A lazy Autumn

It's been a while since I updated this blog. Not that I've done anything terribly exciting the last couple of weeks or anything.



A Bullheaded Shrike in Hakodate today. Not a lot of bird photos recently.

Autumn migration is well underway. Lots of Rustic Bunting, Japanese White-eye and Japanese Bush Warbler around. Varied and Coal Tits are in small groups along the riverside and Brown Dipper have appeared from upstream. Last week we got up at dawn again and went up Mt Hakodate.



Tons of birds on the move but no decent pics at all. Brambling, Japanese Grosbeak, Red Flanked Bluetail, lots of thrushes of various species (but too high up to ID), Pacific Swift, Siberian Rubythroat, all 3 of the local Accipter species and best of all a very briefly seen Brown Shrike (a scarce bird in these parts). Over at Kamiso flocks of duck are building (8 species) and they were joined last week by 2 juvenile Whitefronted Goose. Up at Yakumo a few days ago we got Eastern Marsh Harrier, Hobby, another Rubythroat, Bar Tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Greenshank, Buff-bellied Pipit, Great Egret and the first Whooper Swan and Scaup of the season. And no good pictures at all. Just lots of blurry out of focus Rustic Buntings and White-eyes. This lousy Marsh (or Willow-it wasn't calling) Tit is the best of a sorry bunch.



Here's a view from the top of Mt Hakodate.



Imagine lots of birds flitting around in the bushes or flying quickly high overhead.

I've finished one of my calendars and am waiting for my single review copy before I decide if it's worth selling online and I've almost finished my photobook too (just have to add a few sage words, the most difficult part). I've fiddled around a little more with my website.

There's a blog, which may or may not replace this one (can I migrate this to another site? Don't think so). Not much to look at yet.



And here's an Adobe Lightroom Gallery I put together of my best shots from last winter.



There are also some Aperture Galleries here.

I don't quite know what to make of the footy season so far. But I like it. England atop their group and (for now at least) plain sailing all the way to South Africa, Liverpool joint top of the Premier League and their Champions League group (although they may both change soon). The current season of 'The Shield' is gripping stuff too.