Online by courtesy of the author.
BIRDTRIP REPORT TO JAPAN
(c) Harry Lehto
Please ask personally if you want a copy.
Dates 15.8-28.8.1997, during 18.8-22.8 at a meeting.
Participants: Harry LEHTO
Accompanied by:
Neil Fergusson (all day on 15-17.8)
Hiroshi IKENAGA,Shuuji TANAKA,Shuusaku KATAYAMA,Haruhiko ASUKA (17.8)
Taichi KATO (Kurama on 19.8)
Atsushi MATSUI (Yatsu on 22.8)
Akihisho SHIRAISHI and Yoshiharu SHIINA (ferry trip on 23.8/24.8)
ITINERARY (Times indicate time in local time)
15.8 Arrival to Narita International Airport 9.10.
Chiba-ken, Choshi to Inubo Misaki 13.20-16.00, Ibaraki-ken,
Tonegawa river, Island North of Sasagawa 17.00-18.30
16.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tsukuba, Doho Park 09.00-11.00, Tsukuba city
11.00-15.00, Tsukuba Mountain NW slopes 15.50-18.30
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 09.00-10.30
and East of Ukishima 10.30-13.00, Tonegawa river (Island
North of Sasagawa) 14.00-14.20, Tonegawa river mouth (North
of Choshi),site known as Hazaki 15.00-16.00
Chiba-ken, Tonegawa river mouth and Choshi area 16.15-17.15
18.8-22.9 at meeting at Kyoto.
19.8 Kyoto-fu, Kyoto, Palace Garden 07.10-08.10
19.8 Kyoto-fu, Kyoto, Kurama Shrine 11.15-12.40
22.8 Kyoto-Tokyo, Bullet train Shinkansen 13.31-16.45
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata Reserve 18.00-19.00
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro Ferry 7.00-12.30, 14.00-18.30
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro Ferry 6.30-08.00
24.8 Hokkaido, Kushiro 08.30- Akkeshi Harbor 09.30-11.50 -
Point Kirritappu 13.15-14.30 - Bay West of Kirritappu 14.30-15.15
- SW Corner of Kirritappu peninsula - Kirritappu Harbor - 16.00
to Ochiishi peninsula at 18.20.
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 05.30-13.30 - Ochiishi harbor
13.30-15.00 - Hanasakiko Harbor 15.45-16.35 - Nemuro - 16.55 -
Furen-ko area 17.20-18.30
26.8 Hokkaido, Western shore of Furen-ko 05.00-05.45, Hashirikotan
05.45-12.30, Notsuke Hanto 13.00-14.15, Tofutsu-ko 16.30-18.30
27.8 Hokkaido, Forest near Kawayu 5.30-10.30, Kussharo-ko 11.45-12.15,
Nukabira-ko 16.00-17.00, Shikaribetsu-ko 17.30-18.30
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 05.45-13.30, Shikotsu-ko 16.30-17.30
Departure from Sapporo airport at 19.30
29.8 Tokyo, Narita, departure at 11.00
WEATHER:
Hot in Kyoto, Rather pleasant in Hokkaido, in between in Tokyo
Temp wind clouds visibility
15.8 20->22C 4m/s 7/8Ac->8/8St >20km very light showers
16.8 16->24C 4m/s 7/8Ac->8/8St >20km one very light shower
17.8 22->26C 6m/s 5/8Cu->7/8Ac >20km
18-22.8 max 33C-37C calm 2/8Cu->6/8Cb 5-10km, haze no rain. Typical
Kyoto weather. Hot (29C) by 8AM
already.
23.8 24->17C 4-6m/s SE-W 0-1/8AC,Ci 5-10km, >30km after noon,
swell 0.5m, waves 0.2m. Temperature started to drop at 17.00
24.8 12C->15C 8-10m/s NW->SE 8/8St >15km-> 5-10km, light showers
in morning: swell 1.0m, waves 0.3m
25.8 11C->20C 0-4m/s E 7/8St->4/8Cu >20km
26.8 16C->26C 0-4m/s SE 7/8Cu->0/8 >20km
27.8 15C->25C 0-4m/s 8/8St->2/8Ac 2-5km-> >30km improved at 10AM
28.8 18C->27C calm 8/8St->1/8Cu 2-5km-> >20km improved at 10AM
SUMMARY AND LOCATIONS VISITED:
15.8.
I arrived at Narita Airport, some 50km East of Tokyo. My friend Neil
picked me up at the airport, and we drove to Choshi, a city at a tip of
a peninsula about 120km directly east of Tokyo. We birded pretty much
the whole peninsula (Site 15 in Brazil's guide "A Birdwatcher's guide
to Japan"). There were some decent shorebird ponds about about 1-2km
south of the Tonegawa river mouth on the Pacific coast yielding, for
example, a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, a Red-necked Stint and Mongolian
Plovers. We left the area at 16.00 to head Northwest along the Tonegawa
river birding some rice field roads, and river beds and finished well
after sunset at Site 14 in Brazil's guide. These areas were productive
for Japanese Reed Bunting and Japanese Marsh Warbler. We arrived at
Neil's home in Tsukuba (120km NNE of Tokyo) late in the evening after
checking several stores for the CD bird book "The songs and calls of
333 Birds in Japan".
16.8.
We had a slow start, because of my long flight and Neil's exhausting
work. We arrived at Doho-park in Tsukuba at 9.00, and walked around
the area for a couple of hours. Several species during my trip were
seen only here: Bamboo Partridge, Azure-winged Magpie and Green Pheasant.
