Tag: Japanese Crane

Very quiet out east

by Stuart Price, posted in East Hokkaido, Wildfowl
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

by Stuart Price, posted in East Hokkaido, Wildfowl
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

by Stuart Price, posted in East Hokkaido
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