April 9th 2007.
A male Red Flanked Bluetail near my flat. This is a common passage migrant but one I find very hard to get a decent shot of, in fact I have to say this crappy one is probably the best of a very poor bunch. They are very active and love dark places. This was out in the open at least but was very hard to approach, it wasn't shy so much as impossible to pin down as it was so hyperactive. Plus I hadn't really figured out how to use my camera yet and had a crappy $100 lens on it.
Unfortunately the trees where this bird hung out have been chopped down as Hakodate City 'improves' the river, 'improve' being a euphemism for 'finding unnecessary work for otherwise unemployable men to do'. This spring there is a shocking amount of garbage along the river; several bikes, a guitar and keyboard, lots of TVs as well as countless cans/bottles/plastic bags. Why didn't Hakodate City Hall pay those men to pick up the litter instead of chopping down the trees?
Bureaucracy - maybe they want the tree loppers to start a band?
ReplyDeleteThere was an influx of RFBs on the east coast last autumn but none as smart as yours.
P.S. 4th goal was pure class! C'mon!
Wish I could get a few 'crappy' shots, don't be to hard on yourself!
ReplyDeleteDerek
Looks like a nice photo to me. Anyways I'd be happy with it. I got a few so so pics of various small species yesterday. Sunny, so I took the day off. Yet to id them all but this looks similiar to one.
ReplyDeleteHi Stu,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful picture and a shame for the trees! Sometime, it is better not to know what is in the heads of the administrative people!! They do strange things...
Looks a pretty good photo from here. As you know a species to blow the minds of most UK birders as they are so rare her. I thought Japan was a clean sort of place and didn't imagine litter like the UK.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your comments.
ReplyDeleteHi Stuart, maybe they're waiting for someone to toss a drumkit into the river........
Hi Phil, yes I thought Japan would be clean until I actually arrived and saw it for myself.