Shinano River

May 18, 2022

The Springing of Spring

I often feel time isn’t moving but then I awaken in the middle of the year. Winter is long gone. I keep going out and taking photos, but I spend less time downloading and looking at them. It is more fun to take them. When I do download them I just quickly upload some to… Continue reading

Japanese Birds

Blue-and-white Flycatcher, Common Merganser, Eurasian Spoonbill, Fukushimagata, Goosander, Great Egret, Narcissus Flycatcher, Shinano River, Toyanogata
November 3, 2021

Escape at Dusk

It was getting darker by the minute this evening when I saw a peregrine make a charge for a pigeon. It was almost too dark to follow the action through my optical viewfinder. Obviously I now need a Nikon Z9. (Doesn’t everyone?) Anyway, I watched the pigeon enter a falcon danger zone alone and thought… Continue reading

Japanese Birds

Peregrine Falcon, pigeon, Shinano River
September 17, 2019

River of the Dancing Lanterns

Niigata had two special visitors the last couple of days…. The Emperor and Empress of Japan. Continue reading

Japan

Emperor and Empress of Japan, Niigata, Shinano River
July 22, 2018

Frenzy

Goosander(European) or Common Merganser(American) (Mergus merganser) female Shinano River, Niigata, Japan July 21, 2018 Thank you to the members of Kantori, Japan for help with identification.You give social media a good name. After some quiet weeks for the birds, lots of action unfolded all of a sudden. Japan has been having an increasingly horrid heatwave.… Continue reading

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Black-tailed Gull, Common Merganser, Goosander, Mergus merganser, Shinano River
August 27, 2016

Gulls of August

Black-tailed Gull Shinano River, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan August 2016 We seem to get different waves of gulls at different times of the year in Niigata. April is a good time for Black-headed Gulls but at most other times I think it is mostly Black-tailed Gulls and Common Gulls. What I can figure out from… Continue reading

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Black-tailed Gull, Common Gull, Shinano River
April 13, 2016

Sakura Along the Shinano River 2016

Sakura Shinano River, Niigata, Japan Sony RX100iii April 2016 Here are some pics from along the Shinano River in Niigata City taken the last couple of weeks. I have been in gear-head mode. Most of these pics are with the Sony RX100iii. A superb little camera. I also used my Nikon D800 with Nikkor AF-S… Continue reading

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Niigata, Sakura, Shinano River
November 3, 2015

A Dash Along the Shinano

November Shinano River, Niigata, Japan November 3, 2015 Some “Wabi Sabi” from alongside the Shinano River, Niigata, Japan. We had a National Holiday today, Culture Day. Maybe the colours and atmosphere make it my favourite time in Niigata, but we have to be quick. The leaves are falling quickly and it will be grey and… Continue reading

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Autumn, November, Shinano River, Wabi Sabi
May 6, 2015

Green, Green Grass of May

Japanese Green Pheasant Shinano River, Niigata, Japan May 6, 2015 Today was the last day of the Golden Week Holidays. I’ve found it quiet for birds the last few months but here is a Japanese Green Pheasant I saw this afternoon. Continue reading

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Japanese Green Pheasant, Shinano River
July 26, 2014

Pheasant under Grass

Japanese Green Pheasant Male Shinano River, Niigata City, Japan July 12, 2014 I came across this pair of Japanese Green Pheasants a couple of weeks ago along the Shinano River. Some nice views. I just wished they’d stopped moving about so much an posed more. Duh, wild animals!! …with a female Continue reading

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Japanese Green Pheasant, Shinano River
July 1, 2014

Joy and Stress

Common Kestrel (Eurasian Kestrel) Shinano River, Niigata, Japan May/June 2014 These two were doing this the day after their first chick fledged. I will have to see what becomes of it the weeks ahead. I first found a family of Common Kestrels nesting at a Cement Factory alongside of the Shinano River, in Niigata back… Continue reading

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Common Kestrel, Eurasian Kestrel, Shinano River
May 17, 2014

Happiness

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… Continue reading

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Black-headed Gull, Blue-and-white Flycatcher, Eastern Crowned Leaf-Warbler, Eyebrowed Thrush, Japanese Bumble Bee, Japanese Green Pheasant, Peregrine Falcon, Shinano River
September 12, 2013

Magpies Niigata

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… Continue reading

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Azure-winged Magpie, Peregrine Falcon, Shinano River
April 30, 2013

Golden Week 2013 post 1

View at an inlet up along the Shinano River Niigata, Japan April 20, 2013 The first two pics were taken last week but hopefully this is the first post for this year’s Golden Week. We just had a three day weekend with Monday off. Two more work days for me til we get a big… Continue reading

