The Black-crowned Night Heron in Flight

 Just A Second

Here are three photos of this bird taken at 6:55 AM today.

My camera was mounted on a tripod and equipped with a 300 MM lens.

Getting ready to hike farther down the road, I folded the tripod before the bird appeared.

It's a fast mover. I was on auto-focus and used the tripod as a monopod.

In less time than it takes to let out a good sneeze, the bird disappeared.

End of Story

Great Cormorant Flying Over Kin Town, Okinawa

 Photographed Today with Pentax 560 MM Lens

There won't be a review of this new lens until it's been fully evaluated.

Lately, I've been backpacking the monster each morning, as I do my 10,000 daily steps.

Plenty of ducks migrate to Okinawa for winter. They were sort of avoiding me today.

All of a sudden, two strange-looking birds flew overhead and I wasn't sure what they were.

Here's a favorite image of one I used to get an identification. I'm not exactly a bird expert.

So, I wind up jumping through all sorts of Internet hoops, to get you this information.

English Name: Great Cormorant

Scientific Name: Phalacrocorax carbo

Japanese Name: Kawa-u (カワウ)

More of these birds may be seen in this 2012 post from the other side of this island. 

Wordless Wednesday: Launchtime

12 Photos: Wordless Wednesday for the Birds

This Will Be a Short Dam Report

End of November

The weather is quickly changing from autumn to winter on this island, dammit.

It was the first time since March, I had to put socks on, along with the flip-flops.

When it gets below 20 degrees Celsius, that's something like the high 60's Fahrenheit.

Socks, bluejeans, flannel shirts and wool-lined jackets, ain't really my style.

But, I had to bundle-up to go work in my freezing office. I don't want to turn the heat on, yet.

All of a sudden, I stepped outside the office and the sun was shining. Whoa, baby!

A backpack got stuffed with cameras, lenses, lunch and a camping chair.

The jacket got chucked and, I hiked to see how the dam birds were doing.

The Ospreys were flying around Kin Dam, looking for fish. It must have been lunchtime.

The birds, don't exactly pose for the camera and, they move fairly quickly.

From the dam, also know an Okukubu, they search the Okukubi River, all the way to the ocean.

It might take 150 snaps of the shutter button, to catch a bird's golden eye.

If, the eye isn't lit up by the sun, just right, I usually throw the photo away.

Things got so busy, for a while, I forgot about eating the lunch I had packed away.

Who wants cheese, crackers, and canned tuna fish, anyhow?  Yuck.

Here's a photo of an Osprey, bragging about the fish it caught.

It would have been much nicer if, the bird was flying in blue skies and looked towards the sun.

Five hours out there with a heavy backpack and, I came home sweaty and sore.

End of the Dam Report

Visit Kin Dam

Wordless Wednesday - Migratory Visitor

Where in the World and What's the Name of this Island ?

Japan Airlines (JAL) Departing Ishigaki-jima

Here's just a few minutes of my flight, heading back to Okinawa, Monday, AUG 28th.

For four days, I was pretty much not wired to WiFi, the internet or TV channels.

There were rumors, I heard of missiles flying, storms and tornadoes.

But, with so much fake news going around, I just wait and see what happens.

4:53 PM

The plane revved up it's engines and, we kicked back in our seats for takeoff.

Beautiful, smiling girl flight attendants made sure we had our seat belts on.

They disappeared so, I started looking out the window because, there was nothing else to do.

4:54 PM

There's no telling, how fast these jets are moving, when they climb away from the runway.

Lots of passengers, close their eyes and, go to sleep. Beats me, why they do that.

Maybe they're bored with traveling. I want to get my money's worth so, I watch everything.

I noticed a band-aid on that wing but, didn't want everybody to panic so, I kept quiet.

Before long, the wind ripped it of and, everything looked alright. We didn't crash.

4:55 PM

We're still climbing in the skies but, when I look down there's nothing but air, below.

The pretty girls in their happy uniforms are still buckled up somewhere.

Knowing, they'll be coming along with drinks sometime, I keep looking out the window.

Miss Miyagi, a Sabani gal and, my travel organizer, sits next to me, with her eyes closed.

After watching Karate Kid movies, you learn to, not mess with a Miyagi.

We had been through a hectic four day schedule so, I guess she needed some sleep.

4:56 PM

Those guys doing the flying, have to level this plane off, sometime. We're not flying that far.

It's only about an hour flight from Ishigaki to Naha, Okinawa.

If, they don't let the gals serve us drinks soon, we'll be on a runway again.

By now, I was thinking. "I wonder if carry-on beer would be authorized."

Before my next trip by airplane, I think I'll check.

4:57 PM

The skies were beautiful. I don't get up there very often so, I'm not sure if, it's always that way.

There were probably 2,000 images on my SD cards from the past few days events.

It would take awhile to download the cameras, when I got back to the office.

Once, all the scenery out the window, began to look the same, I quit taking photos.

5:06 PM

Suddenly, through the clouds, I saw an island below us and, had to poke Miss Miyagi.

Tiled roof buildings, fields and beaches are visible, down there.

When, I asked Miyagi, what island we were flying over, she looked.

She, didn't know. I have no idea, either. Somebody must know.

They probably, wouldn't let me knock on the pilot's door, to ask them.

What if, it's some long lost civilization, waiting to be rediscovered, again ?

A place that hasn't invented politicians, taxes or clothing, yet.

Don't ya think we should check it out ?

Wordless Wednesday

Related Post -- 10 Bird Images:  Cormorants in Flight

Migratory Bird: Whiskered Tern -- Photos and Facts

Kuroharaazisashi (クロハラアジサシ) in Japan

 

 

 

 

 

These birds may be found throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, India and parts of Europe.

Winter migration may involve several thousand miles of a journey.

They eat insects, small frogs, crustaceans and some fish.

Wetlands, marshes , mudflats and well irrigated farm fields are their natural habitats.

Colonies of these terns are highly protective of the family.

Other species of birds may live among them to take advantage of this trait.

The birds will gang-up any any other creature threatening them and, attack  the intruder.

Scientific Name: Chlidonias hybrida

The red bill and legs of this species make identification  a simple task.

The flight patterns and forked tail feathers make it similar to many other tern species.

Moving at extremely high speeds makes them a tough subject to photograph, in flight.

Shutter speeds for these images was between 1000 and 4000th of a second.

REFERENCES:

ARKive

Avibase  

ISBN4-916422-11-6 A Guide to the Wild Birds of Okinawa

Wildlife Okinawa

Wildlife: The Common Moorhen and The Wall (Photos)

      Common Moorhens (Gallinula chloropus) are usually found in marshlands and along river banks.

      They only visit Okinawa, Japan for the winter months and will be heading somewhere north, shortly.


           Normally, they run along the surface of the water flapping their wings during take-off.

                                         But, this guy flapped his wings and ran up the wall.....


                                        ..........where he could be with the rest of his buddies!

If you'd like to know more about Moorhens, or any other birds check out THE BIRD FORUM
I go there all the time for help identifying, not just birds, but any kind of critters.  It's FREE!