I was also introduced to Uguisu, the Japanese Bush Warbler, a bird
apparently known also by many Japanese kids. Around noon and in the
early afternoon we continued our search for the CD bird book, and
finally found the passerine section (part II) from a small book store.
We spent the late afternoon at Mount Tsukuba, some 30km NNE of Tsukuba.
We heard lots of birds, which we never identified. Peking Robin (or
Red-billed Leiothrix) and Long-tailed Tits were seen here, but
the search for Varied Tits, Flycatchers and Thrushes was fruitless.
17.8.
We met with Ikenaga-san and his group at 7.30. We headed Southeast of
Tsukuba towards lake Kasumigaura. First west of Shin-Tonegawa and
Ukishima (site 13) and then East of it. We drove criss-crossing on
the rice-field roads. Every now and then we came across a field that
had not been planted. These turned out to be excellent sites for
shorebirds. An example of one pond: Oriental Turtle dove 2,
Grey Starling 8, Grey Tattler 6, Pacific Golden Plover 28, Grey Heron 1,
Spot-billed Duck 5, Bank Swallow 20, Oriental Green Finch 1. Other
sites included birds such as Painted Snipe (2), Oriental Pratincole
(dipped one stake-out, but found another bird), Ringed Plover (1).
At Ukishima, where we had two endemics, Japanese Reed Bunting
and Japanese Marsh Warbler. Before lunch we checked one heronry,
where we got wonderful views of a juvenile Great-faced Buzzard-Eagle.
After the most enjoyable lunch we headed for Tonegawa (site 14 in
Brazil's site guide) and soon after that we continued to the mouth of
the river. This time on the North side (Ibaraki-ken). Close to the river
mouth there is a monument (a ship made of stone). We climbed up to
the ship to view the river mouth. We got distant, but clear views of
Little Terns, and two White-Winged Black terns amongst them, as well as
of the only (Vega) Herring Gull of the trip. Later we drove a couple
hundred meters North to the pacific coast. A nice bit of shore and
a small pond produced the first Great Knot as well as some Mongolian
Plovers and Red-necked Stints. The last site we visited this day was
the same area of ponds close to Choshi we had visited on the 15th.
A Redshank was quite an unexpected sighting. Neil dropped me off at
Choshi train at about 17.40. The train was running 10 minutes late.
After a train change at Ueno I arrived at Tokyo central station, to
learn that the last Shinkansen to Kyoto will be leaving in a couple
of minutes. I arrived to Kyoto at about 23.45 and booked in the hotel
after midnight.
18.8-22.8
In Kyoto, I attended the meeting of the International Astronomical Union.
On the morning of the second day (19.8) I had a short walk at the Palace
Garden. Starlings, Crows, Bulbuls, Sparrows and Doves (all of the local
varieties) were present in the Southern end of the park. Later I learned
from Kato-san that a Brown Hawk-owl could be possibly found at the
Northeastern corner of the park. During lunch on the 19th I went out to
the Kurama Shrine (about 20 km North of the Kyoto train station) with
Kato-san who happens to have the same hobby and professional interests
as myself. This ended up being my only visit to a shrine during this
trip. We had Japanese White-eyes here and heard a couple of Japanese
Pygmy Woodpeckers as well as a couple of Coal Tits.
During the remainder of my stay in Kyoto my birding was limited to
the 3 minute walk between my hotel and the sub and between the sub and
the Kyoto International Conference Hall at the Northern edge of the city.
The most interesting birds up there were a Japanese Wagtail on territory,
captive Mute Swans and a raptor, which I could not fit with anything else
except a Hodgson's Hawk-Eagle.
I found the non-passerine part of the CD bird book set from the
MARUZEN book store in Kyoto. The logo of the store is a red capital M,
and it is located on Kawarimachi-dori between Sijo-dori and Oike-dori
on the East side of the street. The entrance to the store is easiest
to spot from the logo. The book was at the third floor. A second
large book store in Kyoto, where I found the Hokkaido map
is located on Sijo-dori between Karasuma-dori and Kawamachi-dori on
the North side of the street. This store was temporarily out of the
CD bird book though. A third good book store for bird books is located
on Kawarimachi-dori a couple of meters North of Maruzen, on the other
side of the street. The name of this store is SHIN-SHIN-DO.
22.8.
At 13.41 I boarded the Shinkansen bullet train bound for Tokyo. Some
birds were identifiable from the high speed train, among them were
the only Grey-headed Lapwings of the trip. On arrival to Tokyo Central
Station, my next move was to go to the Keisei line in order to get to
the Yatsu-higata reserve (site 5). The 500 meter walk and a few sets
of stairs was torturous with my heavy suitcase (must have been 30kg -
with some food for the upcoming ferry trip). Well, I got to the train.
During the ride to the Minami-funabashi station I saw my only Great
Cormorants. Matsui-san met me kindly at the train station. From here
we took a taxi to the reserve. The Yatsu-higata reserve is really
a nature educational center. The bird reserve itself appears rather
small, but it is a real gem! If you go to Tokyo, I highly recommend
you visiting Yatsu. We had two Eastern Curlews, and an Eurasian Curlew
among loads of more common shorebirds. Despite of the darkness falling
we had also some close breath taking views of Terek's Sandpipers and
a partially albino Grey Tattler through the optically excellent quality
windows of the reserve building. After enjoying a light dinner with
miso-soup, I headed to the ferry. (First Keisei line to Chiba, and then
bus to Ferry-futo). I boarded the Blue Zephyr ferry at 23.00. A pleasant
lady crew member assisted me in finding my bunk. The ferry undocked at
23.30. I fell asleep at 24.00.
23.8.
