Strange Birds Spotted in Kin Town

Helmeted Guineafowl

These birds are natives of Africa but, some are domesticated in locations around the globe.

How and when these characters arrived in Kin Town, Okinawa is a mystery.

For about a week, I've been tracking them down and observing their behavior.

Early morning and late afternoons they may be seen in different parts of town.

 

On a morning walk with the dog and no big camera handy, we first saw the birds.

Thanks to iPhone 7 and a curious dog this scene was quickly composed.

The mutt is normally afraid of his own shadow but, wanted to see what all the racket was about.

The birds, when they saw him coming, squawked, gobbled, honked, and squealed.

They ran around like a couple of lunatics and as the dog got close, flew a short distance away.

When he approached again, they escaped into the forest nearby.

Getting an Identification

Luckily, a young man was leaving his house and saw me taking shots with the cellphone.

He grabbed his phone and began zooming in on the dog and birds, too.

Asking him if he knew what the birds were, he didn't know. First time for both of us.

He walked back to his front door and showed the photos to somebody.

When he returned he said, they were Horohoro tori.

At home, I did some internet research and found out the birds were Helmeted Guineafowl.

It Was Time for a Real Camera and Big Lens

It didn't take long to figure out, Mr. Canine couldn't be with me as I was photographing birds.

As long as they would squawk and run away, he'd chase them, just for fun.

A little kitten, could raise its back, and be ready to scratch, and the dog would get scared.

But, something runs, and he'll chase!

Hunting without the dog and carrying the Pentax, tripod, and 560 MM lens, worked.

A few things learned about these birds leads me to belive they are alright.

A local, described the meat as tasty. And some on Facebook claim the taste as, gamy.

"Horohoro" in Japanese means, a gurgling bird sound.

The critters eat just about anything, including ticks!

To learn more about Helmeted Guineafowl visit eBird and, you can listen to their sounds.

The only way these birds could have arrived in Kin Town, is somebody brought them here.

The closest zoos are miles away so, I don't think they are escapees.

There is a place in Japan raising Helmeted Guineafowl on Yoron Island.

That's more than a few miles away so, it's unlikely the birds flew here. Maybe, they were pets.

Somebody got tired of them and didn't want to eat them, and turned them loose.

They Also Do Crazy Stuff

On another non-camera walk with the dog, I was in an area the birds aren't normally seen.

On a sidestreet overlooking the ocean, not far from a restaurant, the Guineafowl appeared.

The restaurant's chef was ready to chase the birds away with a broom.

My unleashed canine spotted the birds and ran towards them, chasiing them away.

The chef had noticed a bird, looking at its reflection on the side of a black car.

The creature saw another male bird, looking back at him, and began scratching the car door!

This photo was taken with the iPhone, zoomed and in a rush to shoot before the dog ran it off.

Are there any birds like this in your neck of the woods?

 

Wordless Wednesday: Wet Dog Walking Home in Rain

Smiling Moon, Scarecrow and Surprises in Kin Town

It Started Around 5 AM Today

Going out the door for my morning stroll I noticed the moon in clear skies.

It was interesting enough for me to set up the tripod before sunrise and my usual destination.

The image (during editing) was tilted a few degrees, to straighten the smile a bit.

A few hours later and miles from home, I noticed this scarecrow in a field.

The rascal was doing a fairly good job. There were no birds in sight.

About 8 AM I Was Hot and Thirsty

Knowing there's a shaded area and vending machines at Nature Mirai, that's where I went.

Normally, I stop at a 100 Yen drink machine closer to the residential area.

A few bottles of cold water and a can of coffee, get tossed into the backpack.

The darn machine wouldn't operate for some reason so, I traveled without water.

Water was found in another vending machine and, while drinking I noticed this.

Just to the left of a coffee vending machine is this Seventeen Ice Cream machine!

Half a bottle of water was enough for me. The dog got to drink the rest.

Green tea ice cream in a cone seemed appropriate for breakfast. It's healthy I think.

The stuff ain't cheap. It's 160 Yen for one skinny little ice cream cone. That's over a dollar!

Hey, it's miles away from civilization. A place where people camp and go kayaking.

My Japanese language skills aren't near perfect but, I figured something out.

The language on the machine (Japanese) told me this was Blueberry Cheesecake.

Who's gonna complain after I spent two or three bucks on ice cream for breakfast?

After munching the ice cream cones down, I stockpiled my backpack with bottled water.

It would be after 11 AM by the time I got home.

A bit of research led me to the website of the makers of this scrumptious ice cream.

Before everyone on the island starts asking for directions to Nature Mirai, look here.

Last Surprise

That ice cream got me thinking the 18,000 steps I took wouldn't be enough exercise for today.

So, the dog and went for another few thousand steps tonight to burn some extra calories.

Morning After Full Moon

Blame It on the Dog

If the stupid animal hadn't licked me at 4 AM, this photo wouldn't be here.

There are plenty of things going on around here because it's Golden Week in Japan.

