18 June 2012

Back after a break




An Oriental Reed Warbler at Kikonai this morning.

I've had a lazy last couple of weeks, to be honest for various reasons I was a little tired of birding and photography and although I visited all the regular places in the last 2 weeks with camera on hand I was very halfhearted and unmotivated..........the grey skies didn't help, no new lens materialized this spring as I'd hoped and my slowing 4 year old computer now makes photo processing a real chore...........so I just though f**k it and I enjoyed a few lie-ins and afternoon naps instead. We all go through periods of being fed up and p***ed off with the world so I won't bore you with the boring details.

This female Bullheaded Shrike was at Sawara this afternoon.


We were in the area to look for Japanese Green Pigeon at Shikabe, we did see some but they weren't coming down to the rocks for a drink. This individual was in the forest gloom at Onuma.


Onuma now belongs to the mosquitoes.

At Kikonai there were lots of Oriental Reed Warblers.



Other stuff around in the last couple of weeks included Whooper Swan at Kikonai today, a late Grey Tailed Tattler up until yesterday at Kamiiso, the first Little Cuckoo of the year at Moheji and lots of Grays Grasshopper Warbler at Shikabe, Yakumo and Oshanambe. Eastern Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Intermediate Egret, Great Egret, Night Heron, the common woodpeckers and summer migrants at Onuma, Russet Sparrow in Hakodate, Harlequin Duck plus a few other late winter ducks hither and thither, the usual grassland stuff at Oshamanbe...........

I caught England v France on Japanese TV but had to follow the Sweden game on a very intermittent online feed (what happened to these online feeds? They used to be much better quality).............I was so pessimistic about England's chances I didn't fork out for the ¥3000 or so to subscribe to the satellite channel showing all games live.

The Ukraine game isn't on regular TV (but if we finish 2nd in the group then that quarterfinal is being shown at least) so I'll be up at 4am getting frustrated at England(s inability to keep the ball and my inability to find a decent online feed...........anyway it is weird to see England not being absolutely awful in a tournament for a change, even if the stupid f**king picture freezes every 30 seconds or so.

Before it started I though we'd have 1 or maybe 2 points going into the final game needing a win to go through (and probably relying on a favour in the other game)..................so my expectations have already been exceeded. Oh and what a header by Caroll..............

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10 comments:

  1. Well, welcome back!
    Great series you've got here!
    I enjoy the Warbler through the leaves, and the lovely pigeon much like the fruit pigeons.
    I know what it's like to expect photo equipment....
    It has been 3 month since I order a 500mm lens at Nikon's.... and still waiting!
    I was hoping to take pics of all the largest vultures in the Pyrenees mountains.... Grrrr!
    Cheers!

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  2. And a great through the legs flick by Wellbeck.

    whole nation is rleieved they've surpassed expectaions but can Rooney ome in get a win against Ukraine and then progress to the semis? we sjhall see.

    Nice warbler pics btw

    Cheers

    Davo

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  3. Like the pregnant shrike Stu. Your dead right, we all get peed off at times, especially by the grey, cloudy crap we both have to put up with. Roll on summer.

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  4. I find it impossible to sustain high levels of motivation - especially when I am not seeing much or my shots are
    ultra crap.
    Sometimes just leaving it for a bit is the best plan - not much point if there is no enjoyment?
    Anyway, the warbler is superb - I like the feeling of intimacy and context peeking through the greenery.

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  5. Doesn't hurt to have a break now and then.... and what about England actually winning, then.

    Italy in the quarter-final will be a sterner test.

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  6. Thanks for the comments............

    Typhoon today and busy the next few days so no more photos for a while........

    But OMG England didn't f**k up..................and the Italy game is live on Japanese TV.

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  7. Greetings from Sri Lanka!
    I am back too after a longer than expected break. I hope your new lens will provide the spark needed for more postings.

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  8. Hi Gallicissa, sad to say there will be no new lens this year I think (due to a big drop in my income)........

    I wondered where you'd been........

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  9. Always great to see your photos of reed warblers at close range! Never got a chance like that in Kyushu...

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  10. Very nice serie, i can almost ear this warbler singing ;)

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