Hyoko
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Sparrows in Snow

Some sparrows at Hyoko, Niigata. Hyoko is famous for swans and ducks but there are also some smaller species. All look beautiful in the snow. Continue reading
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The Swans, The Mountains and The Ducks
Well, the winter break is far over already. I was hoping to spend lots of time capturing goshawks and falcons chasing ducks around the wetlands, but I could only muster a few rare and distant glimpses. My most successful photos were just of the swans and the mountains, which I took on December 31. Maybe… Continue reading
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Arrivals and Departures
Bewick’s Swan(Tundra Swan) Hyoko, Agano City, Niigata, Japan October 6, 2018 Last night’s local news was pretty exciting. They announced that the first swans arrived at Hyoko just before sunrise on Thursday. There were birders with tripods, scopes and cameras there to greet them. I wasn’t there but, welcome back! I went there today. There… Continue reading
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The Happy Duck
Luke’s Duck **UPDATED: Domestic Duck, Not Hybrid. Identification by the Hybrid Group at Flicka.com Hyoko, Niigata, Japan February 11, 2018 I usually overlook hybrids but have been trying to have a closer look because my friend Luke seems intrigued. I took these pics last Saturday. When I first saw it, I thought it was a… Continue reading
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The Frozen Lake
Hyoko, Niigata, Japan February 11, 2018 After a long cold week with heavy snow, it was sunny yesterday morning so I went to Hyoko. It was treacherous walking between thick walls of ice. A kind lady showed her concern for me while I was standing on the slippery ice and she cleared a space for… Continue reading
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A Hybrid
Hybrid Ferruginous Duck + Common Pochard Hyoko, Niigata, Japan January, 2018 It’s been very cold the last few weeks and I haven’t birded much. I get so tired of falling down. I’ve heard people have had frozen toilets and showers and taps for days and days. Really different to following the Australian Open Tennis. These pics… Continue reading
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Tombi
Black-eared Kite Hyoko, Niigata, Japan January 7, 2018 “Tombi” is a casual Japanese name for Black-eared Kite. “Tobi” is more usual. I guess I have to look at these photos with ‘the glass is half full’ attitude. The first 4 pics below are not cropped. Except for the wings. Continue reading
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Endless Rain
Tundra Swans Hyoko, Niigata, Japan January 3, 2018 I went to Hyoko again this morning but light, wet, snow became a blizzard so I only stayed for an hour. By the time I got home again the sun broke out. I wonder what Charles Darwin would have thought after many years in Japan. I went… Continue reading
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Another Year Over
Cygnus Hyoko, Niigata, Japan December, 2017 My mum passed away on the first day of this year so today is the eve of her first anniversary. I still have metal things in the arm I broke. The largest looks like a utensil for serving spaghetti. There have been some challenges but I have wonderful family… Continue reading
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Duck for Christmas
Hyoko, Niigata, Japan December 27, 2017 It’s nice to get some time off for winter. It seems to have been a long year. Being in Japan, Christmas Day was a work day but I took it off and headed to Hyoko. I found an adult Northern Goshawk hunting there then. Today I headed back with… Continue reading
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October Arrivals
Common Coot Hyoko, Niigata, Japan October 21, 2017 Not so cold yet, but pretty dull. I’m happy to see all the new arrivals at Hyoko. Some Tundra Swans, but no Whoopers yet. The usual assortment of common ducks have made their way from the continent in the north. There’ll be many more to come in… Continue reading
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Autumn Swans
Whooper Swan Hyoko, Niigata, Japan November 13, 2016 Here are some swans from Hyoko last Sunday. It was a beautiful autumn day but just in a week the colours have changed to winter. Whooper Swans Tundra Swans Whooper Swan Continue reading
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The iWants
Northern Goshawk Adult Hyoko, Niigata, Japan February 21, 2016 Sony RX100iii held up to a Nikon ED50 field scope I didn’t bring an adaptor! I want a big new spotting scope. Either Zeiss, Swarovski, or Leica will do. The above goshawk looked fantastic through my little scope but I imagined a nice, intimate portrait with… Continue reading
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Splashin’ Pintail
Northern Pintail Hyoko, Niigata, Japan Here are some pics of a Northern Pintail taking a splash earlier this year at Hyoko. Continue reading
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Goshawks Chasing Ducks
Northern Goshawk Hyoko, Niigata, Japan November 22, 2015 Here are some pics of a couple of Northern Goshawks stirring up the ducks at the back of Hyoko yesterday. Actually I really messed up with many out of focus shots. The focus either just caught the background or the grass. I might make it a goal… Continue reading