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Dale-chan at Rengeji-ike Park, Shizuoka, Japan
休憩中の愛犬（蓮華寺池公園）
Dale-chan stayed up with me through the night as we drove to Satta-Toge Pass for an early morning Mt. Fuji photoshoot, then somehow still had enough energy left for a slow walk around Rengeji-ike Park (蓮華寺池公園).
She is getting older now, so short breaks like this have become a regular part of our walks. One small upside is that she is less tempted than before to get excited about the birds along the pond.
Thanks to her quiet patience, I was able to spend a little more time photographing the waterbirds featured in my previous posts.
- Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:20
- Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
- 23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2
- Astia/Soft film simulation
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Black-headed Gulls at Rengeji-ike Park, Shizuoka, Japan
蓮華寺池公園のユリカモメ
Despite the English name, the black-headed gull (ユリカモメ; Chroicocephalus ridibundus) only develops its dark chocolate-brown hood during the breeding season. In winter, the hood disappears, leaving a small dark mark behind the eye.
The gulls perched along the railing here mostly show bright red legs and bills, suggesting they are adults. Juveniles often have more orange tones, like the gulls in my Feb. 13, 2026 post:
- Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:16
- Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
- 23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2
- Astia/Soft film simulation
Read my full write-up (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive:
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Waterbirds at Rengeji-ike Park, Shizuoka, Japan
蓮華寺池公園のカワウとユリカモメ
A quiet moment at Rengeji-ike Pond with a great cormorant (カワウ; Phalacrocorax carbo)and several black-headed gulls (ユリカモメ; Chroicocephalus ridibundus) perched above the calm water.
After looking at the photo later, I realized I could have improved the composition by getting lower and moving a little farther to the right, giving each bird more breathing room in the frame.
That is one of the things I enjoy about slower, more spontaneous photography: every walk, every missed angle, and every small regret becomes something to remember for the next time.
- Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:03
- Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
- 23 mm ISO 160 for 1/2000 sec. at ƒ/2
- Astia/Soft film simulation
Read my full write-up (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive:
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Great Cormorants Drying Their Wings at Rengeji-ike Park
蓮華寺池公園で羽を乾かすカワウ｜静岡
I was overjoyed to come across two great cormorants perching on wooden posts above the calm waters of Rengeji-ike Pond in Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on a warm and sunny winter morning. Living in the dense urban environment of Yokohama, encounters with waterfowl like these are rare for me, so the chance to quietly observe these birds up close was a memorable bonus during this photowalk.
- Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:02
- Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
- 23 mm ISO 160 for 1/2000 sec. at ƒ/2
- Astia/Soft film simulation
Read my full write-up (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive:
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