Black Woodpeckers and other stuff.....

A Black Woodpecker this morning at Onuma, we came across a pair excavating a nest hole, snapped some shots and moved on quickly(although the birds didn't seem to mind so much). The male was shyer than the female though, so most of the shots were of the female.........





It was a beautiful spring day but the forest was surprisingly quiet. All the resident species were present including the inevitable Tits and Nuthatches.





Also seen today were Mandarin Duck, Goosander, Long Tailed Rosefinch, Siskin, Rustic Bunting and 4 species of Woodpecker.

Some birds were tricky to see.



Otherwise a pretty quiet week again................



On Friday I climbed to the top of Mt Hakodate, it was a beautiful sunny day as you can see from this view from the top. The mountain trails were rather busy and full of retired locals hiking up the modest hill ('mountain' is too grand a term). Despite the mild spring weather and total lack of snow for the last month some of them were kitted out in full hiking regalia and I actually burst out laughing when one woman walked past me in a gore-tex coat and gaiters (it was very bright and sunny, it has only rained once in the last 2 weeks and the forecast is good for several days). I didn't actually see any ice-axes but I'm sure some of them had them in their packs. I swear I went trekking for 10 days in the Himalaya with less gear then these folks used for a 60 minute stroll to the top of a hill that has a road to the top and a tourist cable car...........

Memo to Japanese hikers #1: When walking it is more efficient to hold a conversation with someone next to you rather than shout to someone 50 yards in front or behind.

Memo to Japanese hikers #2: Please leave your stupid f**king radios at home and don't play loud tinny sounding radio shows from a radio dangling from your pack.

Birds? Lots of Red Flanked Bluetail but these were difficult to photograph, darn active little critters........this was the best of a bad bunch.



Other new arrivals included Black Faced Bunting, Siberian Stonechat, lots of Japanese Bush Warbler and Japanese White-eye. On the sea were Rhinoceros Auklet and Black Throated Diver and the usual resident species were much in evidence.......





Other stuff included Long Tailed Rosefinch, Siberian Meadow Bunting and Blue Rock thrush. The last few Crossbills, Bullfinches and Brambling were hanging on in the forest at the foot of the mountain (I actually briefly saw a male Crossbill in the tree opposite my flat a couple of days ago).

The most photographed creature of the day was this, lots of Asiatic Chipmunk live in the forest on Mt Hakodate and you have to admit they are cute.......





And here's a sunset from my balcony tonight........



More bird photos are on my other blog.............which nobody seems to ever look at according to google analytics.

And a familiar view that I have shown on this blog many many times...........but never in sepia tones.





Villain of the week: Yamada Denki for unbelievably crap service.

Disappointment of the week: the fact that Liverpool's season may effectively be over on Wednesday night.

Photoshop thingy of the week: I'm trying to get a handle on the curves thing.

A very quiet week........

Good old reliable Nuthatches. A Wryneck at Asabu and a male Black Woodpecker at Onuma were nowhere near as co-operative and the blurry out of focus pictures have already been deleted off my hard drive and memory card........

It was a gorgeous warm spring day and we headed over to Asabu. The Ospreys were already on the nest but as you can see it is a long way off.



A 100% crop a minute or so later reveals the 2 birds on top of the stack.



Asabu is a good place in summer for birds but today there really wasn't much about. The Wryneck and Ospreys were the only noteworthy species. The only singing species was the hordes of Skylark. They were everywhere.



And there were a few Red Breasted Mergansers in the nearby fishing harbours too........



It's been a quiet week in Hakodate, even though the weather has been pretty good I haven't been out so much. My business has picked up quite nicely plus my wife is working full-time so taking pics of birds is taking a bit of a back seat.

I saw the last Crossbill (a flyover male) on Tuesday but there was a flock of 5 in the local park on Monday including this tame individual......



Shame they seem to have gone. The most photographed bird of the year so far in Hakodate this year and I'm already hoping they return next winter (they've been common the last two winters but were absent for the three before yet common the three before that).

Otherwise not much at all. A singing Japanese Bush Warbler on Friday was the first of the year and the lone adult Night Heron was in the same place most of the week.



And groups of Teal have been courting on the local river, here's a male.



The first Bullheaded Shrikes appeared too and a few winter ducks were still hanging on in Kamiso this morning (Scaup mainly).