I got up at 6.45. I went out at deck, one level higher than the entrance
to the ferry and at the rear end of the ferry. The ferry is steady enough
for a telescope to be useful for bird identification. The ships are
relatively high, which means that you can see birds from a long distance,
but photography is not very feasible.
The sea was full of Streaked Shearwaters when I got to the deck.
The first (unidentified) Albatross appeared at 9.50. Both Black-footed
and Laysan Albatross were seen in good numbers between 9.50 and 10.30
(34 birds), then between 14.30 and 15.00 (10 birds) and again from
16.45 to 17.00 (9 birds). Streaked Shearwaters were seen almost all
the time, but with higher concentrations from 7.00 to 8.00 (500),
14.00 to 15.00 (400) and 16.45 to 17.00 (2700). In general, the ocean
suddenly became full of birds at about 16.45, with a good variety of
species seen till dark: South Polar Skua, 3 species of Storm-petrels,
3 species of Shearwaters, only 2(!) Black-tailed Gulls, Phalaropes and
Common Terns. We had also two species of Dolphins, Sunfish, Green Sea
Turtle, and what appeared to be Pilot Whales.
24.8.
I was out at the deck at 6.00 -- should have been there at 5.00, but
I was too tired for that. The wind had picked up. It was also 13 C
colder than the day before and overcast. The ocean was full of
Albatrosses and dark Shearwaters. A couple schools of dolphins came
close to the ship. The only alcids I saw on the ferry trip were close
views of a juvenile Tufted Puffin and two Rhinocerous Auklets. Also
the Pomarine Skua (4 birds) was a new species for the trip. The last
of the 220 Laysan Albtarosses of the day were seen at 6.45. The numbers
of other birds decreased markedly at 7.00. We entered the Kushiro
(43d00'N 144d21'E) harbor at 7.10.
At 8.30 I hit the gas pedal of the rental car. I headed for the wrong
direction for 5 minutes and for the last time on this trip. My first
bird stop was the harbor of Akkeshi (43d03'N 144d51'E). Slaty-backed
Gulls, Black-tailed Gulls and Japanese Cormorants were to be found in
good numbers. After studying the Gulls for while, I headed for Point
Kirritappu (43d05'N 145d11'E). The extreme point (the separate islet
-- site 34) was closed though. No Tufted Puffin here, but Pelagic and
Japanese Cormorants were common. It was drizzling. A bay (43d05'N
145d09'E) just west of the light house had several hundred Slaty-backed
and Black-tailed Gulls. I went to get closer views, but after an hour
I quit after somebody started shooting nearby. I drove on some minor
roads and ended up in the SW corner of Kirritappu peninsula (43d05'N
145d08'E) to enjoy more Cormorants, Gulls, Harlequin Ducks and
a Black-faced Bunting. Weather was dull, but slowly improving.
I decided to continue East on the coastal road (first on Rte 123 and
then Rte 142). There is a series of small rivers and lakes along
the shore line. I had several stops. The ones having most birds were
Poroto (43d09'N 145d09'E) (Japanese Crane 2 birds, and several Grey
Herons), Okito (43d09'N 145d15'E) (Mergansers, Bank and Barn Swallows,
Greater Scaup) and Kanesato. The road turned off the shore and entered
the forest. I stopped at Onnebetsu bridge (43d12.5'N 145d30E) and had
a Siskin, a Coal Tit, a Goldcrest and an unidentified Thrush singing.
A large headless salmon was in a creek and a good bunch of some of
most blood thirsty mosquitoes I've ever seen. At sunset, I continued
driving towards Ochiishi peninsula (site 35, 43d10'N 145d31'E) and
went to check the parking areas for the next morning. Last, but not
the least I wanted to get something to eat. I drove to downtown Nemuro
(43d20'N 145d35'E), a city with trilingual street signs! I got some
food and drove back towards Ochiishi and stopped at a large lit-up
parking area about 2km North of the Ochiishi turnoff.
25.8.
After several hours of rather pleasant sleep in the car, I woke up at
4.45. It was getting light. With a small water boiler I made some real
coffee and felt really good. I drove to Ochiishi. I had decided to walk
to the light house and then East along the peninsula to make a loop.
The beginning of the walk was in grassland, with some scattered bush.
Middendorff's warblers were still singing this late in the season.
Several Reed-buntings and maura-race of Stonechats were nicely visible.
On approach to the Sahalin Spruce forest I had my first Bluetail and
two Long-tailed Rosefinches. The 1km walk in the Sahalin Spruce forest
yielded various Tits (but no Varieds), an Arctic Warbler, Siskins,
Goldcrest and several Nuthatches, and two singing Bluetails. The walk
was beautiful. It is amazing to see "garden flowers" growing free in
the undergrowth. At the end of the board walk, you are almost at the
lighthouse, to which I walked straight. Several Oriental Greenfinches
were flying in the dwarf bamboo "grassland". Suddenly on the fence of
the light house, there it was, my first Siberian Rubythroat, tail
cocked like that of a Rufous Bush-Robin or Wren, and with shiny white
undertail-coverts. It was a female. Soon I found also a male some
15 meters North of the light house. During the next half an hour
I found a second pair, obviously feeding young somewhere close by.
I then watched the ocean for a while, a few hundred Shearwaters far
away, but couldn't find a single Albatross. Cormorants, a couple of
Harlequins and Black-throated or Pacific Loons were also present.
I left the light house to look for the trail heading east. I tried
four different trails. They were all dead ends. The fifth trail
I tried was a tractor road. It looked fine until it reached a point
with heavy barbed wire and several signs saying something in Japanese.
I turned around, and walked back to the car.
After having lunch in the car I drove close to Megane Iwa in the
Northeast corner of Ochiishi (site 35) peninsula. After watching there
seaweed harvesting and a close by Harlequin, I decided by recommendation
from a Japanese bird photographer (using AF canon 600f4 lens) to walk
along the cliff edge towards the light house from this end of the
peninsula. It seemed OK. I only saw a small no driving sign in Japanese,
and I ended up walking some 2km. I had both cormorants, several
Harlequins, Spectacled Guillemots, silent Middendorff's, and loads of
Gulls. The habitat was dwarf bamboo in drier places and sedge in wetter
areas. Back at my car I saw the only Peregrine of my trip followed
soon by the the first White-tailed Eagle.
At 1.30PM I headed for the Ochiishi harbor to check all the gulls and
after that I went to Hanasakiko harbor (43d17'N 145d20'E) to do the
same thing. I was getting frustrated in not being able to find any
other gulls except Slaty-backs and Black-tails.
At 4.35PM I drove to Nemuro, to get something to eat, and then to check
the rather empty harbor. I decided to take the road west. Some 200m
before the coastal street joins Rte 44 just west of Nemuro at about
43d19'N 145d33.5'E I had close views of a summer plumaged Loon,
which looked to me as like a Black-throated Loon and not a Pacific loon.
I continued further west to the Furen-ko East entrance (site 33,
43d12'N 145d28.5'E). Right at the entrance I had two nice birds,
a Glaucous-winged Gull and an Oystercatcher as well as a flock of some
40 Grey Herons. The Furen-ko reserve looked picturesque and have I had
more time I'm sure I would had taken a morning walk there. Because of my
limited time, I went for the stake-out Blakiston's Fish-Owl (43d07'N
145d21'E). I got out of the car at 18.10, and there was a male hooting
and a female responding, and apparently two young birds calling from
the Fish-Owl reserve. After about 15 minutes' wait the male flew silently
across the river at a distance of about 100m from me. From there on
it was easy to separate which call was the male and which one the female.
At 18.30 I hopped in the car, and turned on a minor track for a U-turn
flushing an Eurasian Woodcock from the road. I drove West on Rte 44
and then North on Rte 243 to the intersection of Highways 243 and 244,
and pulled off to the parking area (43d18.5'N 145d13'E), tallied the day
and started sleeping.
26.8.
I woke up at 04.45, prepared some coffee and started driving North along
Rte 244. During the first 15 km I pulled over several times. During the
first stop (43d20.5'N 143d13'E) I dropped my 20 year old Kowa telescope
-- it pretty much survived. I also found some good birds for my trip list
along Rte 244: An eclipse male Garganey, a Grey-headed Woodpecker and
Eastern Crowned Warblers. Also a couple of Japanese Cranes were calling.
Sika Deer with their puppy-like barking sounds and several Long-tailed
Rose-finches were also around, as well as Coal Tits -- all over
the place, and a singing Short-tailed Bush Warbler, quite unexpected.
At 5.45 I arrived at the base of Hashirikotan peninsula (site 33), at the
Northwest end of Furen-ko. The peninsula looks like a sand bar. It
turned out to be a decent site for photography. I shot a couple of rolls
on obliging Red-necked Stints, Common Terns of race longipennis and
Grey-tailed Tattlers. There were loads of Black Kites flying around.
I also got a couple of close views of White-tailed Eagles. I saw also
my first flocks of Pacific Swifts here. The beach was also nice for
finding 12cm size "Shell" sea shells. I left Hashirikotan at 12.30.
I stopped to check some raptors right in the middle of the village of
Hakuchodai (at the base of the peninsula) and found an Eastern Marsh
Harrier amongst a flock of Black Kites. Driving my windows open I picked
up from the North end of the same village a House Sparrow like call
amongst the Tree Sparrow calls. This turned out to be a flock of six
Russet Sparrows. The females were the ones easier to identify!
En route I stopped also for a Buzzard, and a flock of Red-cheecked
Starlings. I also got my first views of a Green Pigeon, and saw several
flocks of Pacific Swift.
I arrived at Notsuke Hanto (site 32 43d36'N 145d10' to 20'E) at 13.00.
To my surprise the whole Northeastern edge was covered by wave breakers,
so it turned out to be a much worse site for photography than
Hashirikotan, at least if sandy beach is hoped for the background in
the photographs. There were loads of tourists, but it still looked like
an excellent site for shorebirds, but it was not exactly the kind of
an area that I was looking for in my limited time. I decided to hit
the Eastern North Coast, and I started driving on Rte 244 towards
Tofutsu-ko (site 37).
I stopped in a parking are at 43d44'N 144d55E for a short walk in the
mountains. Just a couple of Japanese Bush Warblers and some mushrooms
(Leccinum, Russula). The mountains were beautiful. A second stop produced
a Jay, but no Varied Tits.
