American Avocet & Black-necked Stilt

The American Avocet bird is a relatively large shorebird with an upturned bill, long neck, and round head. It feeds by wading through shallow waterswhile looking for crustaceans, insects, and fish.  Breeding Avocet’s are brown, black, and white while the non-breeding Avocet’s are white and black.  It is found in wetlands, salt ponds, and evaporation ponds. During winter also uses inter-tidal mudflats, and flooded pastures. It’s habitat is from Washington and British Columbia, east to Minnesota, and south to California and Texas. 

 

The Black-necked Stilt has colourful rose-pink legs, a thin black bill, and black-and-white feathers. They are often seen moving through wetlands in search of food while making high pitched yapping sounds. You can often view Stilts on salt-marshes, flooded fields, or salt pans. Black-necked Stilt’s are found in wetlands from North America and the Caribbean south to central Argentina.

Yokohama Chinatown

 

Yokohama Chinatown is the largest Chinatown in Japan and started in 1859 when Japan opened to foreign trade. The Chinese migrants opened institutions and temples such as Yokohama Kanteibyo (Guan Di Miao) 横滨关帝庙 which became a center for Chinese immigrants. After World War II a goodwill archway of Paifang was built and the area was recognized as Chinatown. Yokohama Chinatown has over 300 densely packed Chinese shops and restaurants. To access Yokohama Chinatown please either take JR Negishi Line get off Ishikawacho Station or take Minatomirai Line and exit Motomachi-Chukagai Station.