Late Winter Trip 2022 Day 5 #9

Bean Goose

I only saw 1 Bean Goose (Taiga I think) amongst the main flocks in Mukawa. There was a flock of them a few miles east but they were impossible to get close enough to photograph.

There were also quite a few swans. Not photogenic in the harsh spring sunshine. Mainly Whoopers but I found at least 1 Bewick’s.

Bewick’s Swan

The nearest I could get to a comparison shot:

Bewick’s and Whooper Swans

A late autumn trip #9

Snow Goose

On the second say we couldn’t get near the Snow Geese…

They are very easy to pick out among the Grey Geese, as you can see here:

Snow Goose, Bean Goose and Greater White-fronted Goose

Greater White-fronted Geese are generally the most numerous species near Hakodate but this is not the case in Urahoro. Here are some adults and juveniles together.

Greater White-fronted Goose

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.

The next day………..

Bean Goose

The weather was much better the second day in Urahoro. At first the geese were in a different area from the day before. Except for a few Whooper Swan and Bean Geese. The long neck/bill and head shape seem to indicate Taiga Bean Goose.

Bean Goose

But presently other species arrived including Cackling Geese. We had seen these flocks newly arrive around 4 weeks previously.

Cackling Goose