Hiroshima and other goings on

Friday night saw my tired ass head to Shin-Osaka to get the 20:32 Nozumi Shinkansen train to Hiroshima, 90 minutes to being 400km away from Osaka. 90 minutes to being in one of the best cities I've seen in Japan. A, thanfully, uneventful train journey ended and I was met by Sean and his wife, Norico at Hiroshima station. A short car journey later (literally 5 minutes), and I was sitting down in their lovely apartment supping on a beer. It was really nice to be able to sit down and shoot the shit in pleasant surroundings and a cold beer. Norico has superb English so it was not awkward and we ended up talking well into the wee hours of the morning. It was my first time meeting both Sean and Norico and we got on very well. There was no awkward silences or the like, and we had lots to talk about. The entire weekend was like this and I must say I enjoyed their company thoroughly.

A few hours sleep and we were wide awake, sipping on coffee and looking out on the pouring rain. Unperturbeded, we headed out and birded the environs of Hiroshima. It was great to able to bird such fantastic habitat so close to a city. Mudflats, reedbeds, ocean, rivers and forests, all within close proximity to the city. Norico was aabsolutete legend, driving Sean and I around to our destinations. In the midst of the pouring rain, we saw some fabulous birds. Plenty of gulls, Slaty-backs, Heuglins, Vega, Common and a very scary looking Glaucous-winged gull. While scanning a man-made pond (about the size of Cuskinny, I saw pond as the lakes here are huge), which arose from the ongoing reclamation project here, and trying to ignore the multitudes of buntings flying through the reeds, I picked up a male Garganey. A new bird in Japan for me and a first in Hiroshima for Sean. I was delighted. Over the sea wall, Red-necked, black-necked, great crested and little grebes, wigeon, teal, pintail, and scaup swam close by, being monitored by Ospreys sitting on the posts in the water. Magical. Kestrels hunted over the pond and Black-eared kites looked for carrion along the shore edges. With a falling tide, the gulls started coming in, waiting for the mud to be exposed. No sign of my target bird though. Amidst the terrible rain, I was getting worried.

A short drive later, exposed mud looked alive with Dunlin, Kentish and Little-ringed plovers, black headed gulls feeding busily at the junction where the fresh water meets the sea. Then, music to my ears "Saunders' gull, adult, flying right! Hang on, there's 3!!", bellowed Sean! My heart started racing and I soon located the birds on the deck as the gulls came back into feed. Three glorious birds, two first winters and an adult. One of my target species in Japan and one of the world's rarest gulls. It was stunning. Unfortunately, the rain and conditions prevented any photos from being taken, but something tells me I will be down again to visit Sean and Norico for another opportunity to see these beautiful gulls...and to share their company of course !!

We birded on for another few hours before the inclement weather and fading light pushed us for home. I of course slept in the back of the car on the way home, which most of you will know, is typical of me. At least I haven't changed too much since I have been here! Sean and I went out at about 10pm, cycling through the streets of Hiroshima to our destination. I had a great time out with Sean and his friends, visiting some bars and a seeing a gathering of drunken Japanese locals in full song and welcoming me in without reservation. A great night out in a great city, the cylce home was better than I thought it would be, keeping my balance well and not crashing once...fantastico.

The following morning was slow, bleary-eyed but still raring to go. We headed up the mountains in search of White-backed Woodpeckers and Mugimaki Flycatchers. Both potential lifers and stunning birds to boot. Thankfully we scored on both, 3 woodpeckers (a pair at a nest hole) and a pair of flycatchers. As the weather was better on Sunday, with snow threatening all day but at least dry, I managed to get some photos of the flycatchers but the woodpeckers were too quick for me!! Calling Long-tailed Rosefinches and a fly-by Japanese Green Woodpigeon were lifers that got away but it did not dent my spirits in any way. My weekend was superb and I couldn't have enjoyed it more without the company of Sean and Norico. I certainly hope to go back again.

Back to work on Monday and a traditional Japanese "wake" was on the schedule. The boss' mother had died over the weekend, being ill for a while with Alzheimer's. A train out to Nara at 5.30pm and a bus to the temple from the station. It was basically like a removal at home. Upon entering the building we signed the book of condolences, greeted by the boss, and then we all sat down looking upon a picture of the deceased, listening to the priest chant and pray. We were then ushered up to the front (there was no body/coffin present) where we made an offering of salt(?) three times to the deceased, placing the salt(?) into an offering jar. Then we paid our respects to the family and left. All done in an orderly fashion. Quick and painless. The reason one should not put one's chopsticks sticking up from rice is that is symbolises the death of somebody. There you go.

A day off today (a public holiday of some description), which was nice. I bought a blender/juicer in a store near home and nearly bought a bike (only 50yoyos) while out with PJ, the newbie on the team. Then went out with the gang of six for old times sake as Timbo is off back to Londinium to his new job on Monday. He will be sorely missed. I enjoy his company and have many chats about cameras with him. The dinner was a good laugh and the food was excellent, not to mention the wine. All in all a good day and a fantastic weekend...

Carmo's Diet: this week, I have mostly been eating Italian (unfortunately not Monica Belluci)

Carmo's Birds: SAUNDERS' GULL; WHITE-BACKED WOODPECKER; MUGIMAKI FLYCATCHER; Garganey*; Green Sandpiper; Daruian Redstart; Black-faced Bunting; Buff-bellied pipit; Osprey; Kestrel; Black-eared Kite; Buzzard; and many more...now about 212 species for Japan and I'm not here a year yet.

Carmo's Birds for Byrdy: Lisa Bonet