The dog got walked to my office and I grabbed the camera along with a tripod.

The moon became visible off and on for about an hour and, I shot a few photos.

This one, I'll post and may save the rest to create a clouded moon GIF.

Camera: Pentax K1

Lens: Sigma 50-500 with 1.4 converter  Focal Length 700 MM

Exposure: f/16   1/15   ISO 100

Location: Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time: May 1 2018   4:42 AM

Happy May Day Wherever You Are!

Travel Photo: Maririn the Dog

Home from Zamami Island

 

 

This adventure began Friday morning and, I just got home today, sort of.

Thousands of photos,  taken over the weekend  will be processed during the next few days. 

This is the only one, I'll post here for now.  More may be seen on Facebook.

If you haven't heard about the statue of this famous dog, look here. 

Camera: Pentax K1

Lens: Pentax 15-30 at 30MM

Exposure: f/11   1/160   ISO 100

Location: Zamami Island, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  JUN 25  2016  10:44AM

12 Photos of Singers on Stage at a Xmas Festival

Christmas Is Sneaking Up Fast !

 

 

If you haven't got your shopping done, you'd better hurry. 

Maybe, tomorrow, I'll pick up the Christmas cards, the wife keeps reminding me, to buy.

Anyhow, I finally got around to developing these images from DEC 4, 2015, in Kin Town.

A big part of the event, was the local talent, who got a chance to enter this karaoke contest.

Someone should, designate a person to take notes for me; I forget lots of stuff.

Like peoples names and, what kind of song, they were crooning.

The men folk, tend to sing mushy love songs and, it makes the women go wild.

They keep running up to the stage, giving the guys flowers. Yuk.

One good thing about being deaf in one ear is, I don't hear everything going on around me.

And, I can get real close to the speakers, blasting music, close to the stage.

When a crowd of excited people, start dancing and bumping into me, I simply back away.

Get off to the sidelines, somewhere and use the zoom lens.

No notes, no name. Just a pretty gal, singing a tune. If she wants her picture, she'll find me !

 Here, we have a group of men, singing and showing off, their belly muscles.

And, the gals behind them, were dancing in cardboard box costumes.

Wait a minute, I think I remember. They were singing YMCA.

You remember stuff like that, after somebody, with too much alcohol bumps into you.

That was my clue, to get away from the stage and, zoom in, to catch the action.

It can be tricky, trying to shoot these performances, on stage, at night.

The stages are small and, lighting can be harsh so, shots have to timed, to motions.

It's a good idea, to catch the rhythm and, watch the background.

It's no fun, editing photos if you have an image, with a pipe, sticking out of the singer's head.

When, I can isolate the subject, in front of a dark background, I fire away.

And, the stage scaffolding sort of, disappears.

Black backgrounds, make the rest of the colors, pop.

It looks like, I may be getting out of fashion. Plaid making a comeback, this year ?

This, living doll, stood right where, I wanted her to be and, didn't wiggle around a lot.

The background and lighting, were just what, I wanted and, I like they way, I got her eyes.

But, my favorite pose, would have been if, she got that mike, out of her face.

Maybe, she was whispering. I don't know because, my left ear quit working.

 Nobody pays me, to do these hometown events so, I don't hang around until the end.

The winners of the karaoke contest, I have no idea, who they might have been.

It could be, everybody, gets a prize; I'm no judge of music but, they were all good.

This dude, even had his dog onstage, for the act.

I'm not sure, if the little guy was supposed to sing. He didn't even want to give his paw.

It seemed like, all the dog wanted, to do, was get off the stage.

And, the master probably said, "You blew us out of 1st place, buddy!"

Poor little pup. I'll give him a picture, too. If he wants one.

Images from a Sunday Afternoon in the North of Okinawa

 Photos Can Do the Talking

 

 

 

 

 

In a period of about four hours, a person can cover lots of terrain on this island.

Getting a late start, Map It Okinawa Dude, arrived at the office sometime after noon.

The first photo of the day was taken around 1:30PM.

The flowers are Hydrangea (ajisai in Japanese) and they are blooming everywhere.

 Yohena's Ajisai Garden is one of my favorite places to visit in the month of May.

For the GPS crowd: N 26 27.007  E 127 55.879, should get you there.

Not as crazy about flowers as most people, I go to visit this woman.

Mrs. Yohena is the person who started planting these flowers, all over the hillsides.

She's 98 years of age and, more energetic than most 40 year old women, I know.

She always remembers me and insists on posing for a photo.

She is a sweetheart.

An hour after the first photo was taken we stopped here.

Tora, the Ryukyu Inu, doesn't really like posing for cameramen.

After I let him chew on my hands a little bit, he settles down and poses.

This guy is at the place where you buy tickets to see flowers of the Hydrangea Cafe.

The hills surrounding this location have very few blossoms see.

It might be best to visit in a week or, two.

The cafe is always a nice secluded spot to take a break for some refreshments.

