Another typhoon is approaching and it brought more Red-necked Pharalopes. This time in Hakodate………..
There were 3 of them as well as 1 Terek Sandpiper, a dozen or so Red-necked Stint, a couple of Common Sandpiper and a lone Eurasian Oystercatcher. They were all very skittish. Except the Pharalopes.
Hi Stu!
This is Jeff is Otaru. I am hoping you can give us a idea of where to see shorebirds in September.
Naoaki and I both became great friends with Dan. Dan has that wonderful enthusiasm for birds, and just a great guy to be around.
None of the leaders for the Otaru or Sapporo Bird groups share the fondness for shorebirds that Naoaki and I experienced in the U.S. Naoaki in Texas, and I in California.
Naoaki THOUGHT maybe Sarugawa River basin. Dan just now on LINE app suggested Mukawa River basin. Dan also said it is best to contact you for possible best locations in September this year. We are traveling by train and bus, so either way we need to make out destination count, as it gets expensive without a car.
I hope all is well with you there. I enjoy your blog, and have added a link to yours on mine. I am always out with my binoculars and camera. My lenses are in definite need of upgrade (hopeful by December). Even though I always try to document what I see on trips solo, with friends, or in a birding group. I am only 1.5 years into Hokkaido birding, so i am quite new. As well Naoaki has been living in Tennessee for 15 years, so it is new here for him as well.
My wife is not into birding, but places within 10 miles, she has taken us. Otherwise it is too difficult for here to very far.
Thank you for your time and help always Stu!
God Bless and happy Birding!
Jeff 🙂
Hi Jeff. The beach at Atsuma (on the east bank of the rivermouth) and Ishikari Beach are both good places for shorebirds and can easily be reached by train from Sapporo (and the latter is pretty near Otaru).
Mukawa is Ok too (it’s just down the train line from Atsuma, again do the east bank) but it seems to have become worse in recent years as the river is being ‘improved’, ie being used as a way to use up construction budgets. Still worth a visit.
Thank you so very much Stu! 😀 👍
Stu, if I go to Ishikari, is that the 2 km walk from the closed gate in Zenibako area where the reclamation pool is?
Hi Jeff. Actually I’ve only been there once. The beach next to Ishikari Port was the only place I remember, got a Spoon-billed Sandpiper there. You should ask someone in your group who knows the area better.
Phalarope are always very confiding, it seems…. certainly they are here.
They do seem very tame and oblivious, maybe not many predators on the open sea?
Few predators in the open sea, yes possibly, and they don’t seem to view humans as a threat because they don’t see many of us in their daily lives either…
They are apparently exceedingly tame on their breeding grounds, like in the Shetlands………..