We had a 3 day trip to the Mukawa area but it was very very flat for birds. A few White-tailed Eagles (like the one above) but no geese, hardly any winter gulls or ducks and no winter raptors except for a lone Merlin and Goshawk. neither of which posed for photos.
On the way back Yakumo was very quiet due to the lack of eagle food but there were a few eagles around at least.
Stupid frickin’ twigs.
A mellow autumnal pic from the end of our trip.
We were in the Mukawa area checking for geese. There were a few White-fronts around but too far off to photograph. A bit quiet birdwise to be honest. This Bull-headed Shrike is a typical sighting in this part of the world.
And the Tomakomai area is the only place in northern Japan to see Magpies.
They weren’t as tame or as photogenic as further north or east……………..
In addition to the Rubythroats there were many birds……………..
Middendorf’s, Lanceolated and Sakhalin Grasshopper Warblers, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Northern Hobby, White-tailed Eagle, Sand Martin, Northern Hobby, Latham’s Snipe, Wryneck, Long-tailed Rosefinch…………………and these 2 common species.
We spent one night in the car near Tomakomai. The car park, next to a busy-ish road, was adjacent to some grassland. There were lots of birds around in the early morning including several Siberian Rubythroat.
The Tomakomai area must be right on the southern limit of this species range in Japan (they don’t breed near Hakodate).
This one was singing on an old electrical wire next to a railway line.
Damn twigs in the way……………..
Some of the geese at Mukawa were hybrids………..
More White-fronts from last week…………
Until just under 2 years ago I had never seen Cackling Goose or Snow Goose in Japan.
Now I just can’t stop seeing them all over the place…………
There were a small group of White-tailed Eagles on the beach near the port in Mukawa………….
This one was in the port itself.
There’s a reason gulls hang around fishing ports
