Author: vc-dev

During a walk I came across a beehive.
Bees do not present a danger at this time of year, and this was a hive I’d seen before.
However, when I looked closely, I saw that the hive’s size had increased.
It seems the bees have built a new lower level.
Although this hive happened to be built in a tree hollow, bees will make their hives in a variety of places.
Every year we get reports of people getting stung, so please watch out this year.
Photo: A beehive made inside a tree hollow Apr. 3

A Cervus nippon yesoensis fawn on the side of the road…
It did not move even when I approached to get a better look…
It seemed to be looking at nothing in particular and showed no intention to escape.
Was it injured? Or perhaps sick?
And then I heard the cry of its parent from a high place in the forest.
Hearing this, the fawn hastily jumped up and ran into the forest. The weather was nice and the temperature mild, so its place on the ground must have been quite warm.
Still, it was a dangerous place to be sunning itself.
Photos: Cervus nippon yesoensis fawn Apr. 2

As the temperature rises, the surfaces of the Daisetsuzan peaks are becoming exposed, albeit gradually.
A lot of snow still remains. And although the snow is melting day by day, there are still more heavy snow days to come.
I hope that this year, finally, I’ll be able to walk through virtually snow-free mountains.
Photos: The Daisetsuzan peaks as seen from Daisetsu Kogen Asahigaoka Apr. 2

During a walk I came upon some Pteromys volans orii tracks.
I also found a lot of their droppings, so I deduced that several squirrels lived a nearby nest.
However, when I looked around, I saw nest materials scattered about.
I concluded that the nest had probably been attacked by a predator. I decided to keep coming by for a few days to keep an eye on it.
Today I finally discovered that a squirrel is in the next, although it showed no signs of wanting to come out.
Although it is a bit hard to make out, there is a squirrel in the third photo. The squirrel ventured out no farther than that.
If indeed the squirrel was attacked, I wonder why it decided to use the same nest, particularly given its high state of wariness. Or perhaps it is a different squirrel…
Whatever the case may be, I was relieved to see that the squirrel was alive.
Photos: Pteromys volans orii Apr. 1

As the temperature rises, a good deal of the snow on the hillsides around Sounkyo Gorge is melting.
However, in the mountains, it remains snow, snow, snow.
The mountain in the photo is Mt. Aibetsu, where winter is still in full force.
The snow is still 420 cm deep at the 7th Station of Mt. Kurodake. This amount surpasses last year’s depth.
Of course everything depends on the weather, but it looks like we can again expect quite a bit of snow to remain this year.
Photo: Mt. Aibetsu Mar. 27