Autumn continues in south Hokkaido with the usual picturesque scenes at Onuma.
An old friend of mine, Damian, from back home in Preston passed through Hakodate for a few days last week and I'm just recovering after several days of heavy drinking and eating. I also seemed to have picked up some kind of nasty neckache so I'm a bit tired and grumpy as I type this (and hunching over a computer keyboard doesn't help much).
Great to see Damian and the first real bit of reminiscing with someone from my childhood I've done for ages.
Not much to report birdwise over the last week or so.
The male Bullheaded Shrike was one of several migrant species passing through town. I didn't get to Mt Hakodate last week, this is by far the best place to see migrants. I did go in the evening to show Damian the famous nightview but I forgot a tripod so here's a halfhourbeforeduskview instead.
The first Daurian Redstarts and Dusky Thrush have appeared and on the moat in Goryokaku Park there were 2 Coot, a Little Grebe and an odd looking duck that I thought was probably just a Pintail. It looks a bit browner that most of the Pintails I see though. Could it be a Falcated Duck? Damn these dull looking eclipse plumaged male/immature/female autumn ducks...............
The most interesting bird of the last few days was this distant immature White Tailed Eagle just outside Hakodate.
Damian got lucky with the weather as we showed him the local sights ( oh and he isn't a birder ).
The Night Herons are hanging on.
And this Grey Heron gave me some some more 7D BIF working out.
October isn't the best time of the year for bird shots and I'm itching to use the 7D on the winter stuff that will be arriving soon.
The Harlequin Ducks were as shy and difficult to photograph as usual.
And look at this for a tacky statue in Esan.
Nice result for Liverpool on Sunday, Carragher was a bit lucky to stay on the field though. LOL at Vidic, will he make it 4 out of 4 next time?
My neck is hurting again so I'll stop typing........
I am very impressed with your BIFs, especially the Grey Heron.
ReplyDeleteI would ideally like to use my 40D for another 6months before I think about another body.
p.s. I think the last pic is a statue of religious importance, probably to do with Buddhism, looking at the 'lotus pedastral'. So, I wouldn't diss it if I were you.
Hi Gallicissa, yes I suppose it is religious but as Japan is the least religious country in the world I'm not sure of its significance as a religious icon. It isn't at a temple or shrine. It was at the entrance of a now derelict hotel which was built in the 90's boom.
ReplyDeleteThe local burger joint has pics of the Last Supper (!) festooned everywhere on its walls so its not only Buddhism that gets the tacky treatment.............
Nice of you to edit that text...
ReplyDeleteThanks for clarifying. I now can understand the context a lot better!
On rereading the original I agree it didn't look so good, it was an observation on the tackiness of the structure rather than its religious context.
ReplyDeleteIf you saw it you'd agree it is tacky!
Great shoots with new EOS 7D.
ReplyDeleteLove that in flight.
Stu Great transition captures, did you have those Giant Hornets in your area I watched a NG show the other day on them pretty scary they are!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on future work with the 7D enjoying them all!
HI,
ReplyDeleteI'm coming from Dev blog and I'm happy I decided to come over here... Your blog is fantastic, and it was surprising to see pictures of birds I know very well on your blog... I will definitively come back.
Hi Kevin, I haven't seen any of those hornets but I don't go into the forest too much in summer (too many other bugs).
ReplyDeleteHi Chris, thanks for commenting, yup many of the birds are the same, I'll trade you a Snowy Owl for a Night Heron though.......
Wowww...wish there were some picturesque autumn scenes like that in Beppu.
ReplyDeleteAnd that rocky mountain scene is just terrific!
Some wonderful photographs. I'm sure that 7D is getting warmed up for the oncoming Winter subjects. I see you might be getting bit of Winter weather as I type. The Steller's must be near! I'm looking forward to seeing your results. Get that neck fixed and get out there.
ReplyDeleteHi Stella. i enjoyed this lovely mix of landscape and birds. I looked at the Harlequin ducks picture in full, and its such a great composition.
ReplyDeleteI have a soft corner for Japan - was in the Mt Fuji area last summer, or was it 2 summers ago...?
Thanks for everyone's kind comments..........
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post S! The first landscape of the Autumn colors is wonderful as are the bird photos. My favorite are the Night Heron and what looks like a Green Heron to me? The BIF shot of the Grey Heron is exceptional!
ReplyDeleteI have to laugh at the duck comment. I once asked a fellow birder the best way to ID a female duck and he said "take a look at who she is hanging around with." In other words, check the male ;-)