Category: ピックアップ

Hello from Ootake Camera!

We visited the “Crested Kingfisher Photography Hide” again today! This morning also started with mating behavior right at dawn ^^; Most of the activity happened during the early morning hours, but there were many close fly-ins to Perch No.1 and No.3, along with several exciting dives, making for a truly enjoyable morning! We were SO close to witnessing courtship feeding!!! Hopefully tomorrow!!

■Today’s HighlightsHe brought food all the way here… but the female was gone…

■Photos Taken Today

★★★ I was honored to create the opening photo feature for the May 2026 issue of BIRDER magazine ★★★

Released on April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online retailers.

BIRDER Magazine – May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN Subscription

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

Released on November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores and online here!

Amazon　Rakuten Books

◆ Current Guide Availability	Status	Meeting Time	Departure Time
Crested Kingfisher	Open	2:45–3:00 AM	3:00 AM
Mountain Hawk-Eagle	Open	6:15–6:25 AM	6:30 AM
Ruddy Kingfisher	Closed

※Guides generally operate even in rainy weather. The Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher hides are covered with roofs.

Hello from Ootake Camera!

We visited the “Crested Kingfisher Photography Hide” again today!
This morning started with mating behavior right at first light ^^; After that, the male, female, and another female kept flying back and forth many times, making for a fairly active morning＾＾ There were also several fly-bys that we unfortunately could not photograph.

Please check the data in the bottom-right corner of each image for details. This is also the last chance to capture the beautiful collaboration between the Crested Kingfisher and the wisteria blossoms! The waterside area across from Perch No.3 is especially photogenic! Let’s aim for dynamic flight shots!!

■ Photos Taken Today

★★★ I was honored to create the opening photo feature for the May 2026 issue of BIRDER magazine ★★★

Released on April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online retailers.

BIRDER Magazine – May 2026 Issue

Amazon　Rakuten Books　FUJISAN Subscription

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

Released on November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores and online here:

Amazon　Rakuten Books

◆ Current Guide Availability	Status	Meeting Time	Departure Time
Crested Kingfisher	Open	2:45–3:00 AM	3:00 AM
Mountain Hawk-Eagle	Open	6:15–6:25 AM	6:30 AM
Ruddy Kingfisher	Closed

※Guides generally operate even in rainy weather. The Crested Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher hides are covered with roofs.

Hello! This is Ootake Camera.

Today, I visited the “Crested Kingfisher Photography Base” again!
The crested kingfishers made repeated visits throughout the day, giving us one shutter opportunity after another. It turned into an incredibly rewarding day for photography.

Around 4:15 AM, one bird flew in from the right side. It was slightly earlier than expected, but as usual, it simply passed through at first.

We expected it to return after about 30 minutes, but surprisingly, it came back much sooner.

From there, it entertained us with many wonderful moments — diving into the water, flying among the wisteria flowers, and hovering beautifully in front of us.

One particularly interesting thing happened: there were moments when the bird arrived silently without calling. This appears to be behavior unique to the breeding season.

This season as well, we will continue guiding carefully while minimizing disturbance to the birds. Thank you very much for your continued support!

■ Today’s Highlights

■ Photos Taken Today

★★★ Featured Opening Photo Gallery in BIRDER Magazine – May 2026 Issue ★★★

Released on April 14, 2026! Available at bookstores and online retailers.

BIRDER Magazine – May 2026 Issue

★★★ Selected as the Cover Photographer for BIRDER Magazine – December 2025 Issue ★★★

Released on November 14, 2025!
Available at bookstores and online shops.

◆ Current Guide Availability	Status	Meeting Time	Departure
Crested Kingfisher	Open	2:45 – 3:00 AM	3:00 AM
Mountain Hawk-Eagle	Open	6:15 – 6:25 AM	6:30 AM
Ruddy Kingfisher	Closed

※ Guided tours operate in rainy weather as well. The crested kingfisher and ruddy kingfisher photography bases are covered with roofs.