more Kamakura Trip 2: the beach birds

One of the first things you notice when you arrive at the beach is all the birds. There are so many birds, flying so low, and so steady that they almost seem fake. Like kites or mechanical flying toys that people put up there to delight their kids. Initially, we thought that there were 3 such fake birds. Fake, because they flew steady over the same spot, they were so close to each other, and they were so low to the ground.

I took this one flying a few huts from our own patio deck where we were sipping refreshments in the cool breeze. It was hot and humid that day, especially in the city. But in the town of Kamakura, there was a gentle breeze. On the beach front, there was a nice steady breeze. Healthy gusts of wind, circulating the air and acting as a natural fan. It was so much nicer than being in a stuffy city environment. This bird seemed to like being near all the humans. You see birds everywhere in Tokyo. In particular, you see large black crows all the time and they are loud. I think these were crows as well, but they weren't as annoying loud. In fact, in the Kamakura beaches, they seem to belong there as much as the temporary summer beachfront huts that are erected to sell refreshments and thai food. There were a surprisingly large number of Thai huts along the beach. Almost as many as those selling drinks - alcoholic or otherwise.

I was surprised that the birds didn't seem to be bothersome. They didn't hang around people, following them, waiting for food or anything. They were just in the vicinity. It was as if they were waiting for ... something. In my time spent watching them, I never managed to see what it was that they were waiting for. One came down and landed on a roof nearby and one came down and landed right on the beach, a short distance away from some sunbathers. If I had been by myself, I might have stayed longer just to see where they would go or if any kind of dramatic action or fight scene between the large birds might ensue, but I guess that will have to be for another day.

I'm not sure why it is that I am so fascinated by them. And I've never been much of an ornithologist (and I'm sure that most serious ones would spend their time looking at much more exotic and photogenic varieties than the simple, common, and seemingly ubiquitous black crow or whatever this was) ... but I would love to come back to the beach and spend the day just taking lots of photos. Maybe with a better lens. I just have to master using this one first, so it may take a while.