wcaptain 19/03/2018 16:20
Eastern Hokkaido 3-11 March 2018
We a group of birders visited the captioned between 3 – 11 March. A total 94 bird species were seen
Tried the midnight ferry on 4 March 2018 from Oarai (2 hrs train from Tokyo) to Tomakomai (Hokkaido). Here are key observations
(1) > 1000 Black legged Kittiwake (whole day)
(2) >100 Mew Gulls (whole day)
(3) > 200 Black-tailed Gulls (whole day)
(4) >500 Anicent Murrelets (roughly from 0900 – 1500)
(5) >50 Crested Auklets (afternoon, roughly around 1500h)
(6) Northern Fulmar – one individual (just before lunch around 12:00). Not mentioned by other bird reports
(7) Streaked Shearwater ->20. Mostly in the morning section Not mentioned by other similar bird reports
(8) Sooty Shearwater – 2-3 individuals in the morning. A bit out of expectation as this bird is not mentioned by other similar bird reports
(9) Pacific Diver – only individual (around 07:30h, 4 March – roughly off Kinkasan Island)
(10) Black-necked Grebe – only individual (around 07:30h, 4 March – roughly off Kinkasan Island)
Comparing the bird species with other similar bird reports (e.g. Grundsten Jan-Feb 2016), we did not get too many auklets but did have a variety of shearwater type of seabirds, probably because of the difference in season (early spring in ours).
For bird photos, pls visit [url]http://matthewkwanbirding.blogspot.hk/[/url]
Other interesting observations
- Pigeon Guillemont, Spectacled Guillemont, Crested Auklets, Least auklets and Ancient Murrelet and Common Guillemont – Habomai cruise on 7 Mar. The trip only lasted about 1.5 hrs (5000 yen per person with discount). No jaw-dropping records but still enjoyable.
- Brent Geese – About 20 birds following Whopper Swans at Biwase Bay on 6 March PM
- Common Crane – One individual at the famous crane Bridge on Road 243 on 6 March AM (43.187774, 144.334016)
- Red-faced Cormorant – two individuals at Cape Nosappu (the cliff island)
- Blakiston’s Fish Owl – at washinoyado on 18:00h on 8 March as usual (on that night, it appeared only 3 times, 1800, 00:30 and 02:30, probably due to the very bad weather)
- Brown dipper- one at the stream of Washinoyado. Another one at a stream not too far from the Ransu town (not really a difficult bird but it is always interesting to see how it walks into a river).
- Snow bunting – about 8 birds were seen on roadside (road 950) 2-3 km away from the Notsuke Peninsular Nature Centre
- Steller’s Sea Eagle / White-tailed Sea Eagle. Very common. There is a feeding centre (43.263472, 145.462046; about 1km away from the famous Lodge Furen. Admission: 1000 yen)
- Red-crowned Crane – common at the Tsurui region. Could try 43.178757, 144.319210
Recommended birding spots
- Every single harbour on the southern coast (from Lake Akkeshi to Cape Nosappu, also those between Lake Furen and Ransu) – sea ducks, grebes and cormorants can be found
- The Tsurui region for red-crowned crane (see the above bearings)
- Washinoyado – Blakiston’s Fish owl as usual. Matsuo san of Lodge Furen (google search it) can help reserve it if you also stay at Lodge Furen
- Notsuke Peninsular (along Road 950) – fox, deer and snow bunting!
- Tadashi Shimada Nature Photo Gallery/ The Bird Watching Cafe
[url]http://thebirdwatchingcafe.com/new-page-5-1/#the-bird-watching-cafe-japanese[/url]
A hidden gem near the Chitose airport (20 mins drive). In simple, it is a little “nonggang” in Hokkaido. Some bird tables are placed at the café which allows a close contact with garden birds including Gr Spotted Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Jap Pygmy Woodpecker and Hawfinch. Don’t expect rare birds. But the atmosphere is relax, cosy, higher class and enjoyable. No admission charge. But better to buy a drink or have a lunch there.