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Brown-eared Bulbul, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Japanese White-eye, Junsai-ike, Shinano River
March 27, 2012

The going of the trees

Niigata City is based on the Shinano River. The Shinano is the longest river in Japan. It has all the features of rivers of moderns cities. Shipping ports at the mouth, walkways/bike paths and gardens with cherry trees and beds of tulips, public toilets and bridges. Sadly, I noticed a big gap along the river… Continue reading

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Niigata City, Shinano River

About Me

Spring in February
by Russell Jenkins
February 15, 2026

Daurian Redstart (Female)

We had weeks of freezing, dull weather, but suddenly we had a glorious spring weekend. I went to Fukushimagata on Saturday but barely got any photos. I was surprised to see most of the geese and swans had gone. Then today I was really happy to see Daurian Redstarts. Surely a sign of spring.

Daurian Redstart (Male)
Fun, Sun, and Snow!
by Russell Jenkins
January 11, 2026
Great White Egret stalking at Fukushimagata.

After a very cold week, Saturday brought sunshine to Niigata City. I woke up early but didn’t want to go out on black ice when it was 1 degree celsius and waited till after 8. By then, the centre of the roads had begun to thaw and I felt safer going out and about. I was in different minds where to go, but I’m glad I chose my old friend, Fukushimagata.

At first, I stayed along a canal in hope of finding Falcated Ducks, and a possible raptor using it as a corridor, but the Falcated Ducks were no longer where I knew them to be and there seemed to be more going on in the distance around me.

As I started to move up the canal towards the wetlands I encountered a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Green Woodpecker, Japanese Tits, and Brambling at the trees to the side. The woodpeckers flew off quickly so I continued to step through the snow towards the wetland. Once I got to the next bridge, something stirred up the geese around me and there was noise and movement all about. I first came to Fukushimagata, Niigata, in 2004, and was amazed by the thousands of geese that autumn. As the years passed, I felt there has been fewer, but yesterday, I felt the same as I did when I first visited. It was lovely to see so many large, wild birds with the snow covered mountains in the background and the sun reflected off the melting white ground.

Greater White-fronted Goose

Bean Goose

Small family groups of humans and lone birders trudged to the observatory within the wetlands, but I chose to sit on an old bench and wait for the birds to come to me. Which they did. Lots of close encounters with swans, and geese, Great Cormorants, and coot. The Great Egret had no fear of me, and arrived right in front of me and stalked calmly at the water’s edge. At times the geese stirred up, and I was thrilled to see a distant White-tailed Eagle mixing up the place before it decided to land in a a tree out in the middle of the wetlands. I sat there waiting for it to get back into action, but it out-waited me, and I left to walk my dog before the fine day came to an end. I sat long enough to watch the eagle being mobbed by passing crows, harriers, buzzards, Black-eared Kites and anyone else bothered by its presence. Not me. I felt very calm sitting there with all the wild birds about me with the light reflecting upwards. I got sunburnt, but it was time to myself, and I did manage to walk an appreciative dog for 90 minutes in the sun afterwards. Guilt free happiness for one day.
A Japanese Buzzard prepares to swoop down at a White-tailed Eagle sitting in the tree below. The other raptor coming front-on is a Black-eared Kite.
The Winter Winds
by Russell Jenkins
January 7, 2026
I was standing alone with a cold wind gust up against my back and snow flakes sparsely twirling about when a pigeon hurried right past my face. I barely had time to begin to inhale when this Peregrine appeared in front of me from the same direction. I managed to fire off just four frames; the first two – blank sky, the third this image, and the fourth, blank sky again.

I arrived back to Japan after my September adventure in Australia and it was still hot. I walked around in a dream with the images of Fairy-wrens, Galahs, and kangaroos in my mind and the the days turned to nights and the bright summer light eventually faded and the winds came. Always in late October, there is a time when I find myself laying awake in the midst of night listening to the faint calls of swans arriving from the far north and the howls of the wind open a new door in my outlook and my wardrobe. A change of clothes and excitement that the winter birds have arrived to comfort me in the coming cold.

Pochard

Spot-billed Ducks

Swans

Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian Teal

Swans

Niigata has two days when the sky is blue and the winds are gentle, then five when it sleets and gusts. As I get older, I wish to rest when I should be “making hay”, then I have an urge to go out when the wind will hurt my bones. Birds can be funny here too. I can go out and search and search to find crows and sparrows when it’s fine, but I have learned I can find something special when I should be playing guitar in a warm room with a cup of hot green tea. It is the brief outing in poor conditions when I seem to get unexpected thrills right in front of my face, such a Peregrine Falcon or Falcated Duck. I did, however venture out to find a Durian Redstart on a sunny afternoon the week before my winter vacation. To me it was a sign it was unlikely to snow as I usually see these superb little birds after the heavy snow season has come to an end, sometimes late February but I think mostly March. We did have some brief snow events so far this winter but my weather apps mostly describe days of “Freezing Rain”. I am still amazed to see people jogging in such conditions, when my mind is searching for cricket updates from home where the days are hot.
- Durian Redstart
- Bull-headed Shrike
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Eastern Buzzrd
- Also now known as
- Japanese Buzzard
I did have one other nice experience at Toyanogata on one of the two sunny days in my winter vacation watching, filming, and photographing, a Great Spotted Woodpecker pecking away undeterred by my presence stumbling below trying to find position with good light and angle. Woodpeckers are always a thrill for an Australian. Maybe I will go out looking again.

Another encounter with a peregrine in the snow.

A Japanese Tree Sparrow

Japanese Buzzard

Bull-headed Shrike
Runaway Trains
by Russell Jenkins
October 21, 2025
Rainbow Bee-eater diving into a dam on the Darling Downs, Queensland, September 2025.

Runaway Trains

Not long ago, I finished only my second real holiday since before the pandemic. It was my second visit to Australia since 2019. The days went by so fast. I barely started each day and my mind and body were overtaken by the atoms buzzing around me. I thought I had plans, but I had no chance to do everything with few days and the distractions all about me. All better than my plans. Each day was like riding in an old wooden buffet car of a runaway train.
- Brown Goshawk
- Australian Pelican
- Black Swan
I had barely stepped both feet out of the customs and security exits at Brisbane Airport and I was amazed to see the large soaring figure of an adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle in front of the passenger pick-up. Rob and Rod then grabbed me by the collar and we were whisked around giant warehouses where bouncing monster trucks were surrounded by Australian Pelicans, Black Swans, Mangrove Gerygones, Superb Fairy-wrens, Brown Goshawks, Brahminy Kites and other distant sea eagles. So much was going on before the minute-hand completed a single circuit. And as far as a buffet car goes, in Japan, we can enjoy many exotic delicacies like miso ramen, sashimi from the Sea of Japan, koshihikari rice, sasadangos, and even Murakami beef, but nothing is anything like one of Sid’s pies.

Tawny Frogmouth

Cutlery bounced and rattled on the saucer in front of me with all the windows wide down as the carriage slid and clattered and rattled on rusted, weathered rails. I stuck my head out into the sunshine and hooed and cooed with the wind blasting up my nostrils. It only seemed a moment before we faded into the dark quiet of a tunnel, and I awoke back, bouncing around in my booth with the roar of the wind, and persistent calls of Butcherbirds, Magpies, Currawongs, Lorikeets, and even a distant Kookaburra, announcing the start another journey on the new Bakelite speakers.

Rainbow Bee-eater with a wasp.

It was the middle of the week in September when we trekked to the doorstep of the west. Far away from working days in the city. Thank you to Martin and Karen for your generosity. Milly, Lincoln, Blackie, and the Bottle Trees, all greeted me kindly and I listened intently to the absence of motors and devices. The depth of the night sky is truly incredible from here. The sky is so bright, and the ground so dark; until your headlamp catches thousands of eyes of Wolf Spiders gazing back at you. Like a reflection of the night sky.

On the second night, as I went to unzip the entrance to my tent, a large Huntsman ran down along the path of the zipper and departed to the right. I entered the tent, organised my things, and as I lay down I realised I hadn’t closed the outer flaps. Not to worry. The night breeze was clean and fresh and I could watch satellites pass through the stars. Then it started to rain. A city boy in the bush, I unzipped the inner layer to reach out and zip up the outer. All done, I rested flat on my back and watched the return of the Huntsman. He was inside the outer layer but outside the inner layer. His shape was beautiful directly above my face and I fell deeply asleep.

Double-barred Finch late in the morning

I woke in the same position. Like I came out of the tunnel unmoved. It was just before six, and the spider had gone. I thought about how clear my mind felt and I had no pain in my back. Then I noticed the wisps and trills of Fairy-wrens just metres to the back of my tent. The train carriage was sharply bouncing about and I had no time to relax. It was the third and final chance to chase Purple-backed Fairy-wrens. They had been there from the start. They hopped and chatted right in front of me but were always obscured by sticks and stalks, and leaves. When I crept closer they would go to the back of the shrub they were in, then flutter to a farther bush. I followed them blindly and I treaded steadfully onward, but they out-paced me as they dispersed outback. I finally gave up the chase realising each time their voices had become more distant and spread out. It was unlikely I could catch up with them. I stood alone. Only in view of the Bottle Trees. The tea in my cup was stale and cold and the carriage was empty. I would head back to the camp. Then I noticed. Every time I headed back to the camp, the fairies would follow me. They’d get close behind just before I could get back to my seat. I thought they were tormenting me.

