Sunday Photo: Dragonboats and Sunshine

This photo was taken Sunday June 5, 2011 at the Onna Son Seaport in Okinawa, Japan during the annual Dragonboat Races.  We had brilliant sunshine most of the day and I'll be developing a few hundred more photos from the event during the week. It was a blast !

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Wildlife Photos: Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)

Here's a couple of shots I took today near a bridge leading to Hamahiga Island in Okinawa, Japan.

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow isn't a bird that gets a lot of attention in my collection, they're fairly common around here. I see them everrywhere but, just haven't taken many photos of them.

There was a flock of them, making a racket right nearby so, I took a few photos just because it's the only wildlife I came across today other than some boys jumping off the bridge into the ocean.

I'm in the process of breaking-in a new camera and need to learn where all the controls are so, these little critters were good practice for me.

It may be mating season for these birds, for all I know. Not sure if you want to see those photos, though.  Birds have a right to privacy, too. So, I'll just give you an introduction to them here.

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow looks similar to a House Sparrow, only they hang out at the edge of woods, farmlands and gardens.  They feed on seeds and grains. Notice the beak. It's built for munching on seeds, not bugs, fish, snakes or insects like most of the birds in my photo gallery.

For those interested in learning more about the Passer montanus, I'll turn you over to my good friends at THE WIKIPEDIA CHANNEL  They have plenty more information and even links you can go to and listen to the noises Eurasian Tree Sparrows make.

Tomorrow I'll be on the west coast of Okinawa trying to get some great shots of Dragonboat Races for you to see. So, it's time for me to get cameras, lenses, and this old body ready for another long, hard day. Hopefully, it'll be a sunny one, too!

Photo of the Week by Ryukyu Rusty

Here's a photo Rusty shot at the Onna Son Seaport in Okinawa, Japan the night we went over there to do some liaison for the upcoming Dragonboat races this Sunday.  He used a Pentax K7, Tripod, Cable Release, and an 18-250 Lens at a Focal Length of 21mm.  Right good shootin !

I started another gallery on the website called Ryukyu Rusty's Photography and will be getting him to add photos whenever I catch up with him.  Have a peek and leave a comment if you'd like.


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Photo Essay Quiz: Which Turtle is the Dude ?

                There were a couple of turtles below the waterfall catching the rays of the sun.

                                                                      After taking a little nap

One wakes up

And decides it's time for a beer.

The other turtle babbling about the beautiful brook

Gets left behind.

Which turtle do you think is the Dude?

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:  TURTLE AND TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA


UPDATE:

An Alert Reader named Lindarama http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/Lindarama/
contacted me last night and I made a comment below that I thought she may have been a scientist.

She not only knew the scientific names of the turtles, she knew which one was the dude, too.

She is a scientist.  A Marine Biologist with a PHD ! 

The smaller turtle is the dude. The one that ran for beer must have been a gal.  I just kid around; don't think turtles really drink beer.  But, I know snails and my dogs do.  It kills snails.

Anyhow, if you want to do me a favor, say "Hi" to Lindarama over at the Stumble Channel or visit her awesome website http://www.kashgar.com.au/articles.  She has some interesting articles and collectibles over there.  So, I gave her a Thumbs Up and am going back to read some more.

UNESCO Shuri Castle Okinawa (Photo) and Travel Tips

The most popular UNESCO World Heritage Site in Okinawa, Japan is Shuri-jo (Castle) and it probably gets visitors, from around the world, numbering in the millions every year.

This photo reminds me of two very important things a visitor needs to know.

The red building, on the left side of the frame is the main attraction.  At the time the photo was taken, scaffolding covered the left third of the structure.  Maintenence was being done to restore the brilliant colors for the annual King and Queen's Coronation held each year in November.

There is a website SHURIJO CASTLE PARK  updated regularly, that would have informed me of this project.  I wouldn't have planned on going to take castle pictures with the site under construction. 

Living here, in Okinawa, Japan, I can go anytime, year round.

Another thing visitors may want to know, especially if they are on the island for any length of time, is the admission fees.

An adult pays 800 yen for admission each time they enter the castle. But, if you plan on visiting more than twice, during the course of a year, an Annual Passport is the way to go.

It costs 1600 yen, giving you unlimited visits to the castle and a few more benefits, like 10% of at the gift shops and a chance to win a 10,000 yen gift certificate.

So, my travel tips would be check the website for Shuri Castle before you go and get an annual passport if you think you may visit, like I do, several times a year.