Tag: Peregrine Falcon

Rockets

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized
Hyoko, Niigata, Japan

January 24, 2015

Saturday was supposed to have poor weather but a sunny morning saw me grab my gear and head to Hyoko for the afternoon. I was only there for 80 minutes but I took about a thousand pics. 
It was very exciting for a raptor nut such as myself with peregrines stirring up the ducks farther over behind the trees you can see in the above landscape. 
It was so exciting I went back again yesterday and saw what I believe to be the same two Peregrines  from the day before, an adult and the below young one.
Lots of families take their children there to buy rice husks and feed the ducks and swans, hence there are many birds attracted to the place and it is a wonderful place for photographers.
Sunday was pretty dull but I’m pretty happy with the action shots for dim conditions with my new Nikon D7100. The landscape at the top was with my D800 and 25mm lens.
A young Peregrine Falcon

as it flew over on Saturday

At the back of Hyoko many wild ducks mostly Eurasian Teal and Mallard were stirred up by an adult Peregrine on Sunday, January 25.

Where’s the falcon?

-If you look just above-right of the centre you can see the out-of-focus adult Peregrine moving left.

I could only see the falcon when it rose above the landscape!

If you go down from the “J” in Jenkins you can see a male Baikal Teal heading left.

Sunny and Dull

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Fukushimagata

Niigata, Japan

Nikon D800

December 28, 2014



Welcome back to this blog for a new year.

After whinging on Phil’s blog that I had to work on Christmas Day, I then had 9 days off over New Year. (Sorry for the whinge, Phil).

Of those 9 days, just one; Sunday, December 28th, was fine and even sunny. All the other days were plagued with heavy winds and rain. -Not even decent snow, which I find more bearable to be out in.

SUNNY: On the sunny day, I went to Fukushimagata and wandered about ankle deep in very white, clean snow. The bright sunlight reflecting upon it really made for nice lighting, especially when birds flew overhead. The one thing that didn’t excite me however was that it was quiet for birds. All the accipiters and harriers of past weeks had gone as well as many of the waterbirds that I guess had attracted the raptors. 

I did see a single White-tailed Sea-eagle sitting in a tree across the wetlands but it was far away and only visible with binoculars. Hence, December 28th was good for a healthy walk in nice scenery but not exciting for bird pics.

Then the week was very bleak and miserable. Perfect for DVDs and fluffy slippers. When Friday, January 2nd arrived we headed to the shops for the Japanese New Year Sales. After about a year of considering it, I bought a Nikon D7100. Exciting, huh? I got a nice deal and the kind staff at Yodobashi Camera gave me some cool presents; not one, but two real Nikon bags. Expensive accessories when you have to pay for them. I am very pleased. 

I still love my D800 but there are times and places when and where I just don’t need full-frame, such as vast wetlands and kestrels along the Shinano River. I always just felt too far away with a 400mm lens on full-frame and almost always used crop mode. I realised a golfer doesn’t meander around the course with a single club so I am happy to expand my kit. I’ve read many nice things about the D7100. I’d looked at it often but was nervous of its small size and light weight. I came to the conclusion that people don’t complain that their iPads are getting smaller and more light weight.

According to my weather app, Saturday was supposed to be sunny but again the light was poor and and small but windy snowstorms were again more common than birds. I still went out for a walk with my new camera….

DULL: I went to Toyanogata and meandered ‘neath dark trees without any good bird chances. Finally near a waterway I sighted a very pale thrush-like bird and struggled to get it focussed in a very “twiggy” bush. I set the focussing system to single-spot focus but the bird flew out the back and I never saw it again. I was enjoying listening to music with earphones connected to my phone and shrugged the chance away as I stumbled onto a walk-bridge. I looked upstream and immediately picked up a peregrine in seventh gear and accelerating coming right at me. No time to think about camera settings, just point and shoot! …..Messed up! What an idiot! What was I doing? Dreaming about the place for hours just to mess up a fleeting chance. I guess there are lessons to be learned. A rough test for a new camera; a speeding peregrine in poor light, with the camera set to single-spot focus and earphones pulling at my ears as music fogged my mind. It’s such rare chances I want a responsive camera setup for. I just wasn’t expecting it first up. I probably won’t get such a chance again for some time.

