For those of you who have been waiting for the next report on the attempt to capture photo/video of the nocturnal raider of our loquat tree, as reported a week or so ago, I have to report utter failure.

I have tried night after night, always with the same results: - nothing in my camera come morning, but always a scattering of empty skins here and there around the tree. I guess last year I was luckier than I knew!

But all is not lost! This afternoon was a computer day for me, and I ended up sitting facing that same tree for most of the morning and afternoon. The loquats are now almost done, and the few that remain are pretty much rotted and soggy. No good for human consumption, but ... very attractive to some other small-scale visitors, like this little couple (which turned out to be a parent/child pair ... (click for enlargements ...)

These are the little guys known as mejiro in Japanese, which translates directly as 'Japanese White-eye', the only possible name for them, really.

They were all over the tree all morning, stuffing themselves full, flying away, and then returning about 20 minutes later for another go at it.

I of course set the camera up on a steady tripod, and managed to get this one too!:

I then switched the camera to HD video mode, and the actors continued to perform according to the script. I'm not quite sure when I'll get time to edit the resulting footage, but I'll let you know when I've got something ready ...

Posted by Dave Bull at 8:14 PM | Comments (2)

Yes, he's back ... our friend the Masked Palm Civet! Here is what I saw when I checked yesterday morning:

I'm sure it's him, as this is exactly the same methodology - pluck, suck out the inner stuff, and dump the skin.

So when I finished work last night, I got ready for a 'hunting' session late in the evening. Overhead lighting? Check. Camera battery? Check. Room lights out? Check.

I got everything ready, and waited. I sat quietly working at my computer with both ears cocked for the slightest sound from outside. Surely he would be back for some more tonight!

I waited ... and waited ... and waited ... getting more and more sleepy.

... and sleepy ...

... Zzzz

I write this the next morning, having woken up a tad chilly from having slept the night beside the low computer table. But first things first. Let's see the tree!

Aaargh! How did he know that I had fallen asleep!?!?

But all is not lost. There are lots more loquats on this tree, but he'll have to do a bit of climbing to get them. And for that, he'll be sure to make some noise. Won't he?

Posted by Dave Bull at 8:45 AM | Comments (0)

Nothing to report about the printmaking here today - that's all happening over at Mokuhankan - but there are a couple of things to report ...

I had an audience this afternoon while I was sizing a batch of paper. Here's a view of the kitchen, where that work is done - hot size in the tray at left, and a flat board over the sink for brushing over the paper. Do you see the guests?

Let's have a closer look at the window ...

I think these are the type known as 'yamori', a small whitish lizard. They took up residence on that window last summer, and have returned again this year. I've counted as many as four at the same time, but am not sure how many in all there are.

The window overlooks a tangled bunch of greenery which apparently holds plenty of insects, which are then attracted to the window pane in the evenings. That's fatal for them of course, with this crowd eagerly waiting ...

Regular readers of my blogs will remember an episode from last year - we had a thief here 'stealing' loquats from the tree just outside my office window.

Well, it's that season again, and the tree has even more fruit than last year; I'm sure it will be an irresistible target for the same thief!

If I close my shoji screen, you can see that I haven't yet repaired the hole I cut last summer for my camera:

So here we go ... let's try again. Camera ... lights ... just waiting for the action!

Posted by Dave Bull at 8:37 AM | Comments (2)