Oriental Stork, コウノトリ

In Europe it's not unusual to see storks, nesting on high poles or just strolling around in a paddock. 

Sometimes they march through the fields like an army! (CLICK)

Here people drive for hours to see just 1 - or 2. But then, ours are Oriental.... Thus, one VERY rainy day I went across the mountains to the bean fields in Saga, our neighboring prefecture.

Soaking wet... Stork nr 1

And below nr 2.

Both ringed, the bird on the left seems a bit younger.

 

Surprising a Grey Heron, who thought he was the tallest in the field.

Big Brother

Left ok, Right ok, GO

  

A rainy day in August.

It's raining all day long and the world looks dark and wet. I should do something about that mountain of laundry, but I'm bad...
There were a number of waders around Imazu, Grey-tailed Tattler, Terek Sandpiper, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Dunlin and one Long-toed Stint.
And a snipe. Latham's I think.

Red-necked Stint, トウネン

 

Wood Sandpiper, タカブシギ

Terek Sandpiper, ソリハシシギ

Latham’s Snipe, オジシギ

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...