I continued around Toyanogata for another couple of hours but snowstorms outnumbered photo opportunities. I know times are quiet when I spend time photographing corvids. Still happy to have time off and get fresh air. Will have to be more serious when I set out again.
Greater White-fronted Goose

Bean Goose

The new observatory at Fukushimagata. Very open. Not really a “Hide”

Black-eared Kite
Looks nice with the light beaming upwards
(above and below)

Grey Heron 
(Above and below)

There were many dinosaur footprints about the place.

Carrion Crow

The light reflecting up from the snow even brings out the details of crows.

A mix of Geese

Great Cormorant

Another dark bird that looks attractive with the light reflecting upwards

Peregrine Falcon

First pictures with Nikon D7100 (cropped)

Photographic Tips: Don’t use single-spot focus! or Bose SoundTrue in-ear  headphones when trying to photograph birds in flight.

(The headphones are great otherwise)

Toyanogata, Niigata, Japan

January 3, 2015

unedited and uncropped

Brown-eared Bulbul
Toyanogata
(above and below)

Bean Goose

Toyanogata

Japanese White-eye

Toyanogata

DULL: Black-eared Kite

Carrion Crow

Toyanogata…time to go home

Visitors from the North Pacific?

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized
Peregrine Falcon

Fukushimagata, Niigata, Japan

November 24, 2014

Today was a national holiday and I enjoyed a walk around Fukushimagata. (It was a dull day as you can see in the photos, but no rain!) More and more, I’m not surprised when finding birds that I think are from the North Pacific region. The above peregrine is a return visitor, the locals call, “O-hayabusa”. (Great Peregrine) I’m sure it is the same one in the same location seen the last few winters. I think it is a Peale’s Falcon as in this past post.

Not long after I photographed the “Northern Pacific Peregrine”, some “Lesser Canada Geese” flew over. I’ve reported them before as well as seen here.

I’ve also included an American Wigeon, which I photographed at Hyoko back on November 8, 2014.

According to my field guides, all these guys are supposed to be rare visitors to Japan. I’m lucky to meet up with them again!

Fukushimagata, Niigata, Japan

American Wigeon 

Hyoko, Niigata, Japan

November 8, 2014

Fukushimagata

Lesser Canada Goose

Fukushimagata, Niigata, Japan

November 24, 2014

Lesser Canada Goose (top) with Bean Goose (below)

Peregrine 2014

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

My first photo of a newly fledged Peregrine Falcon for 2014

Niigata City, Japan

July 6, 2014
It’s been a good summer for raptors nesting in Niigata City. I have already watched Eurasian Kestrels and Northern Goshawks successfully bring out their young and am delighted to have found a single, new Peregrine Falcon on top of the Niigata Prefectural Office building.
Peregrines last bred successfully there back in 2009 but the original female was seriously injured in an accident and retrieved to live out her life in a sanctuary. The male met a new female and the two have remained on the building throughout the years but this is the first time they have been successful at raising young. 
As with previous years I witnessed the two mating high up on the buildings in the area (usually in March) but I have been sceptical as nothing came of it in previous years.
I called my friend Mr Honma and told him the news that night. The next day he confirmed my observation and notified the Niigata Wild Bird Society. The news has been well received and when making an official report, they were going put the observation in Mr Honma’s name but he honestly told them that it was yours truly who first found the new peregrine and thus he informed me that the report has been made in my name. Which I think is pretty cool. Thank you, Mr Honma!
I can’t believe nobody noticed them raising it but anyhow all is good. I’m usually reluctant to divulge nesting areas but this is on top of one of Niigata’s highest buildings right next to the prefectural police headquarters and overlooking a government helipad. I think they are fairly secure. I just briefly stopped by and took four photos in a space of 20 seconds.
Yesterday I checked and witnessed the solo young bird pursuing an adult to retrieve dinner. All is good for now. The young one is quite vocal when in the air so I’m sure many curious persons will look up.
Eurasian Kestrel

Just a kilometre up river from the prefectural office building, I took this last photo of the remaining kestrel on July 6, just about 20 minutes before finding the peregrine. I had been worried about the youngest kestrel as it appeared to be sitting on a building without attempting to fly weeks after its siblings had left the area. I was happy to arrive just in time to see it fly out and greet an adult who gifted it with this dinner. I went back a week later and it was no longer there. Being an optimist, I guess it too had grown strong enough to venture away. 

