Azure-winged Magpie – Russell Jenkins Stoop Files

Misty

December 30, 2020August 17, 2023 by Russell Jenkins, posted in Japan, Japanese Birds

The large hut at the entrance to Fukushimagata. A beautiful wetlands in Niigata.

Well its been very dull and misty and wet. I haven’t really gotten any decent bird pics for a while. Yesterday was my first holiday of the winter break so I went out at 7 and came home about 6. My back and legs are tired today, which is an even duller and wetter day. A blizzard has been forecasted for later on, so good I got out. I took mostly scenery pics for the day with my Nikon Df and a newly acquired Tamron 35mm f1.8. I love operating the Tamron but the images seem to have some kind of fringing. I guess I will accept that as artistic licence.

I was hoping to find an eagle or two but the best raptors to be seen were Eastern Marsh Harriers and a couple of Eastern Buzzards. I visited the Long-eared Owl at the library at Toyanogata and it was the most colourful bird encounter on this dull day, with bright orange eyes. I fear, I was spotted looking at the owl by an excited family who surrounded me unmasked to announce their discovery to the world. I escaped quickly but with guilt over the impact on the owl.

Thank you for visiting. I hope you have a peaceful and creative new year,

Summer Lovin’

July 10, 2018 by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Tiger Shrike
female

Niigata, Japan

July, 2018

I’ve been enjoying summer this year. I feel for those suffering from the floods though.

I have been trying to get out despite of my feebleness in the hot weather. I think winter is so long here that I should enjoy wearing t-shirts and shorts while I can. There have been some nice summer things to see including bugs, dragonflies and butterflies. I have been trying to collect images of the dragonflies to post later after I’ve tried to ID them. I’ve also seen many butterflies but mostly on the wing and out of reach of my lens.

Yesterday was the anniversary of breaking my arm so I’m pleased I can get out with my camera. It’s good to look back and realise that I have had many good days since.

I’ve watched the kestrels at the cement factory court, return to the nest with food, fledge, practice hunting bugs, and disperse for another year too.

Azure-winged Magpies

newly fledged

Bull-headed Shrike

Pigeon

Eurasian Kestrel

Whiskered Tern

summer

Summer Shadows

September 3, 2016 by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Summer scenery at Toyanogata, Niigata, Japan

August 28, 2016

At least I tried to do a spot of birding and I was even hoping for dragonflies, but I just ended up getting into the summer shadows at Toyanogata to finish August off.

I saw a lot of dragonflies on Wednesday but they quickly disappeared.

Hopefully, the next big thing will be the raptor migration at the end of September.

Azure-winged Magpie

Magpies Niigata

September 12, 2013 by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Azure-winged Magpie

Shinano River, Niigata City, Japan

August 2013

These are the only kind of magpies I’ve seen in Niigata. They are quite attractive but always sticking themselves in the densest foliage. I have wanted better pics than these for quite a while but I can’t get good views when I’ve got my camera. They are fairly common about the place and are here all year round. These photos are of a family along the Shinano River. I felt sorry for them last year as many of the trees they lived in were cleared away.

Some interesting behaviour when I was photographing the young one below occurred when the adults in a tree behind me started a softish alarm call. Actually I was wondering if it was an alarm as it was repetitive but not so desperate. The young bird flew over to disappear in the thick leaves of the trees with its family and the calls went on for a few moments. Suddenly all went quiet and I looked up the see a Peregrine Falcon jetting by. Can’t say, I’ve noticed alarm calls like this before in Japan. Different to the noisier birds in Australia.

This isn’t such an attractive shot but it’s easier to see their colours with some kind of background.
Photos of these birds with a blue sky background are quite disappointing.

Young bird in front of a house.

Peregrine Falcon