After and hour and a half's drive I arrived at 16.00 to Lake Tofutsu-ko
(43d56'N 144d23'E). The light was bad. In the Northeasternmost corner
I saw a Little Grebe. A kilometer further west along Rte 244, there
is a combined horse stable and a bird observing tower. It is hopelessly
far away from the ducks, but provided nice views of the area and of
a female Eastern Marsh Harrier and two White-tailed Eagles. The horse
stable attracts Wagtails, among them were a flock of seven Yellow
Wagtail of the race taiwana, which dropped from the sky to my feet.
Sun was getting lower, and now I was trying my chances to find a Falcated
Teal. Quick drive to the West end of the lake for better light.
The light was good there, so were the mosquitos, which were not high in
number but very fierce in quality. Here I had several duck species:
Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, but no Falcated Teal. Two white-tailed
eagles landed just in front of me, may be at distance of 70 meters.
There were also lots of shorebirds close enough for identification with
a scope: Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Red-Necked Stint, and
5 juvenile Great Knots. Not too bad!
At sunset I found myself in the Southwestern corner of the lake with
pretty much the same stuff as above plus flocks of Wood Sandpipers coming
in. After sunset I made a quick dash to the shore - to find only one
small flock of Gulls on a 8 km stretch of coastline, and no Herring
Gulls. I decided to give up Gulling and headed for the mountains and
the Kawayu area (43d37.5'N 144d27'E). I stopped a few times driving
the road up the mountain to listen for owls. I found only starry skies
and a couple of foxes. Suddenly, I hit the clouds. I smelled something
burning, but it went away. I got to Kawayu and checked the start of
the trail, which I was going to take the next morning. I found it rather
easily. From Kawayu driving South on Rte 52 it is on the right side some
20 meters after the "17km" sign. 200 meters south of this there is
a small parking area, where I pulled over. I felt again that same funny
smell, but after my one-man tally I fell asleep and didn't care about it.
27.8.
I got up at 5.15, and realized that I was in a high plateau area, and
the stuff I still smelled was sulphur. I was less than a km from
the sulphur vents of Izu-san. I drank my ritualistic morning coffee and
hit the trail (site 38). I had a Siberian Meadow Bunting almost
immediately. The trail starts as a nice wide trail, but soon almost
disappears into a dwarf bamboo ticket, only to re-emerge as a good
"tractor" trail a couple hundred meters later. There were some birds
around: Coal Tits, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Nuthatches. And several
beautifully singing birds, which turned out to be Bullfinches. It took
me a while to realize that the resonant song of the Bullfinch was not
some kind of a thrush. The trail then turned right. Just as I was sure
I had missed the turn mentioned in Brazil's guidebook, I got to a gate
and a trail intersection just after it. Some 100 meters down the trail,
as it veered to the left I heard from my right (North side) a call of
a Black Woodpecker. As I imitated the bird, the bird approached me
calling all the time, but never came into view. I also hear my first
Varied Tit singing, unfortunately I realized what it was only a little
bit too late. The area seemed good for mushrooms too (see list below).
A flock of Jays was moving around. There were absolutely no signs of
summer birds, such as Flycatchers, Thrushes or Leaf-warblers.
Relatively speaking the forest was rather quiet. On my way back I heard
a Varied Tit again, and this time I got to see two birds from a distance
of only 3 meters (10 feet). I was pleased. I got to the car at 10.30
and had a lunch break while watching Pacific Swifts.
Next I drove to Izu-San sulphur vents. The charge for the car park is
400 Yen, quite expensive, but worth it. The crystallized sulphur is
really cool looking stuff. There is also a huge souvenir shop. I drove
back to Kawayu to check the lake Kussharo-ko (43d37N 144d20E), just in
case it had some Needle-tailed Swifts. I saw none. I stopped at several
spots on Rte 52 along the Eastern shore of the lake. I finally turned
East to Rte 243 and left the lake towards the Daisetsuzan area.
I arrived at Nukabira (43d22'N 143d12E) at 16.30. The scenery on Rte 273
was great. I should have spent here a full day. This short a visit
produced a couple of new birds: Asian House Martins on the lake, and
a Japanese Sparrow Hawk flying over the road.
Back at home I realized that the lake shown in Brazil's site 41 map of
Daisetsuzan is not Nukabira-ko, but rather a smaller lake (43d39'N
143d03E) some 30km North of Nukabira-ko, and that Rte 39 North of this
minor lake is not shown in the guide. Well, I doubt if I would had
enough time for that venture in any case.
I stopped a couple of times at Shikaribetsu-ko (Site 42, 43d17'N
143d07'E). I had a flock of Nuthatch, Tits, Brown Creepers and
Goldcrests. At the Southern end of the lake I got a glimpse of a large
bird flying over the road. Based on the size it was either a Sea-eagle
or a (Fish?) Owl. It was getting dark. The road was busy, full of
curves, and SLOW to drive. I drove a hundred miles, and stopped at
10 PM near Lake Utonai-ko (site 44, 42d42'N 141d42.5E) close to the
Ferry terminal city of Tomakomai.
28.8.
I was tired, and I got up late at 5.30. I prepared my morning coffee and
drove slowly to the reserve area. I parked at the last parking place of
the reserve. From there on, I walked to the right (Southwest). The trail
to the left was flooded and unaccessible. A short walk to the reserve
center would have yielded several Gray's Grasshopper Warblers. The walk
to the right was good and productive crossing several habitats. The lake
shore produced to my surprise a female Mandarin Duck (almost stepped
on it), a vocal Little Grebe, a couple of Kingfishers. There were
also some Yellow-breasted Buntings and Grey-faced Buntings in the bushes.