This is Sueyoshi Ajisai Garden N 26 37.825  E 128 02.700 on GPS.

Cruising back down the east coast of the island, we stopped here.

This is a nifty place, where you can barbecue your own dinner.

Shelled seafood doesn't agree with me.

But, I can gobble down all kinds of meat products so, that's what I did.

This photo was taken around 5PM at Lequio Terrace in Ginoza.

GPS: N 26 28.424  E 127 57.430

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Sometimes a Real Dog Is on the Roof of an Okinawan Home

We all get used to seeing the clay statues on the tiled roofs around here.

Those are called Shisa and, they are supposed to ward off evil, protecting the homes.

Walking the back roads of Kin Town, I met this character.

It wasn't some sort of lucky charm, used to scare wicked things away.

These folks have a real live dog on the roof, to warn them when someone approaches.

How many homes in your neighborhood are equipped with alarms like that ?

Does Anyone Miss the Dog Days of Summer ?

Me Neither !

 

 

 

A Sailing Sabani Boat Dog Presented in Motion GIFs

When I first met this gal, she wasn't too fond of me.

Her owner, Takashi, calls her his daughter, Maruko and takes good care of her.

If you haven't already noticed, she's wearing a lifejacket.

The dog can probably swim OK but,  it's a good idea to keep her floating high in the water.

That way, if a sabani boat capsizes, at sea, maybe, the straw hat will stay dry.

Maruchan and I spent a whole weekend, riding boats together, back in June.

Whenever the sabani boats were practicing or, racing, she rode along with me.

We were on a fishing vessel escorting the boats during the races.

While I was shooting the cameras, she would be at my feet.

The dog figured out, my sense of hearing, isn't that great, I guess.

We became friends.

And, when I try to take her picture now, look what she does.

She keeps looking around, to make sure nobody is sneaking up behind me !

Is that a cool dog or, what ?

Hydrangea Flowers and a Tiger Dog All in One Day

Sueyoshi Garden in Nago Today

 

 

Flower lovers, this is one place you shouldn't miss, if you enjoy the great outdoors.

It was nice and sunny so, we headed for a trip to the hills.

It was around noon, when we arrived.

Not, the best light for photography unless, you wait for some passing clouds.

That gave me an excuse, to take my time, climbing up the hills.

Normally, I'm in a hurry to get the flower photography done.

But, when I get to this garden, other things have to be accomplished, too.

One of them, is getting a wide angle scene with flowers and ocean in it.

It's fun to try and single out different colored flowers for close-ups, too.

Putting a rock in the scene helps sometimes.

It's isn't just for texture.  It helps block the wind, from shaking things.

These pinkish looking things caught my eye as I was heading back downhill.

So, I shot them quickly, because I started getting in a hurry.

Flowers Are OK -- I Like Dogs Better

 

This is Tora, the tiger dog.  He's really a Ryukyu Inu.

For about three years, now, I've visited the tiger dog and, we always make friends.

But, he keeps forgetting who I am and acts like he doesn't trust me.

It was like he was saying, "Nope, I ain't moving out in better light for you."

"And, I ain't giving you my paw, either."

So, I went crawling around on the ground and, moved the camera to get a better shot.

This is one cool dog but, I know I can get better photos.

It just takes awhile for him to get used to me.

He forgets who I am, every year.

Before we left, he gave me his paw and, he must have thought my hand was a dog biscuit.

When, I grabbed the paw, to shake hands, he started munching on me !

Maybe, I should visit the Sueyoshi Garden more often.

A Free Movie on You Tube ! What Will They Think of Next ?

This Could Be Legitimate I Suppose

 

Here's something you won't catch me doing often.  I watched a movie on my computer.

A little typhoon, soaked me twice in the last 24 hours so, I decided to stay close to home today.

Out behind my office, I have a small back porch.

And, I was conducting some tests on a lens I'll be doing a Mad Mike Review on.

It has already been used in some bars, on beaches, flowers and wildlife.

But, I need to play with it awhile longer to give everyone an accurate assessment. 

       

    Adjusting the aperture settings to show the difference in background was what I did here.

Snails, gardens, red tiles, all became subjects, besides these banana leaves.

Processing my photos on one computer, I made the mistake of checking the morning mail.

Somebody had a link on Facebook to Hachiko: The Most Faithful Dog in Japan.

A Whole Hour and a Half Free Movie on You Tube !

 

 

Not a real big fan of TV, movies or, that character Richard Gere, I sorta watched.

See, I was running in and out, whenever it stopped raining smoke and take more photos. 

That Richard guy stinks in the movie but, the dogs were great actors.

I almost fell out of my chair, laughing when he got sprayed by a skunk.  What a dummy !

Between doing business and goofing-off, watching the movie, I missed him dying.

If you like dogs, this movie could bring tears to your eyes.

If you like Richard Gere, don't cry.  He was just supposed to be acting. 


There's no telling how long this will last but, the free movie is here: