My 1000th post

Well it's taken exactly 8 years and 3 months to reach my 1000th post on this blog..................

The prodigal Owl

A Ural Owl at Onuma this afternoon, the first one I'd seen in this hole for over a year............

A long day with almost no birds..............

Redpolls up close

There were yet more Redpolls in Oshamanbe................

Siskins and Redpolls......................

The last breath of winter......................

Some late blizzards hit Hakodate today, probably the last this winter......................

Geese etc

A very springlike day in south Hokkaido this Sunday.................

Surprise in the park.............

A Red Necked Grebe in the local park.................

Not really happening

On Monday afternoon we were in Onuma and Sawara................

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

A friend very kindly lent me his new 100-400 MK2 this morning....................

Red and Blue

2 red and blue species that commonly occur on the local coasts...............Harlequin Duck and Blue Rock Thrush.

On this day (March 15th)..........................

March 15th 2011

A Bohemian Waxwing near my apartment 4 years ago today........................part of a large flock of them as it turned out.

Usually Waxwings are at the tops of trees in harsh light but these came to the ground..............

A week of blizzards.............

It's been snowing all week.....................

A lot of tame small birds..............

There were lots of small birds at Onuma on Monday morning.............

Some winter wildfowl.............

There was a flock (herd?) of swans in the fields near Oshamanbe on Sunday...............

In the corner of a fishing port............

A Dunlin on Sunday afternoon in Oshamanbe..........................

On this day (March 8th).....................

March 8th 2012

A Red Throated Diver in Kamiiso 3 years ago today. It was very tame as it drifted into the port................probably because it had a badly damaged wing. I hope it recovered...............

Common birds of March

Yesterday I quickly checked Kamiiso to see if the Black Necked Grebes had come into summer plumage.....................

Goshawk and more Glaucous Gulls

A Goshawk at Oshamanbe earlier today.....................

A grey start to March.

A scruffy looking immature Glaucous Gull at Sawara this morning....................