Dip of the trip … Asian Rosy Finch (tried two typical sites…), Short-eared Owl (only briefly seen by two members only on highway, no sign despite intensive searching around the Nemuro peninsular and Notsuke Peninsular), Tufted, rhino and parakeet auklets …….
[[i] Last edited by wcaptain at 20/03/2018 13:42 [/i]]
kmatthew 20/03/2018 13:11
Thank you Captain for organising the trip, here are some photos to share.
For full trip report please visit:
Part 1: [url=http://matthewkwanbirding.blogspot.hk/2018/03/hokkaido-march-2018-part-1.html]http://matthewkwanbirding.blogspot.hk/2018/03/hokkaido-march-2018-part-1.html[/url]
Part 2: [url=http://matthewkwanbirding.blogspot.hk/2018/03/hokkaido-march-2018-part-2.html]http://matthewkwanbirding.blogspot.hk/2018/03/hokkaido-march-2018-part-2.html[/url]
Part 3: [url=http://matthewkwanbirding.blogspot.hk/2018/03/hokkaido-march-2018-part-3.html]http://matthewkwanbirding.blogspot.hk/2018/03/hokkaido-march-2018-part-3.html[/url]
Black-legged Kittiwake - adult
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFbfSXeCuqc/Wqkjo5mErEI/AAAAAAAAR-4/h3LSmZaZ2m0lcgU1uBsEab1UWq4xTBUOgCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A7790.jpg[/img]
Black-legged Kittiwake - 1st year
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KZq5-v4eWmU/Wqkjpx7WIoI/AAAAAAAAR_I/hZ44vPGl0ogwFc6_Z7ct4_ufAixnWc_NwCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A7931.jpg[/img]
Streaked Shearwater
[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K3kBon3L-Bw/Wqkjp4_jI6I/AAAAAAAAR_E/p7Wvo7sQAwM5fx-oxA0IAYoWSXZMv5vzgCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A7944.jpg[/img]
Northern Fulmar - medium morph
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BrB1R6fqjW0/WqkjoUOycQI/AAAAAAAAR-0/6jGO5kxu0mMUHfHqs3gVTLTwBXudq239gCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A7675.jpg[/img]
Ancient Murrelet
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aoj6d-l820o/WqkjnkiL4_I/AAAAAAAAR-o/eXu7hl30ZroWY21Hvn1prdQ_cybdpppdwCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A7526.jpg[/img]
Dall's Porpoise
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d2u21BiYyFI/WqkjrrH8R5I/AAAAAAAAR_c/ZssF-xKa63oM3EVg_Xg-emVIo6d_f21AQCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A8115.jpg[/img]
Northern Fur Seal
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a3sXtoaGQm8/WqkjsZnlYlI/AAAAAAAAR_k/x3ucI1qWOzk-87VtnzcV_VJ1azfZIcgSgCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A8141.jpg[/img]
Red-crowned Crane
[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yPO3eETd5x0/WqkjtPFPFgI/AAAAAAAAR_w/kIClIsM7XUgWYThwxP6ElfJ-dtuMS7lrwCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A8293.jpg[/img]
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGrtjL7wkZk/Wqkjxm3pGbI/AAAAAAAASAs/fOBxMoSf2ccumawG19kz0y2mLkVHmgSZwCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A8698.jpg[/img]
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PhNbKl35o1w/WqkjxwPGVOI/AAAAAAAASA0/P2tz2NWKh44LiI7TYivgrJhRnmr5A1qRwCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A8731.jpg[/img]
Common Crane & Red-crowned Crane
[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xTuco4cke_Q/Wqkjzl-OFCI/AAAAAAAASBI/CVw6mY37KE0IEUVEMIbFV0l1BuXdUNDOgCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A8928.jpg[/img]
Whooper Swan
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OCaj-xXekLU/Wqkjwj6HMLI/AAAAAAAASAg/yTNXzJYdedoWasuewaYcVgb4OnILArmxwCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A8567.jpg[/img]
Ural Owl