Guardians of Westgate Park

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Brown Falcon

launching from a stone sculpture with the

Westgate Bridge in the background.

Westgate Park, Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

1990s

Here are some photos from the Kodak Photo CD made on May 13, 1999. All these shots were at Westgate Park, Port Melbourne in the 1990s. I don’t know why I wanted these scanned. I think they had landmarks. I often visited the park in the 1990s as it was the best place to find raptors near the Melbourne CBD. 

I have many nice memories and loads of negatives and slides. Nothing worth hanging on the wall but I think I have some nice historical records for the end of the century. 

Apart from these pictures I also remember photographing a Spotted Harrier having a dogfight with a Whistling Kite in the middle of a 45C day. Who in their right mind would be out birding then?

I also had a close encounter with a young Black Falcon cutting through the park (winter). Well out of its recorded area but I’d been photographing them a week earlier in Queensland and felt they were following me around.

I watched a Nankeen Kestrel grab an Indian Myna in flight and the two cart-wheeled to the ground. I got two shots of it. It would be nice to find them. The birds disappeared behind a hedge in a business property next to the park so I couldn’t go in. Neither bird appeared again, leaving me to imagine the outcome.

Other raptors included, Australian Hobby (regular), Brown Goshawk – I watched being chased away by a team of Black-shouldered Kite and Peregrine Falcon (on one occasion), Collared Sparrowhawk, and Swamp Harrier. 

Pretty cool for a major urban environment!

Little Eagle

Fox

and

Australian White Ibis

Happiness

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Japanese Green Pheasant

Shinano River, Niigata City, Japan

Last week



My plan to photograph all the gull species along the Shinano River was totally missed as summer has arrived and the best time for gulls here is March/April. I wanted to especially have a closer look at the Black-headed Gulls that pass through at that time. I think the numbers vary year to year. I will have to wait until next year to see them again.

Other news was seeing the peregrines mating on a building near the prefectural office back in March.  I didn’t think much of it to be honest as I’ve seen them doing it in before but nothing came of it. I think they practice birth control. 

I had a heavy heart when listening to Mr Honma talk with his friend about the peregrines at the prefectural office. They seem to be expecting great things from the falcons this summer but I heard that both of them found kestrel remains beneath the peregrine eyrie. I was alerted to this as it’s just about kilometre away that I have been watching kestrels raise young every summer since 2005. I have been visiting the cement factory a couple of times a week since early April but found everything was quiet there. Last Saturday afternoon had a small change when I found a single kestrel sitting atop a rusty tower. It stayed for just a minute before flying off up river and out of sight. I thought it may have just been a visit of nostalgia. 

The next morning was fine so I went back. Everything was again very quiet for about 15 minutes until a crow arrived at a nearby factory. The radars must have been switched on out of my view as suddenly a pair a kestrel fighters emerged from the cement factory and bravely warded the menace away. The fighters returned to their base flurrying their wings down and proclaiming that this is their territory. “Ye, be warned!”

Maybe signs of happy days ahead.




Black-headed Gull

Shinano River

End of April, 2014

Peregrine Falcon

Niigata Prefectural Office

Japanese Bumble Bee

Junsai-ike, Niigata

* UPDATED* A new bird for me. I was told, this thrush was called “Akihara“.
I looked it up and found it was called, “Brown-headed Thrush” in English.
My pictures look different to my guides, however. >>
*Stu, from Hakodate Birding has identified it as an “Eyebrowed Thrush“
Thanks Stu!

Blue-and-white Flycatcher

Junsia-ike, Niigata

Eastern Crowned Leaf Warbler

Junsai-ike

Buzzin’ Raptors

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Common Kingfisher

Fukushimagata, Niigata, Japan

March 9, 2014

Been very quite here in Niigata the last few weeks. On March 1st, I walked around Toyanogata for about 5 hours and got a couple of poor pics of a Great Tit. 

