白鳥が愛する新潟

10月からはさまざまの種類の渡り鳥が越冬しにやってくる福島潟。太陽が飯豊連峰から昇るころには、餌場に向かうオオヒシクイや白鳥の飛翔をたくさん見ることができます。民家や鉄塔などの構造物が近くになく、野鳥と水辺、そして南北に連なるいくつかの山域を見渡すよう撮影するのにこの場所ほど良い場所はありません。新潟はコハクチョウを中心に越冬する白鳥が全国で最も多い県。その中でも新潟市北区の福島潟を寝ぐらにする白鳥が最も多く、まさに野鳥の聖域です。ロシアやモンゴルなどの湿原に似て白鳥にとっては親しみやすい風景なのかもしれません。落穂や二番穂などのエサが多い田んぼの面積が多いことも大きな理由のひとつです。

From October, various species of migratory birds come to Fukushima Lagoon to overwinter. When the sun rises over the Iide Mountains, you can see many great tits and swans flying to their feeding grounds. With no houses, pylons, or other structures nearby, there is no better place than here to photograph the birds, the water, and the view of several mountain ranges to the north and south. Niigata has the largest number of wintering swans, especially whooper swans, in Japan. Among them, the Fukushima Lagoon in Kita-ku, Niigata City has the largest number of swans using it as a resting place, and it is truly a sanctuary for wild birds. Perhaps it is a familiar landscape for swans, similar to the marshlands of Russia and Mongolia. Another major reason is the large area of rice paddies where there is a lot of food such as fallen ears and second ears.

EOS5DMarkⅣ 80mm 1/500秒　f:8

©️photo by Nakamura Osamu