Fushimi Inari and Migrants

A 4.30am rise this morning killed any chance of a lie in but it was all in a good cause...migrants! I was meeting Neil, Gabor and Mike Yough (an American who came down from Aichi, where the Expo was this year) at Fushimi Inari, near Kyoto at 7am. Fushimi Inari is THE single most important temple in Japan. Apparently, during the first week of the new year, the place is thronged with, literally, millions of people who come to pray there. A bit of a Croagh Patrick scenario but on a scale of Mecca proportions. It's situated in amongst an amazing primeval forest with ancient bamboo scattered in copses throughout the area. To watch the sunlight sneak into gaps in the canopy and shine on the biggest spider webs I've ever seen (some are 4-6 feet in diameter!), was spectacular this morning. There are thousands of torri lining the pathway to the various minor temples scatted up and around the hill. A stunning place and somewhere I will have to come back to for tourist reasons...

The reason for surrendering my precious lie in this morning was not to visit the temple but a bird outing and a chance of some migrants, particularly birds of prey. Needless to say we were not disappointed. We spent the bones of 6 hours walking through the primeval forest and hills looking for at everything that moved. We reached an amazing view point which looked over the valley and the sprawling concrete jungle of civilization below. We had some nice birds of prey flying across the valley towards us and produced the following species:



Black Kite (commonest bird of the day nearly, see bird above)
Oriental Honey Buzzard (2)
Japanese Lesser Sparrowhawk (2 - a new species for me)
Goshawk (3) (genuine ones too Pariah!!)

A supporting cast of Arctic Warbler (a new species for me), Japanese White-Eyes, Japaense Pygmy Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Grey-Streaked Flycatcher, Jay, Brown-eared Bulbul and Varied Tit made for a wonderful morning's stroll. The mozzies were a pain but it was worth it.

The Goshawk was bird of the day for me, a stunning male and a HUGE female flew right over us on separate occasions, looking down into our eyes...a truly fiercesome creature and a beautiful sight. The ferocity of the facial expression outlined by the contrasting feather colouration around the head gives the male a majestic appearance in my opinion. Wonderful bird.

Now I'm back home, listening to Tom Waits in a quite relaxed and weary way. I also post up a photo (poor at that) of an Osprey which flew quite close to me while on Miya-jima last weekend. I hope you like it. I am pumped about going to Hegura-jima next weekend...hopefully it will produce a surprise or two.

I'll relay the expense of the trip after we go through the exorbitant tolls...they're cheap at home folks, so all you Dublin readers, get over the cost increase!! At the moment, it's costing 100yoyo's for the ferry and a night's accommodation (dinner and breakfast included) in an inn on the island. It may double when the petrol and tolls are taken into account. I kid you not. Petrol and the priveledge of driving on the wonderful expressways (max speed 80kph) could double the cost of the trip...madness.

Ok then, I'm off to listen to some reggae bands that are apparently playing near Osaka-jo (castle), I just got a phone call to inform me. I am looking forward to listening to the Japanese guys pretending to be Rasta, should be amusing.

Bye for now

ps: this week I have mostly been eating ramen, which was nice, I guess