So ends another week of crappy weather, the snow is now slush (which refreezes at night) and daytime temps are well above zero (no long underwear necessary this week).
This lone Bohemian Waxwing was in the park near my flat yesterday afternoon. It came to ground pretty close but the light was just awful (in fact it was raining)..
On other local blogs there quite a few pictures of Bohemian Waxwing a couple of weeks ago but they never appeared in my part of town. I guess this is a straggler................I had a longish walk this afternoon but couldn't find this individual or any other waxwings anywhere.
Whilst I was photographing the Waxwing an odd looking young chap came over and asked what I was doing. I pointed out the waxwing in the tree. He then got out his Police ID and started questioning me! My name, where I lived, why I was in Japan etc. He took my ID and called in the station to do a check. He said that 'warui hito' ('bad people') sometimes came to this park to take drugs.................this was news to me, I've never seen any Japanese person taking drugs in this or any other park in my 13+ years here.
Luckily my Japanese isn't strong enough to attempt a little sarcastic banter ("yeah sorry officer I left my drugs at home today"). I was the only person in the park and it was knee deep in melting snow and I had a camera with a big expensive lens.................how did he come to the conclusion I was up to no good?
Weirdly he then started asking me how I liked Japan and if it was colder in England................
The Bullfinches relocated to another street, one a bit more difficult to take photos on as it is fairly busy with big banks of meting snow under the trees. These photos were taken a couple of days ago in a brief window of sunnyish weather.
Not much else about. Goosander, a couple of Goldcrests in the pine trees, a flyover Peregrine, a few Dusky Thrush and Daurian Redstart...................
Freezing temps and snow forecast to return tomorrow with blizzards on Sunday..................looks like another quiet weekend.
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Some great shots. I got my first ever waxwing pics last week and will post them on my blog later too. The light was poor for me too but I'm still excited. Great to see them through the lens. A friend told me the last time he saw them here was march 2009 which was when I had my first brief encounter but no photo. Their presence must depend on luck or food and weather here.
ReplyDeleteHi Russell, yes they are very unpredictable birds. Some years there are loads of them, others just a few and sometimes none at all.
DeleteWhat a weird story. That policeman seems to lack some sort of common sense. BTW, great shots of the European race Bullfinch! I was actually in eastern Hokkaido for the last 2 weeks surviving the deadly snow storm, but wasn't lucky enough to find any waxwing or bullfinch.
ReplyDeleteHi Ayuwat, yes I heard last weekend was pretty nasty up there.............
DeleteVery nice images! Glad you had a good encounter with the birds, sorry to hear about the hassle with the officer! A guy by himself in the park, big camera lens poking out of his jacket, standing in melting snow - yep, a birder - not to be trusted! :)
ReplyDeleteI was standing on a bench which I suppose I maybe shouldn't..............perhaps that caused him to think I was capable of breaking other laws.
DeleteGreat Bullfinches... at least it wasn't gloomy all week !
ReplyDeleteHi John, yes they are great birds,,,,,,,,,just a shame they are giving the cherry blossoms such a hammering.
DeleteUpon reading this, I imagined 80's Japanese metal band Loudness singing a cover of Judas Priest's "Breaking The Law" and that made me laugh (but not in a racist way). Love those Bullfinches.
ReplyDeleteObscure 80's rock references! Keep them coming...........
DeleteMany Japanese wouldn't be able to pronounce 'law' properly.........it would probably sound like 'breaking the raw'.
By coincidence I watched the original Judas Priest video of 'breaking the law' on youtube recently and have to say it was one of the worst most ridiculous videos I've ever seen,,,,,I actually birst out lauging at the cheesiness of it all.
Just took a look-see at a few posts and all of them are absolutely marvelous. My faves would have to be the Waxwings, such glorious looking birds~
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