This Saturday, the 8th, was fun for watching raptors buzzing about Fukushimagata. Unfortunately all were a bit out of reach of any decent pictures but I enjoyed seeing something in the sky almost all of the time. When I got there, I saw a goshawk land near some reeds and I stalked the long way around to get up close. Stupidly I was looking left when I stepped out, knowing my subject was to my right and sure enough I watched an adult goshawk disappear along the water bank and didn’t get a shot. At that time I stood scratching my head and looked around to see several Eastern Marsh Harriers, a Peregrine Falcon, an Eastern Buzzard, some Black-eared Kites, and behind me, a White-tailed Sea-eagle all on the wing 360 degrees around me. All were too far but I waited for something to get close. I realised, however, that when I was watching a harrier come closer in front of me, the eagle doubled back and was very close, but into the sun just behind me. It was an afternoon like this. Very windy and the raptors were just hanging around. A twist of a tail and they were gone or would appear without warning.
I realised there were no geese and I only heard some Whooper Swans when I returned on Sunday. Sunday was quieter for the raptors but I found numerous kingfishers calling to each other and flying back and forth and disappearing into the reeds. I worry about this behaviour when I know the locals will set fire to the winter foliage soon. I was assured such fires have no effect on birds etc. People seem to know everything. 
I’ve been using My D800 with the new af-s 80-400mm VR but feel it’s just been too short this year both in Australia and here. The D800 is a full-frame camera so I took out the D300 on Sunday. Wasn’t happy with it either. I either have to get a bigger lens or just go smaller to mirrorless systems such as the V1. 
Last year I had a poster of a Nikkor 300mm 2.8 lens on my fridge with the price tag of 521000 yen. I spent my money on the new 80-400 instead. Now I wish I’d gotten the 300 2.8 but the price has increased by about $1500 to 651000. It’s just a price increase without any update to the lens. Things are supposed to go up more next month too.
Maybe I should just spend money on a new pair of bowling shoes.
We had a minute’s silence at work today for the three year anniversary of the March 11 earthquake. 

The bird observatory is being rebuilt

Random Shots

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Fukushimagata, Niigata, Japan

February 22, 2014 
Decided to go out for a big walk at Fukushimagata today. We’re having a mild winter compared to normal years. The rest of Japan is copping it, but as you can see there is little snow here. It’s usually the other way around. I still had to cover myself up. Most days have had a maximum of 3c but apart from some light snow squalls are pretty fine.
It was good to get out on my feet after being held up indoors at work. I actually felt that I wasn’t seeing or photographing much but am pretty happy with my bag now that I’ve looked inside. 
My feet are killing me now.
Bean Geese

Numbers seem to be decreasing every year.

The regular peregrine I refer to as “the Peales”

Every now and then the birds of the water would stir up an flock and I’d just take random shots. Here I just caught an adult goshawk at the lower left. I didn’t see when it was live. Just too many things going around.

Mallards

Eastern Marsh Harrier

Black-eared Kite

I found a possible Eurasian Spoonbill in the collection once I downloaded my files. They are quite rare here.

Something stirred up these Lapwings behind me then I went around the corner and found the ‘Peales’ on the wing, as below.

Peregrine

It doesn’t seem to mind the several photographers with big lenses on tripods pointing right at it every time I visit.
Even returning to where they are standing.

I thought this might be a Vega Gull but I have no idea really. Sadly I take a lot of pictures of gulls in Niigata but I remain gull-blind as to what they are.
Any advice is most welcome. Thank you!!

Mr Honma’s Bird Tour

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Steller’s Sea-eagle

Niigata, Niigata, Japan

February 1, 2014

Mr Honma’s now in his late seventies. He doesn’t go birding/birdwatching everyday but he keeps mindful of what’s about the place. 