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o0jE6eiFs0k/Wqkj3akOmsI/AAAAAAAASB0/pHKPF1ftNYgWLABE_1mgi92kFzCA-DNwwCLcBGAs/s1000/U01A9302.jpg[/img]
Red Fox
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ThKzsnmuTgU/Wqki2GunkjI/AAAAAAAASDI/-cS8tVAFE2IHL1ZxXsbPrRJh99_yJJHbgCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A0430.jpg[/img]
White-tailed Eagle
[img]https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qGjtVX9coNY/Wqki-lCE_dI/AAAAAAAASDI/xRBXIibfF-w_2zY1K4f_ASHVf53YiqkUQCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A0925.jpg[/img]
Steller's Sea Eagle
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ckWYhCkWDcQ/Wqki_xVxMAI/AAAAAAAASDI/p3fDUBh9bYISRW38kmjKPJXjhf8PaaKTgCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A1005.jpg[/img]
Pigeon Guillemot - race kaiurka
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dObjRQg8epw/WqkjDaJxThI/AAAAAAAASDI/zKgdG4gzTKgVK9WCE2SDE6dxilxbq5jbwCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A1728.jpg[/img]
Pigeon Guillemot - race snowii
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--lUDp8XdUSY/WqkjHwJEK_I/AAAAAAAASC4/hXqj8cCffuw2p9wAbSTP94-O6jMha-iqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A2186.jpg[/img]
Spectacled Guillemot
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gw07x6sStJw/WqkjFkxya5I/AAAAAAAASDI/Z_DQrAVZDHMXOpZglq4MJgvciGr1sJzTgCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A1990.jpg[/img]
Least Auklet
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9CjT4rrBCo/WqkjGWq6oSI/AAAAAAAASC4/nDEQkQteZF8ZU1vPTctDYI4lVRwT-sq7ACPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A2007.jpg[/img]
Crested Auklet
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b__qb01XIGE/WqkjIttp_AI/AAAAAAAASC4/zeD7qNDtrLYSs_wbSQEfxgrOO3F5fiuDACPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A2371.jpg[/img]
Glaucous Gull
[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WiAfvexWIHs/WqkjOWwjOdI/AAAAAAAASDA/i7z2YIeHp3kAduAdugi98CaIx2OjbFT4wCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A2961.jpg[/img]
Long-tailed Duck
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Wo7PRFuCcM/WqkjN3V2wMI/AAAAAAAASC4/ZvVhqUw61BAeq1DoDnz0wabdSqqs9DY3ACPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A2857.jpg[/img]
Snow Bunting
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-thJV63PIc0U/WqkjQg5jBsI/AAAAAAAASDA/YLArsGkiavk0rJVRyAiVT70DeI0jBoC1gCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A3169.jpg[/img]
Blakiston's Fish Owl
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0KZX36RGX2A/WqkjUkr1V2I/AAAAAAAASDI/C6IENEZh2E8NeEMJ_Wx23E55yRvLTaG4ACPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A3652.jpg[/img]
Harlequin Duck
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GMKYBkOxam8/WqkjXaxIX2I/AAAAAAAASC8/rRc1Tnl7hqIK1beJkvU6FUrwbYkg6wLwACPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A3904.jpg[/img]
Hawfinch
[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xJjNO_JxTnc/Wqkjdf0CHeI/AAAAAAAASC8/nF4wrJGys18HXTfDFziQ46Tcgho5b4SxgCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A4865.jpg[/img]
Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v0ZV-aE5BqE/WqkjfI9mcqI/AAAAAAAASDI/KhP0sxh-1jwaba8x5qmqZVq3Xk0nP5wWQCPcBGAYYCw/s1000/U01A5152.jpg[/img]
[[i] Last edited by kmatthew at 20/03/2018 13:12 [/i]]
hkwongkit 21/03/2018 07:50
Matthew,
Enjoyed reading your so well written blog ...
I particularly like those superb inflight capture of the White-tailed Eagle and Steller's Sea Eagle shots!
Well done.