What Is Your Favorite Sign of Spring? By Kaoru Tsubone, Board Member

Above: Japanese Bush Warbler Uguisu (Jpn) Cettia diphone by Kaoru Tsubone.

"I recorded the voice of the Japanese Bush Warbler under a Japanese maple tree while standing on a trail wrapping around a pond next to the ancient tombs of an empress."

What is your favorite sign of spring? Crocuses blooming? Buds bursting? All the advents of spring give us a sparkle of joy and a moment of happiness. One of my favorite signs of the season are Japanese Bush Warblers beginning to show off their song.

"One of my favorite signs of the season are Japanese bush warblers beginning to show off their song." Recording by Kaoru Tsubone.

Japanese Bush Warblers can be found in northeastern China, the Russian far east, the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Both male and female are olive brown on the upper part and beige on the underpart. They have creamy superciliaris. The plumage coloration varies slightly between the subspecies or the local populations. View, Japanese Bush Warbler Uguisu (Jpn) Cettia diphone (PDF)

A Japanese Bush Warbler (Horornis diphone) is commonly called “uguisu” in Japanese and is also lovingly nicknamed “haru tsuge dori” which means, “bird that announces spring has come”. In Japan, we don’t have a specific day of arrival as do the buzzards returning to Hinkley, but these energetic little warblers always let people know spring is around the corner with their unique voice. It’s a distinctive breeding call sounding like “Hooo- hokekyo”. Sometimes, it sounds more like they are speaking out. You may acquaint yourself with this bird’s herald call with the video that I took.

Above: Japanese Bush Warbler Uguisu (Jpn) Cettia diphone by Kaoru Tsubone.

Japanese bush warblers have been loved by most of the generations of Japan’s existence. As an example, please enjoy this Japanese short poem from hundreds of years long past.

春立てば花とや見らむ白雪のかかれる枝に鶯ぞ鳴く
“Spring has come, so the snow on the branches may seem the flowers of plum blossoms. Dear me! The song of a bush warbler.” yukoyoshida.infinity

This poem style, called waka, was written by Sosei Hoshi (844 - 910), a Buddhist priest. Waka is a type of poetry in classical Japanese literature. A Japanese Bush Warbler ​has been a part of many wakas as a indicator associated with spring. People have been using this delightful little bird as an alliteration of spring for more than 1500 years. I can say Japanese bush warblers are a sweet precursor to spring even to this day, such is our current close association with this charming bird.

Above: Pond at Ancient Tombs of a Japanese Empress by Kaoru Tsubone.

Above: Map of Pond at Ancient Tombs of a Japanese Empress by Kaoru Tsubone.

Above: Pond at Ancient Tombs of a Japanese Empress by Kaoru Tsubone.

"I recorded the voice of the Japanese Bush Warbler under a Japanese maple tree while standing on a trail wrapping around a pond next to the ancient tombs of an empress."

I recorded the voice of the Japanese Bush Warbler under a Japanese maple tree while standing on a trail wrapping around a pond next to the ancient tombs of an empress. It made me wonder if ancient people enjoyed the advent of spring in the same way as I did. I realized the surrounding environment had changed so much near these temple grounds and, simultaneously, I strongly felt the need to  preserve this beautiful nature so future generations could also embrace such pleasure.

The juxtaposition of elegant nature against the backdrop of sprawling cityscape, this quintessentially Japanese experience, moved my heart to preserve our fragile yet ongoing connection to our common heritage of seasons and the spark of well-being we get from our feathered companions.

Hopefully, you can get the feeling of spring by listening to Japanese bush warblers even though you are in the Cleveland area where snow actually fell in May this year. ​
​Recording by Kaoru Tsubone.

It is also my desire to make you feel refreshed during these current hard times we are experiencing in Japan, America and around the world. I look forward to hearing your ideas of how to spell the Japanese Bush Warbler’s song in English when I return. What do you think it sounds like? Until we meet again, please stay well.

Media Credits: Kaoru Tsubone.

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Kaoru Tsubone, Director-at-Large and Field Trip Co-Coordinator. I recognized that I love to connect to people and get involved in a community. As a part of my life, I want to keep volunteering even if I am in a foreign country. Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society gave me a great chance to do that, and I appreciate the many people that surround me who are always encouraging me! Email

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