Bar-tailed Godwits and Reeds

Bar-tailed godwits — long-billed migratory shorebirds — stand among autumn reeds in this 1926 oban print, their warm-toned plumage complementing the bleached yellows and browns of the dried grass. The godwit was an unusual subject choice that reflects Koson's ornithological curiosity: he did not restrict himself to Japan's most familiar birds but ranged widely across species, applying the same careful observation to migratory visitors as to resident species. The reed setting gives the composition its characteristic horizontal rhythm.