He picked me up at 8am and our first bird of the day was the Steller’s Sea-eagle. I’m not excited about photographing it up on the metal electricity tower but I’m still happy to see it. What bird-minded person in the world would be disappointed starting the day with a Steller’s Sea-eagle?
After that, we visited the big, dark, Peregrine Falcon (Which I regard as a “Peale’s Falcon”). I am a little concerned about it because it kept closing its right eye. We enjoyed nice views of it.
Then we headed to Hyoko and saw the winter collection of ducks. I took heaps of pics as usual and will post some later. They had posted a wanted ad the day before (in the newspaper), looking for American Wigeon and Smew. I took a pic of the Wigeon and was given a laminated certificate and two tickets for entry into the local museum. 
To finish our outing off we visited an area known for a Crested Ibis. (“Toki”) Lots of cars and photographers and sightseers. 
We headed back home at 1pm and saw another Steller’s Sea-eagle circling over the busy motor-bypass running right near the centre of the city.
I thought we’d seen a number of important birds for the morning; just running briefly between one then the next. I told Mr Honma any birder in the world would surely be impressed with such a tour. I told him he should get a bus and do the tour everyday. He looked at me very seriously but didn’t say anything.
Thank you, Mr Honma. I really enjoyed the birds and your company! 

Steller’s Sea-eagle with Eurasian Kestrel below

Peregrine Falcon

Whooper Swan

American Wigeon

Notice looking for location and time of sighting of the two pictured birds.

Birders watching “Toki” (Crested Ibis, Japanese Crested Ibis)

Steller Niigata 14

by Russell Jenkins, posted in Uncategorized

Steller’s Sea-eagle

Niigata, Japan

January 18, 2014

Photos with Nikon D800 Nikkor af-s 80-400mm VR and TC 1.4Eii
(Don’t use the teleconverter!)

Gee, it was hard heading off to work this week. (After a holiday in Australia) It was minus 2c on Tuesday but a close encounter with an adult peregrine flying the direction that I’d come cheered me up. The sky behind it was dull but I could clearly see it’s white chest and faint bars and even the yellow of the cere. I wanted to turn around and follow it. Too bad I had my work bag and not my camera.
I called Mr Honma on Wednesday night to catch up on Niigata bird news and learned that a Steller’s Sea-eagle was first recorded for the season on January 8. It seems to be a good date for Steller’s in Niigata, as I recall my first ever encounter being on January 8, 2005 at 3pm. I think the date has popped up a few times since when talking about these eagles in Niigata. 
Mr Honma and I headed out at 7am on Saturday morning (yesterday). Who would want to sleep in minus degrees with a blizzard forecasted? Anyway we found it where reported, and where one has been reliably found in years past. Terrible views really sitting high up on electrical towers. 
I knew it would be sitting up high and at a bad angle so I decided to prepare the Nikon 1.4Eii teleconverter to extend the Nikkor af-s 80-400mm VR lens I got last April. According to my calculator it gave me a reach of 560mm. I guess, lesson learned; I will not use the combination again as I am disappointed with its handling and the results. All the photos in this post were taken with the combination. I couldn’t really tell if it was focussing as it is so quiet. It would seem to focus but I wasn’t confident it was completely focussing. I was happy with the reach but once I downloaded the images they looked soft and many were not focussed. 
There were a hand-full of photographers in the fields surrounding the tower. The best shots being the rare chance of getting it once it flew. The first time it went away from me and I got my classical going away shots. We followed it to another tower where it was obscured by the steel of the tower. Not exciting at all but we stood and waited for another 90 minutes for it to take flight again. During that time I watched around me and could see pigeons flocking in the distance and heard several crows as the deterred a Northern Goshawk from getting closer to the pigeons. The goshawk was then replaced by a a peregrine which was also set upon by the crows. All too far for photographs. Eventually the eagle took flight again and again it was away from me. 
About ten minutes after we’d lost sight of the eagle, we had walked back to the cars and were packing our gear when I looked over Mr Honma’s shoulder to see the eagle heading straight to us. I had wanted to remove the teleconverter from the camera the whole time but had failed to bring caps or something to put it in, but now there was no time. The eagle passed over us lowly but with some pace. I really didn’t need the converter as it was so close and I gritted my teeth as I struggled to focus. The camera was set to full frame mode (FX) but there are many unfocussed results of the flyover. It could have been so nice just with the bear lens. I guess I’ll just have to go back.
The blizzard had started when we found the peregrine. I think it is the same individual that I’d posted back in 2012 and claimed it as a possible Peale’s Falcon. Anyway, it is not a typical Japanese Peregrine.

Peregrine Falcon

Magpies Niigata

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