After 200 meters the trail entered a small reedbed, with Reed Buntings
and Black-Browed Warblers singing. The trail then went into a coastal
wooded habitat, with several Great Tits, Marsh Tits, Nuthatches, and
Black-faced Buntings and finally my first views of a Japanese Pygmy
Woodpecker, as one landed in the tree right in front of me. At the end,
the trail enters a park close to the Southwestern corner of the lake.
This turned out to be very productive, Brown Flycatchers, Olive-backed
Tree Pipits, both Starling species, Hawfinches, and Whooper Swans
that were apparently been taken care. Also an unidentified Cuckoo flew
by and I found also one Pale-legged Willow Warbler. The lake shore is
also open here. After spotting a Great Egret, I went on to check the
Mallards. I ran across a dark, smaller, round-headed, and dark-billed
Duck, which after a while flew some 200m. The bird was to my surprise
a Falcated Teal. I did not expect to see one here! On the way back to
the car I saw also a Brown Thrush, the first identified Thrush during
this trip! After a short visit to the visitor's center, and an
enjoyable discussion with the local staff, I wandered along the
"Yellow-breasted Bunting"-trial as far North as I was able to.
2 Yellow-breasted Buntings, an alarming Grays Grasshopper Warbler,
and three Siberian Rubythroats made me quite pleased. The time was
now 1.30PM. I rearranged all my luggage, had lunch and got prepared
for my last birding destination.
Lake Shikotsu-ko (site 44, 42d45'N 141d20E) turned out to have nice
scenery, but absolutely no birds. The road on the Eastern shore was
closed. Northern shore is non-existent, and there are very few parking
areas on the busy Southern shore.
I returned my rental car at 18.00. The plane left from Chitose-Sapporo
Airport (42d40'N 141d40'E) at 19.45 and arrived at Tokyo Haneda at 21.00.
There I learned that the last shuttle had just left for Narita Airport.
Using incorrect information received from the service desk. I took
a mono rail to Hamamatsucho, where I changed to JR train taking me to
Nippori (which was the wrong thing to do, because express trains do not
stop at this station). At Nippori I changed to the Keisei line, bound
for Narita town. There I took a taxi to the Narita Airport Rest House.
The passport was checked on entry to the airport area.
29.8.
I woke up at 8.15 and left Japan at 11.00.
THANK YOU:
-To the Nature reserve staff at Yatsu-higata and Utonai-ko.
-To all people who helped me find birds, particularly Neil FERGUSSON.
-To Kari HAATAJA, Fer-Jan de VRIES, Atsushi MATSUI, Taichi KATO,
Masatoshi KOITA, Lars HYLANDER for providing me with valuable
up-to-date local information before and during my trip.
-To Fer-Jan, Kari, Neil, Kato-san and Ikenaga-san for reading through the trip
report and giving suggestions for improvements.
-To former trip report writers: Urs GEISER, Richard EDEN, Garry GEORGE,
Haynes MILLER, Alan WILKINSON, Pertti ZETTERBERG.
-To Morten GUENTER, Lars LARSSON, Jon BRYANT in helping out in some IDs.
-To all who I forgot and should have mentioned.
LITERATURE:
BASIC GUIDE:
"A field guide to the Birds of Japan, Wild Bird Society of Japan."
is a reasonable guide. Contains some errors and some imperfections
(eg. phylloscopi are not well drawn), but in general an OK guide.
COMPLEMENTARY FIELD GUIDEs:
There is an abundance of field guides in Japanese. I ended up selecting
a small and light weight field guide from the series Yama-Kei Field
Books ISBN 4-635-06004-6 price about 2500Yen. It is all Japanese, but
contains superb photographs of about 315 species, and usually 2 or 3 of
each in very useful combinations (usually a male and female, or winter
and summer, or ad and juvenile).
AUDIO FIELD GUIDES or CDs and tapes:
The guide on the top in this series is the "CD Books, The Songs and
Calls of 333 Birds in Japan". It consists of the set for non-passerines
(CDs 1-3 and book) (ISBN 4-09-480071-9) and a set for passerines
(CDs 4-6 and book) (ISBN 4-09-480072-7). The books are all Japanese.
The description of each species in the books contain the track
number, as well as the Latin, English names -- very useful!
It takes a total of about 2 hours to self-index all CDs (unless you can
understand the Japanese index). In addition, a sonogram, sonograph and
a photograph of for each species is included in the description as well
as a huge load of text in Japanese. Price is about 9000 Yen/volume,
expensive, but worth it. This set can be very difficult to find.
You may want somebody to reserve you a set before you arrive to Japan.
Although birds were very silent this time of the year, the CD set
turned out to be very useful.
If you prefer tapes, I found two sets: Voice of Hokkaido, Wild Birds 1-5,
each about 1500 Yen, and containing about 20-30 species and not in
systematic order. It apparently refers to some book. The only number I
could find is the Tel&Fax 011-7868030 with no English text what so ever
except for the name.
The second tape is song and calls of 99 species with no numbers or
English text.
