Visitor Center Report

time has come for Lepus timidus ainu to shed their winter coat.
The hare in the photographs looks like it is wearing a mask.
I finally managed to take a few photographs, but then the hare noticed me and bolted away at an astonishing speed.
I spent a lot of time today waiting very quietly and patiently for the hare to approach.
Photo: A Lepus timidus ainu in Kamikawa Town May 6

Today I’d like to report on conditions in Momijidani Valley.
A lot of snow still remains.
Although the trail is not completely covered with snow, I would recommend using snowshoes if possible.
The trail is passable in boots. However, given the higher temperatures, visitors’ feet could punch through the snow’s surface or slip in slightly steep sections. Caution is required.
For more information, please click on this link. →
http://sounkyovc.net/trails/sonota/140501momiji.pdf
Photo: Momijidaki Fall, the end of the Momijidani trail May 1

*I have reduced the size of the photo.
I found a Elaphe climacophora in a Pteromys volans orii nest.
I pray that the squirrel escaped…
The snake is a natural enemy of squirrels.
It does not climb trees by winding up it. Rather, it has what are called “keels” on both edges of its ventral (abdominal) scales. The snake can hook them onto tree trunks or branches to climb vertically. (People tend to think that the snakes live on the ground, but I have seen them drooping from tree branches during forest walks. They have the ability to move overhead through the trees.)
The snake’s climbing makes a very faint sound. Squirrels that hear this sound feel threatened and leave their nests.
I wonder if the one that lived here heard the noise.
Photo: A Elaphe climacophora in a Pteromys volans orii nest (Kamikawa Town) May 3

Today I came upon some Rana pirica as they were laying their eggs.
An infinite number of eggs had been laid around the edge of a small pond.
A single female normally lays a mass of eggs that contains about 1,000 individual eggs.
Accordingly, it is said that the number of frogs in an area can be determined by counting the number of egg masses. However, in the pond I saw, the masses appeared to be connected to each other, so there was no way of counting them.
Although the pond was small, the eggs had been laid over a fairly long area. It’s apparent that a great many tadpoles will be born
*I’ve kept the photo small out of consideration for people who find such scenes unpleasant.
Photo: A Rana pirica at Sounkyo May 3

One after another, flowers (trees) that announce the arrival of spring are blooming.
Magnolia kobus, Rhododendron dauricum, Erythronium japonicum, Trillium apetalon…
They are joining the already blooming Corydalis fumariifolia subsp. azurea, Adonis ramosa, and Anemone debilis to create vibrant landscapes.
Now it’s just a matter of waiting for the cherry blossoms.
Photos: Magnolia kobus var. borealis (left), Rhododendron dauricum (center), and Erythronium japonicum (right) at Kamikawa Town May 3