February 9th, 2026 –February 13th is Spring – RISSHUN (Beginning of spring)-2nd KOU “UGUISU (Bush warblers) start singing in the mountains”
On the 4th, 5th, and 6th, the first several days of spring according to the lunisolar calendar, the temperature was between 7 and 11 degrees. It’s warm enough to be comparable to early March. However, since yesterday, it has suddenly returned to winter. With this cold, UGUISU have not yet come out.
Incidentally, the earliest I heard the first singing of UGUISU between 2022 and 2025 was on February 24, 2025. This was still one to two weeks earlier than usual.
Even though it’s so cold, the winter birds seem unfazed. Are they ONAGAGAMO (northern pintails) ? I don’t see such many of them around here. They’re searching for food with their rears completely exposed 😂
This year, there is a rich variety and number of winter birds.
In NIIGATA and HOKURIKU region, known as a popular spot for migratory birds, heavy snowfalls like this season often bury food under the snow, making it difficult to find food, so an increasing number of them are again migrating to SHINSHU.