TWO further IMPORTANT BOOKS needs to be mentioned:
Both are by Mark Brazil: "A birdwatcher's guide to Japan"
ISBN 0-87011-849-8 or 4-7700-1349-3 2300 Yen and
Birds of Japan ISBN 0-7136-8006-7. The birdwatcher's guide is 10 years
old, and starting to get slightly out of date, but still very useful
in the field. The Japanese birders appeared to have better site guides,
but they were written completely in Japanese. The "Birds of Japan" is
a handbook, and worth reading before the trip, but may be too heavy for
carrying around.
SELECTED REPORTS FROM JAPAN BY M BRAZIL that I found useful:
Brazil, M., "Birding in Southern Japan", Birding, 25, 224-234 (1993)
Brazil, M., "Birding year in Hokkaido", Birding, 18, 91-97 (1986)
Brazil, M., "Birding in Japan", Dutch Birding, 16(2), 45-53 (1994)
Brazil, M., "Seabirding in Japan", Dutch Birding, 15(4), 160-166 (1993)
AND BY OTHERS eg. at two www sites:
http://www.xnet.com/~ugeiser/Birds/TripReports/TripReports.html
http://www.etl.go.jp/etl/etlclu/~ferjan/birds.html
CAR RENTAL:
My travel agent was unable to find a car rental agency from Kushiro,
but the Japan National Tourist Office web page (see below) and
subsequent email correspondence was of great help. Also the Kushiro
Tourism Association was of great help.
I rented a car by fax from Nippon rent-a-car Kushiro office and dropped
it to the Chitose office near Sapporo Chitose airport. A pickup from
Kushiro harbor and a drop off service to the airport were included.
Unlimited mileage is difficult to obtain for Hokkaido. My deal was
220 free km/first day and 100 "free" km/day thereafter. Extra km per
20 Yen. I drove 1700km, and payed 71000 Yen for the fun including
drop-off charge.
Roads were of good condition, except for some main east-west highways,
that were quite worn by heavy truck traffic.
It was not clear to me what the general speed limit was. (I was told
later it is 60km/h.) East of Kushiro I ended up driving at about 70km/h
a little slower than the general flow. In the mountains the average
speed was around 40km/h-50km/h. You should use 40km/h as an average
speed when you calculate driving times. This seems to be valid elsewhere
also in Japan on local and highways excluding the expensive toll roads.
Gasoline price was about 107 Yen/liter.
An International Driver's license is required.
MAPS:
On recommendation from Fer-Jan de Vries, Neil Fergusson and Brazil's
guide, I obtained a Mapple map of Hokkaido (1500 Yen) mostly 1:200 000,
but 1:100 000 around Sapporo.
Map grids are given at intervals of 4'N in latitude and 5'E in longitude,
and reading the geographical coordinates is easy. Some of the major towns
are shown in Roman letters, which are much more common in street signs.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
In Hokkaido many of the bird sites are rather far away from train
stations, and services are sparse, so trains are only a second
alternative in Hokkaido in getting to the bird sites at early hour.
I have no information about bus services.
In Honshu, especially in crowded areas, the easiest and most affordable
way to get around are the trains, subways and buses. The system runs
generally spot on schedule. You can almost check you watch on the arrival
of a train. You may need some help in figuring out how to get a ticket
(some places have counters and some have ticket vending machines).
Once you have figured out the system, it is fast and convenient.
The ticket is checked twice. On entry to the train/sub platform and
on departure from the platform at you arrival station. So make sure to
hold to your ticket. This is the case for all trains and subways.
The name of the train or subway station as well as the preceding and
following stations are usually shown rather well in Roman letters at
every station. The next station is also announced by loudspeakers.
For long distances, I recommend the bullet trains (eg. Shinkansen), which
are operated by Japan Rail (JR). If you plan to use JR a lot during your
stay, get a one or two week pass at your home country. It will pay itself
back soon.
If you take an internal FLIGHT make sure to hold to the luggage label.
It will be checked when you pick up your luggage. Weight limit on
internal flights is nominally 15kg, but my 23 kg (international) luggage
was accepted with no questions. Flight from Sapporo to Tokyo (Haneda)
was about 23000 Yen.
Also on the FERRY from Tokyo to Kushiro your boarding passes are checked
on entry to the ship AND upon arrival. My travel agent was unable to
reserve me a place on the ferries, so I ended up calling the office
in Tokyo, and obtaining a reservation number that way. The ferry ticket
was about 14400 yen. I recommend this ferry trip highly.
OTHER TIPS:
Three aspects in Japan were of great pleasure to me. First the kindness
of people. If you need help, you'll usually find somebody who will at
least try to help you.
Second, Japan is CLEAN. No trash anywhere (well, I found a few spots in
Hokkaido with a couple of beer cans and some other minor trash). In Kyoto
at least you can be fined 30 000 Yen is caught trashing.
Third, Japanese honesty appears to be unsurpassable by any other nation
in the world. For example the "cabins" in the Kushiro ferry have some
48 bunks or tamamis to sleep on, i.e. there are no cabins at least
in second class in the sense you might expect in European Ferries.
Well, at least I felt pretty safe in leaving some of my valuables just
on the bunk for the day.
LANGUAGE:
Japanese. Quite a few people speak English, and many more understand it,
but don't dare to speak it. The language has 4 main different alphabet
systems. Western-like text is found eg. in train station names, airports
and road signs in Hokkaido. Finding good maps with western characters
is difficult though.
CURRENCY:
I counted on having enough cash with me. Credit cards are apparently not
as widely used as in the western world (not accepted for tickets, for
example). Credit card was accepted at the car rental agency and at
the hotel.
