Almost a Million Dollar Baby

The last 16 of the World Cup is coming to an end tonight, the rainy season has hit Osaka with a bang, and I was fortunate enought to see a mega rare bird for Japan on Saturday morning. I was also unfortunate to watch a jaded Irish rugby team succumb to an unnecessary defeat to Australia on Saturday night, so I drowned my sorrow in style, waking up at lunch time Sunday to find myself in my own bed, thankfully as I have no recollection of getting home. Ah, the joys of watching the game in an Irish bar and knowing the manager...brings back some memories I can tell ya. As a result of my suffering body on Sunday, I didn't have the energy to stay up and listen to my fellow Cork Republican comrades show Tipperary how to play hurling and secured our 50th Munster Senior Hurling title. Looks good to bring the Liam McCarthy back home again this year.

So, I arose at 4am and went in search of a Pheasant-tailed Jacana on Saturday morning (see photo above) and I was lucky to have glorious weather. At 6.30am that morning, the heat was such that I drank 2 litres of water by 8am! I also got sunburned in that time!! Madness I tells ya. A stunning bird and it was being watched by about 100 people, 99 of them Japanese and one young man from Cork. When I walked up first they were more intrigued by my presence than a bird that even made the local press. For a bird or anything involving nature making the paper, it must be something incredibly special. In my joy and rapture of watching this bird, it was only on my way back home that I realized I never took a photo of the masses of cameras and lenses that were pointed at the bird. I estimated that there was at least .75 million USD worth of camera gear there...it was incredible. I was kicking myself for not documenting it, just to show how crazy it is here when it comes to wildlife photography. If one saw the scene front-on, one would think they were at a World Cup game! Anyway, I went home a happy man...

I also was practicing my "paning photography" with dragonflies on the way home and this is the best of a bad lot really (see below). I am off on a ferry trip in mid-August with Neil, travelling from Nagoya to Hokkaido with the hope of seeing some seabirds...fingers crossed we get a typhoon a day or so before which may bring some nice stuff up from the south pacific. So long as the ferry isn't cancelled!!!

That happiness was quickly soured by our tired display in Australia. The boys just didn't look like they had the energy. It's surprising as they have had a hard and long season. So, after a few pints of fabulous Guinness, we decided to stay up and watch the World Cup games. I made it for the first game but by 3am I was fit for nothing so I was duly thrown in to the back of a cab and somehow I got home. All good really and a great night. Having the craic and banter with Mick behind the bar was great fun and made me realize how much I miss the craic back home. Nothing beats a good bar with decent staff who will take the piss out of you and expect it back 10-fold. Brilliant craic!

Now, it's Monday evening, the Aussies are playing tonight but seeing as I didn't even have the energy to listen to the mighty Red Army bring home the 50th Munster title, I don't think I'll manage the soccer tonight. I think bed beckons. However, Brazil play tomorrow night so maybe i'll stay up for that game. I was surprised that England stuttered through to the next round. They really are doing well considering they are playing terrible football. It was a similar way when they won in '66...dear god i hope they don't repeat that or else we'll never hear the end of it. I can't see anyone stopping Brazil, and now with Ronaldo finding his form with some great goals in the last game, they just might be unstoppable.

I don't think there is anything else, so I will sign off and bid you all goodnight.

Carmo's Diet: This week, I have mostly been eating vegetables and drinking green tea

Carmo's Birds: PHEASANT-TAILED JACANA*; Little Cuckoo; Oriental Reed Warbler; Japanese Bush Warbler; Asian House Martin; Ashy Minivet (258 for Japan now).

Carmo's Birds for Byrdy: the chick from Underworld