Winter care...

Whoah, I hate myself for being a slug. I'm still having a lag and always staying behind what I want to do and love...blogging. I have a lot to share but this writer's block is still enjoying the welcome mat. But it's understandable because I am on my vacation here in Japan to enjoy so am taking full advantage of the time am sharing with my daughter. In short my hands are quite full. We share a lot of time bonding during weekends and one of which I so love doing is the bird feeding. A few hours drive and the rest of the days she's perfectly busy due to the kind of work she's into. The work needs full attention because of the rigid policy of the company applied to a T. To work here in Japan carries the metaphoric trabahong kalabaw...that earns employee no reason to slack. If one is catched lazying during working hours then he'll take home all the flak for sure and have no reason to come back again. They can't afford to so they say pay mopes around there. Real hard work is implemented to the fullest or you may go home if not, because they nix sllugards.  But because the pay is a bit higher, so okey lang (understatement)...dahil lahat ng pawis mo bayad ika nga...so might as well earn your dough the hard way.

Sugoiiii! Me in the pict with flight of doves and screech of gulls one early morning for our bird feeding.

Now going back, one of the things I do enjoy here in Japan is bird feeding. Am missing it already since two weeks we haven't been able make it to the park near umi (sea). One may call it a hobby, but to me it's more than something. It's very rewarding. You'll hear the melodious avian choir while they hunt for their esa (bird feed). Watching them coming in front of me in flocks is a delightful sight. So much as birdwatching, to feed them gives a real high. Birds migrate during winter cold so they come in flocks. You can see them near the beaches hunting for minnows or small sea insects for food. Encountering them in close view is something I never wish could happen. It's one thing I truly enjoy doing. Ask James Fisher. Come February is National Bird-Feeding (US-1994) month, and there's no harm if I do celebrate it to coincide the birthday of my daughter on the 2nd day of that month.

Its quite confusing to me how to distinguish crow from raven, hawk from eagle or from falcon, dove from gulls. As an ordinary observer it's hard for me to tell the narrow disparity even in close viewing. I'm no authority that's why I did some research. But at least I do know when I hear their call caaah...caaaah...caaah, that it's from raven apart from they have this shiny iridescent black feathers, everything is black including their talons and beak, so the reason maybe why many would like to believe that they give unlucky sign and omen. Books say that they are with a symbol of fidelity, that if and when their mate  dies, they're not to find another mate. How's that?!  While the crows show a great deal among avian intelligence as what authorities have to say. Remember the Aesop's fable The Crow and the Pitcher. And they are known for flying in solitude to hunt.
And going to the birds of prey, I've seen also cast of hawk-eagles flying in swift targetting the food I have dropped in front of me. Once they swoop at it, gulls scampered to fly for safety. Pitying of pigeons are nowhere near when hawks are somersaulting for esa. They are big enough to intimidate other birds. They perch on top of large and tall trees as if to act as sentinel guarding the horizon. They do not stay on the ground unlike smaller groups.
Cormorants frequent the seashore to dive into the deep to get minnows or any prospects for their food.

real close encounter...

I will always marvel at the spectacular sight I see while feeding them, that's why I grab every oppotunity I get in my hands. Always looking forward to find time going to umi and saving food treats for them. This is one experience I will never forget...will always treasure and never will grow tired doing again and again.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We are advised to wear masks here due to impending spread of influenza, am not sure yet if it is possible and safe to birdfeed since we all know that birds could be a courier. It is a sad note that I have to wait first when it is safe. While waiting am saving some feeds (esa) and my home-made suet.