.

◎ Around 5:06 — Adult female arrives. The adult female came in from the right and passed straight through.

◎ Around 5:30 — Juvenile male arrives. About 30 minutes later, a juvenile male landed on branch #1. After bathing, he nearly perched on branch #3 — but made a U-turn and flew off to the left.

◎ Around 5:58 — Juvenile female makes her first-ever appearance! She arrived from the left, perched first on branch #3, then moved to #4, #1, and #2, settling all over the place. She even gave us an attempted hunt (unsuccessful), treating us to a wonderful variety of scenes. After that, a territorial dispute broke out between her and the adult female. The adult female lingered for a while but eventually tucked herself away in the shadows of the trees, so we waited for the right moment and headed home around 9:00. ^^

· At the Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field conditions like these every day.

※Notice for guests: We have been experiencing many hot days lately, and the inside of the hide can get quite warm. Please come prepared with a fan, a cooling vest, frozen drinks, or other measures to manage the heat.

Please also visit our Yamasemi Guide Page and Availability Calendar.

■ Highlights from This Day

★★★ We were featured in the opening gravure of BIRDER Magazine May 2026 issue ★★★

On sale April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online.

BIRDER Magazine May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN (Subscription)

★★★ Our photo was selected for the cover of BIRDER Magazine December 2025 issue ★★★

On sale Friday, November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores or via the links below!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

※Sessions are held rain or shine. A tent-style hide is planned for Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher tours.

Hello! This is Ootake Camera.

Here is the Crested Kingfisher Base Report for 8/13.

◎ Around 5:30 — a juvenile male arrived at branch #2.

Lately the first arrivals of the day have been getting noticeably later, now coming in well after it’s light. And today the juvenile treated us to a hunting dive from branch #2! He even came up with two fish in his bill — he dropped one, but since it landed on the bank he picked it right back up and ate it. Thank you, young one, for such a wonderful time!!

· At the Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field conditions like these every day.

※Notice for guests: We have been experiencing many hot days lately, and the inside of the hide can get quite warm. Please come prepared with a fan, a cooling vest, frozen drinks, or other measures to manage the heat.

Please also visit our Yamasemi Guide Page and Availability Calendar.

■ Highlights from This Day

★★★ We were featured in the opening gravure of BIRDER Magazine May 2026 issue ★★★

On sale April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online.

BIRDER Magazine May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN (Subscription)

★★★ Our photo was selected for the cover of BIRDER Magazine December 2025 issue ★★★

On sale Friday, November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores or via the links below!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

※Sessions are held rain or shine. A tent-style hide is planned for Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher tours.

Hello! This is Ootake Camera.

Here is the Crested Kingfisher Base Report for 8/8.

5:02 — an adult female arrived from the right, but then didn’t come back… (sweat). She finally returned just as we were packing up. ^^; Something must have happened out there… We can only hope she isn’t injured.

Come to think of it, the other birds were also rather scarce today… Common Kingfisher, Little Ringed Plover — all quiet.

· At the Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field conditions like these every day.

※Notice for guests: We have been experiencing many hot days lately, and the inside of the hide can get quite warm. Please come prepared with a fan, a cooling vest, frozen drinks, or other measures to manage the heat.

Please also visit our Yamasemi Guide Page and Availability Calendar.

■ Today’s Highlights

★★★ We were featured in the opening gravure of BIRDER Magazine May 2026 issue ★★★

On sale April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online.

BIRDER Magazine May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN (Subscription)

★★★ Our photo was selected for the cover of BIRDER Magazine December 2025 issue ★★★

On sale Friday, November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores or via the links below!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

※Sessions are held rain or shine. A tent-style hide is planned for Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher tours.

Hello! This is Ootake Camera.

Here is our Crested Kingfisher Field Report for August 7th.

5:17 AM — A juvenile male arrived from the right.

With the perfect combination of backlight and morning mist, we were able to capture beautiful perching shots!

He stayed perched for about 30 minutes, treating us to a variety of scenes.

· At Aizu Secret Base, we share real-time field updates like this every day.

· A note for our guests: The heat has been intense lately, and the inside of the hide can get very warm. Please prepare accordingly — a small fan, cooling wear, and frozen drinks are recommended.

Please also check our Crested Kingfisher Guide page and availability calendar.

■ Today’s Highlights

★★★ We were featured in the May 2026 issue of BIRDER magazine as the lead gravure spread ★★★

On sale April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online.

BIRDER Magazine — May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN (Subscription)

★★★ Our photo was selected for the cover of BIRDER magazine December 2025 issue ★★★

On sale Friday, November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores or online here!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

※ Sessions are held rain or shine. A tent-style hide is planned for use during Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher sessions.