On this day (November 16th)................

November 16th 2015.

A Spotted Redshank at Oshamanbe 3 years ago today. This is a regular passage visitor but is never common and this late individual was a rare chance to grab a photograph of this species for me..............

Mild November continues..............

It was about 18 degrees today, short sleeve weather, literally well rolled up sleeves maybe.................dragonflies are still buzzing around and I even got an insect bite. Weird weather we're having..................

A few days away............

A Red Necked Stint jogging on the beach and a Sanderling gagging on something............

We went camping near Tomakomai for 3 nights.................

Fox and Shrike

A Red Fox at Onuma this afternoon. Foxes aren't hunted here and are surprisingly bold compared to the UK. A few years ago one even came into our tent looking for scraps. They have a stomach parasite that is fatal to humans too. So if they crap in your water supply you have serious problems.



A Bull Headed Shrike in Hakodate this morning. A very common summer vistor to Hokkaido, they breed in the bushes alongside the river near my flat. My Dusky Thrush pics are slowly improving. They'll all be off in a week or 2.



The usual stuff at Onuma but no interesting Woodpeckers again today (but lots of the commoner ones). I'm tired of posting Nuthatches so here's another Marsh Tit instead.



I injured my back yesterday whilst I was vacuuming. Annoying and I have to wince every time I get out of my chair. I had a bizarre experience in my local supermarket the other day. They pipe out muzak all day long. Usually it's fairly standard stuff ("thriller" or "eye of the tiger" done in a muzak style) but this time it was "Anarchy in the UK"!!!!!! The Sex Pistols' great anthem of youthful anger/nihilism/despair is now elevator type music to accompany a visit to the frozen food section.

Here are some photos that didn't really make the grade. Sometimes even cropping and photoshopping isn't enough.







A Spotted Redshank and male Long Tailed Rosefinch at Onuma today and a male Siberian Stonechat near my flat yesterday.

Around April 13th down the years:

1984 (April 15) Ribble near Penwortham. 6 Wheatear, 1 Spotted Redshank, 50+ Black Tailed Godwit, 3 Corn Bunting, 10 Tree Sparrow and 1 dodgy looking Pipit we ID'ed as a Water Pipit.

2005 (April 13) Hakodate. Rhinoceros Auklet, Harlequin Duck plus White Backed Woodpecker.