Slow time a comin'

The slow season is approaching. The weather forecast is awful the next week too and of course the World Cup is on (Germany-ha!)................

Still there, still cute...........

The Red Fox family was still around last Sunday.............

Some June Ospreys

The regular nesting site out west has produced 2 young this year................

Some more KPs

The Kentish Plovers were still watching over their young on Monday....................

More from a grey Sunday..........

Just common stuff at this time of year..............

Some summer pondlife

It was very dark in Onuma on Sunday....................

Ospreys on a grey Sunday

Sunday was a grim day..........................

More gold in the gloom

The Narcissus Flycatchers were still in the park last Saturday....................

Summer begins..........

Despite the cool temperatures it is definitely summer in the birding world............

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

June 16th 2014.

A female Ural Owl in Onuma 4 years ago today. I don't often see adults except in their roosting holes (and I haven't found such a hole for a couple of years anyway). This one was watching ovver its fledglings high in the trees.........

Some more foxes

My wife wanted to photograph some baby foxes............

Some Narcs in the gloom

Just outside town there is a park which is good for Narcissus Flycatchers.................

A very grey June weekend.............

Some rotten weather at the weekend...............

Stonechats in the typhoon

An early typhoon just passed by Hokkaido................

Newborns

The grasslands to the north of town always seem to have a lot of Red Foxes and in late May/early June they leave the den.............

We saw 2 or 3 families and one bold cub even took a walk down the side of the road..........

Summer near my apartment

I took a short walk near my flat yesterday. For various reasons I hasn't been there for over a week and the speed at which the vegetation has grown was astonishing. This happens every year, of course, but never fails to amaze me. It's the quiet season for birds though: really not much around at all. 2 or 3 Oriental Reed Warblers (slightly fewer than in previous years), a few Red-cheeked Starling, Asian House Martin, Barn Swallow................

Last shots from the pool

The last batch of shots from the pool near Shikotsuko............

Some Long-tailed Tits

One of the most popular subjects for bird photographers here seems to be the Hokkaido race of Long-tailed Tit.........

2 Bush Warblers

Some more birds from the pool near Shikotsuko last week.............

Some early summer birds

The weather has been very warm and sunny the last few days...............