@@Welcome to "Broadbill"!!
"Broadbill" is a birdwatcher's site which shows birds of Australia, Malaysia and other countries as well as my home country, Japan. I hope that you enjoy this site.
Since I was a kid, I enjoyed staying in nature. Chasing butterflies and dragonflies... etc. It was a very natural thing for me to be absorbed in birdwatching while there are not many mammals in Japan. There are about 600 species of birds recorded in Japan.
Japan is a complex of islands which lies between sub-arctic and sub-tropic climate. So, some of them are recorded only in northern parts of Japan, such as Hokkaido while some others cannot be seen except Okinawa, southern prefecture. I had enjoyed much ticking a new species into my life list until I saw about 400 species in Japan. However, after 400 species, it has been very difficult for me to see something new.
If I was a usual birdwatcher, I spent more money for chasing a lifer for me as other Japanese birders do. However, I did not have to do so.
In 1993, there was an opportunity for me to go down to Australia. Although I was not so impressed with birds in Australia before going there because of too vivid color of birds, I was soon able to enjoy birdwatching in the country. They were certainly colorful as (or even more) a field guide book. They were also mostly new for me. This reminded me my beginner birdwatcher's age.
By 1996, I stayed in Australia for about 2.5 years. During the time, I enjoyed birdwatching there and saw over 500 species in the country.
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Between 1996 and 1998, I went back to Japan for my business. I rather missed birdwatching in Australia while I lost opportunity to see many birds as Australia.
In 1998, there was second opportunity for me to live outside of Japan. I got a job in Malaysia. Before leaving Japan, of course, I bought a field guide book and checked birds day and day. There were so many colorful and strange birds.
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During two years in Malaysia, I spent my free time mostly for birdwatching. I don't know why I was able to be absorbed in birdwatching, again. Probably, because there are many different birds which live in different habitat with different behavior.
Allegedly, there are about 8,000 species of birds in the world.
@I would like to show you some of the birds what I saw and took photos in Australia, Malaysia and other countries while I introduce you Japanese birds and birdwatching spots.
Beidaihe - Shanghai Birding Report