Very quiet out east

Japanese Crane

We went to east Hokkaido last week but the birding was very very quiet. In Urahoro the first geese had arrived: small groups of (Taiga?) Bean and Cackling Geese mainly…………..with a few Pacific Golden Plover, a lone Ruff and several Japanese Crane keeping them company.

Taiga Bean Goose

We were a tad early I guess. Lake Furen/Nemuro/Kiritappu were as pleasant as always but there really weren’t many birds around. Summer stuff gone, winter stuff barely arrived yet. Most interesting thing was a family of Sea Otters but they were too far away in the gloom for any decent photos.

East Hokkaido September Trip #14

Japanese Crane

On our way back from east Hokkaido we went through Urahoro and turned off the main road onto a quiet road for a ‘short cut’…………….

We noticed some Japanese Cranes in a field so we stopped to take a look.

Bean Goose

Then we noticed lots of geese at the back of the field with more arriving all the time. Just White-fronts and Beans I thought. But no…………………

Cackling Goose

East Hokkaido September Trip #2

Brown Dipper

Shiretoko was not very birdy this trip: we saw a few common species such as Brown Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Black and Grey-headed Woodpecker, Japanese Green Pigeon, Eurasian Jay, White-tailed Eagle and Long-tailed Rosefinch.

On the way east we passed numerous Japanese Cranes feeding in the farmland. Harsh light is never good for white birds and these were feeding on a huge pile of manure to boot.

Japanese Crane