Tag: Niigata City

Goshawk Family 2014

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Northern Goshawk

Niigata City,  Japan

Newly fledged

June 28, 2014
This year Northern Goshawks raised three young in a park in Niigata City. I don’t know which park. I was taken there blind-folded. (Not really, but I pretend)
The place has been kept quiet to avoid buckets of tripods and smokers from loitering beneath the nest but I heard the news has spread and there were indeed numerous cameras visiting every day.
I visited just twice so far; a 90 minute visit one morning a couple of weeks ago after I heard they’d fledged, then another for about an hour last Sunday afternoon.
I followed the progress of the nest via telephone; a ‘friend who knows someone’. I’ve decided to stay away from pointing my lens at active nests as much as possible.
I hope they stay at the site next year.
These pics were with my Nikon D300. I sent my D800 off for service on June 7. More about that another time.

Adult and below

A present from an adult

I think it is the adult female on the left and the three young

June 5, 2014

Nikon D300 with AF-S Nikkor 80-400mm VR @1/80 of a second handheld

Adult female is an impressive raptor

Goshawks 2013

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Northern Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis
newly fledged

Niigata City, Niigata, Japan

June 30, 2013

…And now, presenting, the new 2013, Niigata City, Northern Goshawks; Accipiter gentilis. 

This year I witnessed two nests. I only visited one nest briefly 3 times over a three month period (about once a month) and the second nest was just one brief observation at distance. There were two in the first and I thought possibly three in the second, but now, after looking at my pictures I think there were just two in the second as well. Still, both nests were successful. 

Wary and elusive adult

View of nest #2

Common Eurasian Kestrel

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized
Common Eurasian Kestrel adult male

Falco tinnunculus

Niigata City, Niigata, Japan

May-June 2013

This has been the ninth season for me to watch the same pair of Common Kestrels raise a family in Niigata City. They have always been successful, and this year they raised 4!

One afternoon at the end of May, I saw the male return 3 times in 50 minutes with prey, all birds, most likely sparrows. I was worried as things quietened down for a bit. I only visited briefly two or three times a week and watched as they protected their territory against cats and crows. One afternoon the male was very upset while attacking a cat. I didn’t see him for almost a week after that, but then suddenly the quiet period ended with new birds flapping their wings.
They mostly seem to prey on sparrows and swallows. 
I hope I will see a tenth season!
adult female

two young

Four fledglings