I don’t remember when it happened. The fairy-wrens were around the camp and I begrudgingly got off my seat to have another go at capturing their image. I felt somewhat cynical, and doubtful. It was still nice being beside the trees and the grasses, but I was less ambitious about my photography and stopped and browsed my camera menu. I totally removed my attention from the birds. Without any warning, five of them popped their faces out barely 2 metres away. As if they were wondering why I was no longer playing with them. In just a moment I grabbed some pictures to be happy with. Then I knew they weren’t tormenting me at all. Maybe they enjoyed the attention and were playing with me. It felt like a Dreamtime story. I’m sure it is. I miss them now. Not for their pictures, but for their companionship.
I would understand if Ludwig Leichhardt followed Fairy-wrens far, far through the lands and into the stars.

Rob and I attempted to photograph Rainbow Bee-eaters as they splashed into a dam for insects, and the sun slowly went down. It was amazing and frustrating, and we didn’t know if we were getting any useful photographs, yet we could have continued that for eternity too, if the day hadn’t ended.
(Images Below: Spiny-checked Honey-eater in flight, Brown Honey-eater drinking, and Black-striped Wallabies.)
Grey Kangaroos on the Darling Downs

I visited the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers Parade for the first time in more than twenty years. They announced it was only the second time it had ever rained. Niigata City celebrated their dance festival during the same period, and it was reported to me when I returned, that it was sunny. It rained there my last few visits. One must not be superstitious.

South-eastern Queensland is vivid and beautiful in September. I was freezing at night during my first week, but the forecast was for 36 Celsius in Brisbane just days after I left. It is an old, wooden carriage that rattles and bounces, and bumps. But the light bounces like metal wheels in all directions and the breezes bring aromas of pollen, bat poo, oxygen and stories.

Lace Monitor on the Darling Downs
- Welcome Swallow
- Leaden Flycatcher
- Yellow-rumped Thornbill
- Orchid
Bearded Dragon in the Lockyer Valley

Superb Fairy-wren at Duggan Park

I gate-crashed one event of the inaugural Toowoomba Bird Fair. It is now part of the Carnival of Flowers, which is forever blooming brighter and wider. My friend Mick, picked me up this time as well as helping a birding tour of Duggan Park, where we found Superb Fairy-wrens, Yellow-rumped Thornbills, Welcome Swallows, Galahs, Little Corellas, White Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagles, et, al; and even a Dollarbird. Furthermore, I was reminded there are other people in the world who love birds and even photograph them. Mick and I then witnessed the beginning of a whole new era of naturalists and Astro travellers taking up the art at the Toowoomba Bird Habitat with bird focussed activities for children. I hope they’ll join up to celebrate the 50th reunion in 2075, and laugh about the days when they started.

Galah

Little Corella

I cannot complete a complete diary of my holiday for there is limited space on the internet. I can only recall my tour along the north shore of Brisbane, where we ate fish and chips, and prawns from the hand-script of Herman Melville. I bought a freshly made Cappuccino and sipped it as I photographed a beautiful Brahminy Kite. I’ve decided now to always sip cappuccinos while photographing raptors. That was on a Friday. On Monday morning I was asked to teach the alphabet to Grade Threes. Fortunately, the students were patient and kind to me as I fumbled through it. Just as everyone else.
- Dogfight between Australian Hobby and a Whistling Kite
- Magpie Geese at Gatton Uni
- Yellow-rumped Thornbill
- Magpie Goose in flight
I didn’t see who placed a new cup of tea in front of me, but I see the cup is now sitting still and quiet on the saucer, and the tea is hot and fresh. Thank you. It would be nice though, to have just one more chocolate brownie.

Osprey House
- Crested Tern
- Brahminy Kite
The End
Dark, Quiet,
by Russell Jenkins
January 2, 2025

Apart from my visit to Australia, my 2024 was fairly uneventful birding wise. I’m on holidays at the moment but rain, rain, rain, wind, wind, wind, has been the schedule since December started. Snow is on the menu for tomorrow. The max will be 3, but it has been steadily going between 3 and 5 Celsius for a while now. It is dark. The middle of the day is too dark for bird photography. I’ve had my eye on the Nikkor 600mm f6.3 for a while, but it’d be too dark at that aperture. Even f4 struggles in the middle of winter here.

