Young Egrets and Herons at Ten Shrine

In June, 2018, I recorded and photographed several species of egret and heron chicks at Ten Shrine in Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.

My little recorder captured the whole sonic environment, noise and all, with small omnidirectional mics that I attached to my backpack in order to create a quasi-binaural soundscape.

Audio recorder on backpack at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Audio recorder on backpack at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Low-frequency traffic noise was pretty loud, even on a Sunday afternoon. We can hear the birds more clearly by adding a high-pass filter, for example, a -6dB roll-off beginning at 880Hz.

Unfortunately, such manipulation distorts reality. It may sound better to most people, but it is no longer an authentic field recording.

Bird nests filled the trees surrounding this shrine, especially along a road near the entrance, as we can see on the radio aporee map for this location.

Entrance to Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City, covered with droppings from a colony of egret and heron chicks

Main sanctuary (本殿) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Entrance to Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Fortunately, we had blue skies on several days during Rainy Season in June.

Egrets and herons in a colony at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Little egret (コサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia, チュウサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Many young birds were in the trees, calling and competing with siblings.

Grey herons (アオサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Grey heron (アオサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Little egret (コサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Little egret (コサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Intermediate egret chicks (Ardea intermedia, チュウサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Intermediate egrets (Ardea intermedia, チュウサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Little egrets (コサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Species included birds I rarely see, such as black-crowned night herons.

Black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax, ゴイサ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax, ゴイサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax, ゴイサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Cattle egrets stayed close to tree trunks but sometimes showed themselves.

Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis, アマサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis, アマサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis, アマサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Birds in flight included adults bringing food and youngsters testing their wings.

Intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia, チュウサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax, ゴイサ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia, チュウサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia, チュウサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Grey heron (アオサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia, チュウサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia, チュウサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Little egret (コサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

Little egret (コサギ) at Ten Shrine (天神社) in Kawata-cho, Moriyama City

I talked with several people who live near the shrine. They have to put up with a lot of noise and bird droppings that have increased in recent years as wildlife habitats are destroyed. Nearly all the trees that once lined the nearby Yasugawa riverbank have been bulldozed, leaving only low bushes, weeds, and a few recreational facilities. Many of the remaining trees for colonies of these beautiful birds are in sacred groves at rural shrines.