Bird of the Day: Grey-faced Buzzard Eagle

Called Sashiba (サシバ) in Japan

This is the first time this year I've gotten a halfway decent shot of the Grey-faced Buzzard.

They've been on the island since the beginning of  November but, rarely stop to pose for me.

Several shots were taken with the Pentax K1 and, I may create a GIF later this week.

It's been a busy day and, it's about to get a bit longer so, I'm departing the premises. 

More About Buzzard Eagles

12 Photos: Wordless Wednesday for the Birds

Flowers and Fruit - We've Got Some Poison Here

 Ornamental Tree Happens to Be a Killer

Yesterday three of us headed north with the cameras. Overcast weather is great for waterfalls.

Doc and I got with an old friend. I'll call him TC because Typhoon Condition is hard to spell.

We stopped at a bridge, crossing Haneji Dam to shoot a few photos and stretch our legs.

Lining the road, just before the bridge, were these trees with some sort of red fruits.

There were samples which had fallen to the ground. Some were red, others brown.

TC and I had to pick them up for closer examination. They were sort of sticky.

It seemed like a good idea, to wash our hands and we did, using wet lens tissues.

It's always fun, trying to identify flowering trees so, I took a photo of these flowers.

With an image, containing flowers and the leaves and identification may be easy.

After an hour of internet searching, I gave up and decided to try the library.

They have an awesome crew at the Kin Town Library. You just have to speak Japanese.

It's been a long time since I've bothered them for information on plant identification.

Most of the staff know me. I saw a few new faces. Soon, the whole joint was helping me.

Before long, they had this one nailed down. And, I even got the Latin terminology.

Identification

English Name: Sea Pong Pong or Pink-eyed Cerbera

Scientific Name: Cerbera manghas

Japanese Name:  ミフクラギ (Mifukuragi)

WARNING: The fruits and leaves are poisonous if, you eat them.

Hunters have used the sap of this tree to kill animals.

People have been known, to do themselves in with the poison, too.

It's sometimes called "suicide apple" by folks in the Hawaiian Islands.

A bit of Madagascar Mythology: The seeds were used to poison kings and queens.

There's Good News Too

The roots and bark of the tree can be used to make a laxative.

Timber from this plant can be used for carving and furniture.

And the wood can be burned, to make high-quality charcoal.

References:

Flora Fauna Web

Wikipedia

Mad Mike Review: Pizza Potato Chips

It's Been Awhile

Product reviews: Not my favorite thing to do. Once in a blue moon, something strikes my fancy.

First, let me explain how this all got started. I'll try to keep it short.

Halfway to the office, early this morning, I stopped at a machine to buy some iced coffee.

That's when I noticed there was no change in my pocket. My wallet was fine.

But, the machines won't handle large denomination bills and, that's all I had.

Another thing: My keys, I keep the small change with, were left at home, too.

Office keys are attached to my cell-phone case, I could get inside the place.

Just, wouldn't be able to open the camera locker. Keep on walking to work.

A cloudy, crappy day, I could get by without the big cameras. Do office stuff.

Suddenly, the Facebook thing went, "BING" and I read this post from a friend.

She asked: "Does potato pizza exist?"

My reply: "Sure. In Japan, they even have pineapple pizza."

The morning was grueling. There's an extra key in this office, for my camera locker.

Cleaning seven desk drawers, did nothing, to help find it. I needed a break.

So, I got back on Facebook and told the gal:

 "Let me see if, the store is open, down the street. They have delicious Pizza Potato Chips."

At the store, I grabbed chips, smokes and iced coffee and got the change in my pocket now.

Back on Facebook

" Got 3 bags and, will take an iPhone photo to show you.

 Damn cameras are locked-up in my drying vault and, I left the keys at home!"

See, I was hungry and those chips are excellent for scooping beans out of Tupperware.

Now, I'm pretty sure, the Japanese language would be difficult for this gal in the USA.

So, I snapped one more photo, to show her the pictures on the potato chip bag.

The images might help explain, what ingredients are used in making these chips.

There's cheese, red peppers, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes and maybe, pepperoni.

Even the dude, at the bottom, says, "YUMMY!"

Visit Calbee Company in Japan for more.

Back to the Review

Pizza Potato Chips from Calbee get a Five Star Rating from me.

They are a bit spicy, crispy, cheesy, crunchy, deliciously scrumptious, to me.

Ridged potato chips are strong enough to grab tuna out of a can or, use with bean dip.

The guy pictured on the back of the bag, ain't lying. They're yummy.

Back to Work

The first bag of chips has been consumed in its entirety.  But, the beans are only half gone.

The gal, in Arizona, who got me going on the Pizza Chips, deserves a big Thank You.

Not sure if I have her mailing address, I'll probably go back to searching for that spare key.

Half an hour or so should be enough time to waste on that project.

If I don't find the key, I could walk home and grab the original, to get to my cameras.

It's early in the day. Keep working and, eat more chips with beans, would be alright, too!

MORE MAD MIKE REVIEWS

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

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