Thursday, May 25, 2006

Backyard photography


Black-browed Reed Warbler (Ko-yoshikiri)

Early summer days ideal for trekking. The seasonal flowers seem to be at their best. Cloudy sunday afternoon pulled my self out of my den to shoot the flora, when I came across this pleasant pond the warble of the birds drew my attention. Switched the lenses and started hunting the birds. All the reads on birding ethics & tips (INP) for the past year and the lessons from the failure to launch on my maiden birdphotography trip early this year turned handy. Spent an hour or so birding and it was a kind of experience that I enjoy the most.


Black-browed Reed Warbler (Ko-yoshikiri)

The compound 400mm lens turned pretty heavy on me. Lesson learnt never get lazy, tripod is a mandatory. Unable to ID the bird dot on I gave myself to guestimation : warbles a lot + its on the reads for majority of time = how about a reed warbler.

Back home, googled on the name and the best match was Oriental Great Reed Warbler. As usual the excitement gave into the conclusion leaving the detail. Later threw my watson hat and dropped a mail to Setsuko Watanabe-san. A couple of days later I get a reply from this warm hearted Japanese birder that they have identified it as Black-browed Reed Warbler (Ko-yoshikiri).
Sir David Attenborough`s documentary "BBC : The Life of Birds" a 10 part series is a must watch for avid birders.


Location : Hirooka-Nomura, Shiojiri-shi,Nagano-ken, Japan.
Date : 21st May 2006, 1600 Hrs - 1900 Hrs.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Pollen & Pollen.



Yesterday evening I just wanted to shoot macro. Bi-cycled around the fields of Hirooka-yoshida. An bee flew into the frame which resulted in the above capture.
Now, whats the flower ID ?




Another macro shot. So what`s this ?