Bad result for Liverpool against Chelsea the other night and now Man U seem to have uncovered another annoying young south European. Damn.

Another busy week coming up...........

Evil looking birds eating disgusting things.......

We were over in the harbour at Shikabe this afternoon. The Black Necked Grebes were still there and most were coming into summer plumage. Personally I think they are beautiful looking birds but my wife doesn't like their red eyes. And she says the worms they eat look disgusting, I have to concur with her on that one.





The above shots were quickly selected and processed, I have a few hundred Grebe shots on my computer to sort through, I'll put the best ones on my other blog in a day or 2.

Spring was very much in evidence today and by late afternoon it was warm and clear with some great views around Onuma.





And this was taken with my cellphone a few days ago.......



The common resident species in Onuma were as photogenic as ever.





Goosander (lots), Smew, Cormorants (I think Great Cormorant but am not too sure) and White Tailed Eagle were other noteworthy species at Onuma..........

A number of spring returnees have been around the last few days. The first Asian House Martin were in Hakodate on Thursday, very early this year. Woodcock at Onuma, Oriental Turtle Dove, Skylark and Mandarin Duck in Hakodate were some other birds recently arrived from the south.

Near my house the Night Herons have returned, well one at least. As skittish as eever, this was the best shot I could manage.



The Crossbills and Bulfinches are still around but in less numbers (as are the Hawfinch and Brambling). I think there are several groups of Crossbill in and around Hakodate. there must have been a real invasion this winter. these were in the tiny park near my flat.





Also in the park were several Bulfinch and I managed to get some shots of them at eye level at last.





I walked down to Mt Hakodate on Friday, a long walk in glorious spring sunshine. Unfortunately there weren't many birds about at all, these turtles were photo of the day.



North Korea launched that missile today, everyone here is pretty jumpy about it. I can't see what all the fuss is about but I do confess I looked skywards several times this afternoon but saw nothing except Gulls.

I stayed up to watch Liverpool last night, thank god Benayoun got that late goal. After England's late goal against Ukraine the football gods are smiling on my teams. Hopefully Vila can get something at Old Trafford tonight. England are looking odds on to qualify, probably with some games to spare. And suddenly the Premiership for Liverpool isn't looking so far out of reach.......

NHK called to apologise after they neglected to credit me for the photos they used on TV last week. Actually I'm a bit embarrassed by the fuss I made (it wasn't such a big deal really was it?) but they said they'll use some of my photos at a later date. Actually I was embarrassed by my own behaviour this afternoon too. I dropped my wallet in a big out of town DIY store. On discovering this fact I went ballistic cursing myself in particular and humanity in general. Of course this being honest Japan someone had handed it in and all the money/cards had been untouched.

Tim Buckley's 'Get on Top' is playing on itunes at the moment. I used to listen to quite a lot of Tim Buckley, good music to accompany a glass or two of whisky. It wasn't good to get stoned to I recall, it got kind of annoying after a while. My stoner days are now long gone, maybe I should pour myself a glass of something before my bath....

RL Burnside has just kicked in now. Kind of wish I could roll a fatty to go with this one. If I were 10 years younger perhaps........

To finish with here's a pic my wife took of me this afternoon, this is what I must look like to a Crossbill.

Geese and a TV debacle

A group of soon to depart Brent Geese in Hakodate this afternoon. It was a nice mild spring day, I'd walked down the coast with the intention of finding some summer plumage Black Necked Grebes. I did see one but it quickly dived and disappeared out to sea. At least the Geese were posing nicely.





More geese shots are here.

Last week a reader of this blog from London sent a photo of a Spectacled Guilemot we had seen together in Hakodate in January to the national broadcaster NHK to be shown on a local news show . Her picture was taken with a small compact and she asked if NHK could use my pictures from this blog. She had given my e-mail to NHK and they would contact me and also acknowledge me (or so I stupidly thought). I said OK. They didn't contact me but I thought never mind my name would be broadcast, I can forgive them. I told several friends and all my in-laws and they arranged to watch it too.

So anyway it was on Friday night. I taped it. I rewound the tape through all the interminable navel gazing crap about the non-threat from a North Korean test missile (yawn) and there my photos were. On NHK! But wait a minute.............under the muzak soundtrack they discussed the photos for about a minute and........absolutely no mention of yours truly. Nothing. Just 'a Japanese lady from London, Miss X sent these.....blah blah'. My brief moment of fame (albeit on a minor local news show but I digress) snatched away from me. Sorry but that isn't what I'd signed up for. I'd expected something along the lines of 'yeah these photos were taken by an English guy living in Hakodate, you can see more on this website address' etc etc. But nothing. Absolutely nothing.

