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Toilets in Japan are complicated, sophisticated, automated!
The land of trains, sushi and fancy toilets…Japan is enigmatic and nothing says that more than the toilet. I wake up in the middle of the night to pee and as I enter the bathroom, the toilet opens, like an alligator opening its mouth, ready for a meal. Your first choice is do you want…
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Shinto Shrines vs Buddhist Temples
Our first visits in Tokyo were to a Shinto Shrine and a Buddhist Temple. What’s the difference? Japanese citizens have a complicated religious belief. It all starts with their ancient Shinto beliefs which are a reverence to Nature. Shinto shrines are all about having the best life while on Earth. One prays for good luck,…
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Birds of a feather
One of my favorite bird photos shows two courting Browed Albatrosses in a remote Falkland Island.
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Japan, September 2023
Our trip begins with a comfortable flight on Singapore Airlines. Carroll and Ahmed, our good friends are joining Kathy and I on this adventure. Our Itinerary packs a busy 13 day schedule through parts on Japan’s “main” Island, Honshu. We will start and end in Tokyo; with visits to Kamawaza, an old Buddhist town; Kyoto,…
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My Top US Target Bird Lands in Orange County!
The Lovely Snowy Owl has been my top US bird target for several years. This is the Harry Potter Owl that doesn’t actually live in the UK, but in the Canadian and Alaska Tundra. It likes to sit on the ground, surveying potential prey. In the Winter, these Owls travel South to the Northern US…
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Ushuaia, A last farewell
We disembarked from our home for the past two weeks at 9AM, after breakfast. We had a long goodbye yesterday, turning in our boots and group velcro patches, having a goodbye meeting with the Explorer Crew and then another with the Captain and the onboard photographer played an outstanding video compiling the trip highlights. Now…
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A Bad Picture Leads to A Record Find!
Thanks for the follow-up of Lancy Chen, I have found a new record bird for the Falklands! After the spectacular visit to the Rockhopper/Albatross rookery on Westpoint Island, our hosts treated us to an array of cookies, cakes and beverages. After having my full of these wonderful treats my eye wandered to nearby birds. There…
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How Blue is Your Petrel?
The little Blue Petrel and its cousin, the Slim-billed Prion, have been confounding me all week! They’re small, flit to and fro, and stay just above the waves. All these qualities make these birds frustrating to photograph as getting good focus is a major challenge. Early this morning, under less chilly conditions and on a…
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Surfing Penguins!
Plan B has been working and today was no exception. We arrived early at Saunders Island, which is just to the East of Westpoint Island and is the fourth largest island of the archipelago. We had a view of a beach in front of us and the promise of King, Chinstrap, Gentoo and Magellan Penguins…
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Westpoint Island: the Rockhopper Penguins & the black-browed albatrosses
I caught the sunrise this morning as we threaded our way through the Falkland Archipelago. There were the occasional Black Browed (BB) Albatrosses to go along with the many Imperial Shags (Cormorants) flying by the ship.. We didn’t spot any dolphins or whales and soon were turning into Westpoint Bay and another beautiful view! This…