Brown Hawk Owl, アオバズク family

Here they are, high up in a camphor tree, fresh out of the nest, 3 cute chicks. The first 2 came out the day before, number 3 just that morning, all grey and fluffy, but with bright yellow eyes. The parents sat below them and the family seemed perfect at ease, despite people passing by, ringing the temple bell, pointing cameras. The babies looked eager to explore, but didn't leave their possy.

I'll grab you!

Owls can turn their head 270 degrees and twist them in all sorts of ways.

Below the cuddly parents, paying more attention to each other then their kids. 

The whole family. 

Fukuoka's biggest festival, Yamakasa 2014

The 'tsuyu' brings us a lot of rain every year for about 6 weeks, starting from the beginning of June. That doesn't mean it rains every day, but we can expect some real heavy downpours at some time. This year we didn't get much the first 4 weeks, but July made up for that. Thus.... we had a pretty wet YAMAKASA. In between showers I managed some shots.

The festival runs for 2 weeks, but doesn't become exciting until the last 5 days. I went in town to see Oiyama narashi on the 12th, Shundan yamamise on the 13th and the final Oiyama on July 15th at 4:59 am. Jaap, who participated this year again in Doi nagare, wasn't home much those days. And when he came in it was to eat, sleep and dry his clothes. I don't think he noticed much of the rain...

Glossy Ibis, ブロンズトキ

What a chance to see such a special bird in Japan!! Where did it come from?

At ease in a renkon field. Lots of food, lots of shade and places to hide.

From a distance

Looking for snails in a rice paddy

Looking great with wings spread 

In size a bit smaller than the Great Egret, more like Little Egret

Rainy season in Kyushu, 九州の梅雨 2

Paying an early morning visit to the harbor:

Striated Heron, ササゴイ

  

 

Having a ball in the pouring rain:  Barn Swallows, ツバメ

(me too, polishing my skills)

Rainy season in Kyushu, 九州の梅雨 1

A fantastic work of origami displayed at a vegetable store

My photo of the same thing in a park

Which do you prefer?

Crested Kingfisher, ヤマセミ 2

The day after that I got there early, but had to wait quite some time. When one bird past by flying low over the river upstream, I followed it at a distance for about 1 km. Lugging my heavy gear along was exhausting. I stopped to take a rest and saw the bird doing the same in a tree not far from the road. I quickly got up again and managed this shot:

Thank you!

Later in the morning 2 other birds were found further downstream and I got another chance. The distance was a bit larger, but I was happy anyway.

Practice diving and fishing

Coming up with just a leave, nothing edible.