In the great scheme of things this is unimportant. I know that. My photos aren't that great. I know that. I didn't lose any money or anything. I know that. But.....still. F**king hell. And as for the editor, Chisato Tachibana, who used my pictures without showing me the basic common courtesy of contacting me first or acknowledging me (oh and ignored an e-mail I sent her), I hope NHK leaves her name off the credits of every TV show she ever works on. The daft cow. Now I'm thinking all these dark thoughts. Like 'yeah, if I were Japanese they would have asked me for sure and credited me' and projecting racism on them. I need to stop doing that.

I know anyone can right click on these photos and save them to their own PC. But showing them on TV without asking for permission? Now I'm thinking how much I can sue the bastards for........

Despite all that thanks to Megumi for suggesting they use my photos, I was flattered. It isn't your fault NHK are a bunch of morons and didn't mention me.

Right. Enough of that and it's off my chest and finished. Just bear in mind if you steal my photos I will hunt you down and destroy you. Oh yes.

The Crossbills were still around last week but in smaller numbers......





It's 2 years since I bought my camera and I've taken over 50,000 shots. Crossbills would have to just about my favourite subject..........more Crossbill shots are here.

Not much else around to be honest. No car so I've been stuck in town for the last fortnight (and because of my wife's new job and my new schedule which kicks in next month out of town forays will be restricted to Sundays or public holidays only).

Here's a pic of a Dusky Thrush, a very common bird at this time of year.



A few migrants appearing. Some Whooper Swans flying north over town, the first Bullheaded shrikes and Skylarks arriving too.....

And here a couple of examples of bizarre English that make expat life in Japan just that little bit funnier.





I watched England beat Slovakia last night. Only a meaningless friendly I know but they're looking good for Wednesday night against Ukraine, if they win that they can start checking out flights and hotels for South Africa I think. Of course they'll no doubt flop when they get there but at least they'll be there (which was looking very unlikely when they were being held at halftime by Andorra back in September). And next weekend if Liverpool beat Fulham and Villa can take a point off Man U the Pemiership will look very interesting indeed.

Some bad news on Friday. My uncle, Tom, died in Queensland and will be sadly missed by all. The first person to buy me a beer in a pub, the first person in my family I got stoned with. Oh and he sailed across the Atlantic and went diamond prospecting in Guyana and lots of other crazy stuff too. He had a great life that's for sure and will live on in all our memories.

Spring is here in Hakodate. It's getting milder and my business is picking up. When I look outside life isn't so bad.

Just don't think about NHK I tell myself.

Hangovers, browser issues and Crossbills

A short post today, not much to update and plus I feel like sh*t after a heavy one last night.

The Crossbills continued to be the main birds of interest in Hakodate this last week. there are 2 or 3 different groups and in amongst the biggest group was this individual.



Is it a White Winged Crossbill? I'm not really sure. I posted some pics on the ID section over at birdforum. Some disagreements as to whether it's just a Common Crossbill or the (much scarcer) White Winged Crossbill. No less of an authority than Mark Brazil suggested it was the latter. I still haven't decided if I can put it on the list or not.

The Crossbills were as entertaining as ever. These shots were spread over several days......









Not much else around. A male Gadwall was probably the most interesting.......

I had a really nasty hangover today. Last night I had a nomihodai. This was actually the first word I learned in Japanese. It basically means a set price for all you can drink within a specified time limit.I drank way too much of course (and continued drinking afterward in another place) and the resulting hangover was not pretty I can tell you.

I also deleted my homepage/second blog. I copied all the files before I did the deed but now they won't upload to the internet so they're gone forever. All the links in previous posts won't work anymore. I thought my new blog was looking OK but apparently it doesn't show properly in Internet Explorer. It works fine in firefox/safari but not IE7. Why are things always so complicated?

So Man U lost last night. If Liverpool can beat Villa tonight the end of the season may be exciting after all.........

*edited to add* OMG 5-0, if they win their next game they'll go top briefly. In fact their next 3 league games are before the Man U games, if they continue winning the pressure will be on Man U for sure. IF they keep winning that is.