The photos I’m adding today are from a stroll through Toyanogata on the first day of 2025. It was a better day than last year. I ended up huddled on a rooftop with the threat of tsunami after the earthquake, and the year before I was sick in bed. Yesterday was dark, but I could go for a walk. I saw a Great-spotted Woodpecker, a Northern Goshawk and a Japanese Green Pheasant, but I was too slow to get clear shots. I did see lots of shrikes however. I don’t have many photos of shrikes, so I might try and get some if I have a chance in the days ahead. Birds were the usual suspects, and I was focussing on a Brown-eared Bulbul when it narrowly escaped a charging shrike. The shrike was much smaller, but very fast and aggressive. I always see these things and forget to take the photo!

Bull-headed Shrike

I’m an Australian interested in nature, photography, culture, and art based in Japan.

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The Springing of Spring

November 22, 2025

I often feel time isn’t moving but then I awaken in the middle of the year. Winter is long gone. I keep going out and taking photos, but I spend less time downloading and looking at them. It is more fun to take them. When I do download them I just quickly upload some to…
Escape at Dusk

November 22, 2025

It was getting darker by the minute this evening when I saw a peregrine make a charge for a pigeon. It was almost too dark to follow the action through my optical viewfinder. Obviously I now need a Nikon Z9. (Doesn’t everyone?) Anyway, I watched the pigeon enter a falcon danger zone alone and thought…
River of the Dancing Lanterns

November 22, 2025

Niigata had two special visitors the last couple of days…. The Emperor and Empress of Japan.
Frenzy

November 22, 2025

Goosander(European) or Common Merganser(American) (Mergus merganser) female Shinano River, Niigata, Japan July 21, 2018 Thank you to the members of Kantori, Japan for help with identification.You give social media a good name. After some quiet weeks for the birds, lots of action unfolded all of a sudden. Japan has been having an increasingly horrid heatwave.…
Gulls of August

November 22, 2025

Black-tailed Gull Shinano River, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan August 2016 We seem to get different waves of gulls at different times of the year in Niigata. April is a good time for Black-headed Gulls but at most other times I think it is mostly Black-tailed Gulls and Common Gulls. What I can figure out from…
Sakura Along the Shinano River 2016

November 22, 2025

Sakura Shinano River, Niigata, Japan Sony RX100iii April 2016 Here are some pics from along the Shinano River in Niigata City taken the last couple of weeks. I have been in gear-head mode. Most of these pics are with the Sony RX100iii. A superb little camera. I also used my Nikon D800 with Nikkor AF-S…
A Dash Along the Shinano

November 22, 2025

November Shinano River, Niigata, Japan November 3, 2015 Some “Wabi Sabi” from alongside the Shinano River, Niigata, Japan. We had a National Holiday today, Culture Day. Maybe the colours and atmosphere make it my favourite time in Niigata, but we have to be quick. The leaves are falling quickly and it will be grey and…
Green, Green Grass of May

November 22, 2025

Japanese Green Pheasant Shinano River, Niigata, Japan May 6, 2015 Today was the last day of the Golden Week Holidays. I’ve found it quiet for birds the last few months but here is a Japanese Green Pheasant I saw this afternoon.
Pheasant under Grass

November 22, 2025

Japanese Green Pheasant Male Shinano River, Niigata City, Japan July 12, 2014 I came across this pair of Japanese Green Pheasants a couple of weeks ago along the Shinano River. Some nice views. I just wished they’d stopped moving about so much an posed more. Duh, wild animals!! …with a female
Joy and Stress

November 22, 2025

Common Kestrel (Eurasian Kestrel) Shinano River, Niigata, Japan May/June 2014 These two were doing this the day after their first chick fledged. I will have to see what becomes of it the weeks ahead. I first found a family of Common Kestrels nesting at a Cement Factory alongside of the Shinano River, in Niigata back…
Happiness

November 22, 2025

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…
Magpies Niigata

November 22, 2025

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…
Golden Week 2013 post 1

November 22, 2025

View at an inlet up along the Shinano River Niigata, Japan April 20, 2013 The first two pics were taken last week but hopefully this is the first post for this year’s Golden Week. We just had a three day weekend with Monday off. Two more work days for me til we get a big…
The going of the trees

November 22, 2025

Niigata City is based on the Shinano River. The Shinano is the longest river in Japan. It has all the features of rivers of moderns cities. Shipping ports at the mouth, walkways/bike paths and gardens with cherry trees and beds of tulips, public toilets and bridges. Sadly, I noticed a big gap along the river…