Sunday, March 12, 2006

Thrush species amongst blossoming Plum trees

Good evening, good night, good morning and hello...

A busy week saw the workload come and go like the tide, up one minute, down the next. It was an enjoyable week at work, I learnt a lot and feel more sure of myself. OOOhhhhhhh!!!! I witnessed my first crime in Japan also...a chicken chaser snatch and grab (for those of who don't know, a chicken chaser is a moped), no less than 30 seconds from the gaff!!! The poor women had been carrying her handbag over her shoulder exposed to the road-side, at about 11pm on Friday night. The guy just drove up and grabbed, took off before I knew what was going on!! Quite alarming really...but what can one do in that situation, I don't have the speed in the old legs to keep up with a scooter. Still though, not a nice thing to see, the poor woman was devastated. Lesson to be learned today...never carry a bag on the side exposed to the road, keep it safe to the inner side of the footpath. Common sense really but then again, it's Japan. The safest country in the world according to reports...

A new bio team member will be starting on Monday, a fresh arrival from Oz, PJ has just finished a Masters and is a good sort. I took himself and PC (new Irish girl) to Umeda for a spot of sight seeing, shopping, food and beers (I finally fell off the wagon after a month off the grog). However, before that excursion happened, I arose at 6.30am and headed to Osaka-jo to see if there were any migs aboot. It was a cloudy, misty morning, but I headed out anyway. I like this time of morning, it's quiet, peaceful and can be somewhat surreal. The birds were present, the usual White-eyes, Black-faced Buntings, Pale Thursh, Dusky Thursh...and then, while walking around a copsy area (not corpsy, I've had enough of that), I flushed a Brown Thursh. A new lifer and Japan tick!! While enjoying this smart male, a female popped out of the undergrowth, calling alarmingly and flew into a tree. While observing her, some Dusky thurshes appeared and then, much to my surprise, between 8-10 Eye-browed Thursh flew up into the trees, another lifer and Japanese tick!!! What a score!! I didn't think I would see any new species today but lo and behold, I nail two!! No photos for proof but my word should be enough. Happy with my lot I headed to the plum garden and I was blown away by the colours, fragrance and the amount of photographers (all over 60) swarming around the garden taking photos of the flowers. I felt like I had to join in so I spent a good hour amongst them all, some even bringing me to some nice collection of flowers!

At about 9am, I headed away, to 'bucks for a short soy latte (I'm posh, me) and then home, where I did some grocery shopping and finally finished the Hokkaido bird photos before heading into Umeda with PJ and PC. I had a great day with the two of them, a bite to eat and some beers. It was strange but somewhat good having a beer. I miss it but don't...you know what I mean?? Now at home and ready for bed. Meeting ND at 8.30am in search of birds, not corpses this time!!

I hope this finds you well. Leurve machine, checked out camera prices for you so will email you tomorrow.

Carmo's Diet: this week, I have mostly been eating Balance Power Bars

Carmo's Birds: EYE-BROWED THRUSH, BROWN THUSH, Black-faced Bunting, Japanese White-eye, Japanse Pygmy Woodpecker, and Vega gull. 208 species for Japan now..wicked.

Carmo's Birds for Byrdy: Watched Brotherhood of the Wolf again...Monica Bellucci is a goddess...

10 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice wan on de thrushes biy - you is becoming quite an expert on the old japanesey birds eh? i'm shure your word is good enuff fella - its not like you were claiming golden plover or anything!!

KC had a 1st w laugher at Ross today and the lads had the adult at Ring yesterday so they is hanging around for ya - you'd best drag yer sorry ass back home soon enuff though biy!

no word from cap'n cronin for a while - last we heard he was sposed to be coming in to Kinsale or Cork this weekend but that was about 10 days ago and there's been no news since - presumably de plans changed!

hope ye got some more ticks today fella! be on to ya soon.

March 12, 2006 8:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Capt'n Pugg Wash Is Alive and Kicking somewhere in cork this morning. had laugher at the lough today had a quick look around great island not alot going on 2 iceland and ring billed gulls no sign of the boneaparts. well mark i'll call ya soon.....

March 12, 2006 11:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FRANKLIN'S FELLA!! HOO HOO TICK CITY YA BAS! Apologies chief but its me first tick of da year - a wee cracker as well - should be photos going about soon i hope - as I said in me earlier comment KC had it this am but didn't have great views and out it out as a laugher. DF found it tonight, not knowing of the earlier sighting and me & claire ticked it, as you do!! so that's 261 - de gap closes to 12!!

March 13, 2006 4:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

meant to say to ya fella you'll have to watch out for that scooter strret crime, what with your man-bag and all!! ya big ponce!

March 13, 2006 4:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Carmo,
My God man i take my eyes off you for 2 weeks and you get a fck off tattoo of a dragon on your leg,find a dead body,and give yourself a haircut that would make kojak blush...Madness.
Well,1 week left in NZ,truly crazy that i've been here for a year,but all the same glad to be moving on.Flying out next monday,gonna be hitting El Salvador early tuesday morning,should be paddling out to solid 6 foot on Playa El Tunco by 9am on my new board.Happy as the proverbial pig.
Spending the next week down in Christchurch with Prashna,headed out to Magnet Bay campin for a few days and going to see a super 14 game on friday,hopefully after a few hours of 'celebrating' our nations holiday.Anyhoo,must go and reply to a billion emails.

LONG MAY YOU RUN ! ! !
P

March 13, 2006 11:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice wan carmo!2 single observer thrushes tho?...ya wanna be careful!;)
As for the street crime...well i find that sinking your fingers in your attackers eyes up to your third knuckle usually does the trick!

Pariah

March 13, 2006 6:50 PM  
Blogger Carmo said...

Well, first of all, hello everyone. Secondly, Andre, great to hear from you fella, it's been ages. Glad to see you are still alive and living in Cork. Hopefully we can chat soon. Am away this weekend so hopefully during the week or the weekend after.

Thirdly, Col...I'd rather not comment, congrats (begrudgingly given)..must have been a nice bird :) ^%$&^*^^%$&^%&(&^&(&(**%^^$%%#%$$(*&)*(*&*%^%$

Fourthly, he who is known as Pee Wee. Alright biy, but sure all you have to do is take your eyes off me for a second and all hell's going to break lose!! Must be sad leaving a certain piece of NZ, make the most of the week. Email winging your way soon. Nice pics on the blog...loved the dress!!

Fifthly, Pariah, sure single observer sightings are all the rage at the moment!!!

And by the way, probable Thayer's on Sunday...which was nice.

March 13, 2006 10:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Its called a lavalava you uncultured hun.Check it out,the bro got his record out,apparently its doing quite well !!

www.vinyl-junkies.com/choice.php

Hope to hear from you soon,
PW

March 14, 2006 8:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Carmo!
;)
dont i know it!

Pariah

March 14, 2006 7:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!

November 22, 2009 1:58 PM  

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