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| Hakodate Birding |
Red Flanked BluetailA female Red Flanked Bluetail was in the bushes next to the river near my flat this morning. Every year in the third week of April you can see them there. Sometimes males. Sometimes females. Either way a great bird to see in such a covenient location (there are loads of them on Hakodateyama in the migration season). I also went to Yunokawa. Black Faced and Common Reed Buntings, Barn Swallow, Asian House Martin, Olive Backed Pipit, Japanese Skylark, lots of Stonechat and a couple of Oriental Turtle Doves were all signs spring is here. On a more depressing note I noticed many (over 50%) of the trees next to the river in Yunokawa were marked with numbered ribbons. Are they going to be cut down? I hope not. In Japan the countryside is "improved" by chopping down trees, concreting river banks and building new roads. Lots of otherwise unemployable middle aged men can happily work for the local government rivers department destroying the last bits of greenery in town because how else are these guys going to afford pachinko (a crappy form of gambling), cigarettes and shochu (cheap liqour)? Meh. Music recommendations of the week-"free ride" by Nick Drake and "fallin' rain" by Calexico. 2 slightly contemplative tracks. Dunno if I want Arsenal to win tonight. I would if I were French though.21:04 - 20/4/2006 - post comment
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