Birding and Circus

This title may seem strange, but this is really what this post is about. Two totally unrelated topics, but I thought you wouldn’t mind if they were gathered in the same post.

So for starters, while I’ve been taking pictures of birds and especially crows for a while now, I realized that my phone probably wasn’t the best tool for this, and I dusted off my old DSLR, and it is indeed a much better tool to take pictures.

Before I forget, I know I used to post my “crow updates” here from time to time, but I haven’t in quite a while (maybe I should post a summary of the past year?) However, these “crow updates” are alive and well, on both this Mastodon account (mainly) and also this Bluesky account. Just so you know (and follow them if that’s something you’re interested in.)

Yesterday I went for a walk and here are some of my encounters.

First, Mr. Crow, next to my house:

 

 

A few blocks away, by the estuary, I noticed another crow having a skirmish with a black kite. Soon, the crow gave up and left, and the kite flew in my direction and lower. I soon understood (seeing that it had a pretty nice lunch in its talons) the reason for the fight and the reason for the bird to be looking for a safe spot to land in the area.

 

 

A dozen meters later, one of the “crows by the sea” was hanging out alone on a utility cable. I wonder where its mate was. Maybe it was the crow that chased the black kite and then left? Not sure. Anyway, it knows me and knows I have peanuts for it. And peanuts were given. And pictures were taken.

 

 

 

 

 

And that’s all for the birding today.

Now, the circus!

If you read my other blog, you know that there is currently a circus in town. If you don’t read my other blog, here are all the details:

Sakura Circus in Takamatsu

Well, I got a second serving of circus last weekend as some of the artists were at the mall next door (where I happened to be too) for a mini-representation (the parts of the show that can safely be performed in a shopping mall, basically). I took some pictures. They’re not the best, but I still feel like sharing them. So here they are:

 

 

 

Contortionists are some of the circus artists who impress me and scare me the most at the same time. How do they not break their spine?

 

 

 

There’s a pretty cool detail about the picture above. Can you see it? Do you see the young man on the bottom left of the picture? He’s the equilibrists from the first pictures. He’s also the contortionist’s brother and… it’s them on the pink poster that’s between them in the picture. That is all.

 

 

How is it possible that some people don’t like clowns? They’re the best!

 

 

 

The next performance, also involving two siblings, is also mind-blowing (I tried to film, but it was a bit difficult in this setting). Actually, the older brother (with another brother, who’s too old for it now) won a Golden Clown in Monte-Carlo for this act a few years ago. You can see their performance there:

 

 

This guy is just amazing. When I went to the circus in December, he didn’t perform that act (I guess they don’t often do it, because his younger brother is still a kid, and he goes to school, and there are also regulations for working children to follow) but he performed three or four and some of the scariest and most dangerous ones (Wheel of death, tightrope, flying trapeze and I think I’m forgetting one).

 

 

 

 

Funny how this circus in town revived my love for the circus (I was a big fan as a kid) and there may even be a third serving before they leave because there was a raffle and I won a ticket that afternoon.

 

 

Okay, that’s all for now. I don’t know if this “double feature” is a one-time thing or if I’ll do it again. In the meantime, take care, and stay tuned for more.

 

 

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