FRONTIER AND AIRPORT FORMALITIES:
For some nationalities visas are required. On leaving the country through
Narita airport an airport tax of 2040 Yen needs to be paid.
ACCOMMODATION:
I had a hotel reserved for the time I was at the IAU meeting. Before that
I stayed at a private home, and in Hokkaido I slept in the car. The last
night I stayed near Narita airport at The Rest house hotel at an
"reasonable" price of 9500 Yen.
SOME USEFUL ADDRESSES:
Tokyo-Kushiro Ferry (KINKAI YUSEN LINES) Tel +3-5400-6080(English spoken)
Tokyo-Tomakomai Ferry (BLUE HIGH WAY LINES) Tel +3-3578-1127
Japan National Tourist Office http://www.jnto.go.jp/index.html
email:jnto@jnto.go.jp
Kushiro Tourism Association Tel +81-154-31-1993 Fax +81-154-31-1994
Nippon Rent-a-car reservation Tel +3-3485-7916 (English speaking desk)
Fax +3-3468-1219 (English speaking desk)
Narita Airport Rest House Tel +476-32-1212 Fax +476-32-1919
Wild Bird Society of Japan Birdshop (Tokyo)
Tel +3-5701-6400 Fax +3-5701-8479
Wild Bird Society of Japan Birdshop (Osaka)
Tel +6-766-2307 Fax +6-766-2308
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTES ON SPECIES
=================
I have adopted a non-conventional notation in Japanese names.
oo denotes a long o letter and uu a long u
(p) denotes that the species is identifiable from photographs.
1. BLACK-THROATED LOON Gavia arctica [Oohamu]
25.8 Hokkaido, 1 bird Northwest of Nemuro. Quite close views.
-- PACIFIC/BLACK-THROATED LOON Gavia pacifica/arctica [Shiroeri/Oohamu]
25.8 Hokkaido, 6 birds of the cliffs at the light house of
Ochiishi. These birds seemed to be Black-throated Divers
as well.
2. LITTLE GREBE Tachybaptus ruficollis [Kaitsuburi]
27.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 1 breeding plumage
18.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1 calling
3. BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS Diomedea nigripes [Kuroashi-ahoodori]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 41 + 2 unidentified albatrosses.
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 20
4. LAYSAN ALBATROSS (p) Diomedea immutabilis [Ko-ahoodori]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 14
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 220!
5. NORTHERN FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis [Furuma-kamome]
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 1
6. STREAKED SHEARWATER (p) Calonectris leucomelas [Oo-mizunagidori]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 100
17.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 100, seen by Neil, but not myself.
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 4550
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, None
7. FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER (p) Puffinus carneiceps [Akaashi-mizunagidori]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 2
8. SOOTY SHEARWATER Puffinus griseus [Haiiro-mizunagidori]
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 2
9. SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER Puffinus tenuirostris [Hashiboso-mizunagidori]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 2
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 20
-- SOOTY/SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 2200 close to Hokkaido. Short-tails?
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula, 200. Possibly Short-tails?
10. LEACH'S STORM-PETREL Oceanodroma leucorhoa [Koshijiro-umitsubame]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 3
11. BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL Oceanodroma castro [Kuro-koshijiro-umitsubame]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 5 + 34 unidentified storm-petrels, mostly
white-rumped, and based on flight behavior likely to be
this species rather than Leach's.
12. TRISTRAM'S STORM-PETREL Oceanodroma tristrami [Oosuton-umitsubame]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 4
13. GREAT CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo [Kawa-u]
22.8 Tokyo area, 6 seen from the local train
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 8
14. JAPANESE CORMORANT (p) Phalacrocorax filamentosus [Umi-u]
24.8 Hokkaido, daily sum 220, mainly at Kirritappu peninsula area.
25.8 Hokkaido, daily sum 125, mainly Ochiishi area (wave breaker!)
15. PELAGIC CORMORANT (p) Phalacrocorax pelagicus [Hime-u]
24.8 Hokkaido, daily sum 10, mainly at Kirritappu peninsula area.
25.8 Hokkaido, daily sum 60, mainly Ochiishi area.
-- Small BITTERN sp Ixobrychus sp [Yoshi-goi/Oo-Yoshi-goi]
15.8 Bird calling a few times after sunset at Tonegawa river on
the Island North of Sasagawa.
16. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON (p) Nycticorax nycticorax [Goi-sagi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Tonegawa River 2,
Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river, Island North of Sasagawa 2
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 3,
and East of Ukishima 60
22.8 Shinkansen train 1ad, Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 1ad
17. CATTLE EGRET Bubulcus ibis [Ama-sagi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Tonegawa River 4
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 8,
and East of Ukishima 5, Tonegawa river, Island North of
Sasagawa 10
18. LITTLE EGRET (p) Egretta garzetta [Ko-sagi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 2, Tonegawa River 2
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 4,
and East of Ukishima 3, Tonegawa river, Island North of
Sasagawa 3
18.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall 4
22.8 Shinkansen train 40 unidentified small white egrets
Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 7
19. INTERMEDIATE EGRET (p) Egretta intermedius [Chuu-sagi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, East of Ukishima 2,
Tonegawa river, Island North of Sasagawa 2
--. EGRET ROOKERY
Not included in the above is a egretry of at least 150 birds
including all small white egret species.
20. GREAT EGRET (p) Egretta alba [Dai-sagi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1, Tonegawa River 1
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 1,
and East of Ukishima 1
18.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall 1
22.8 Shinkansen train 3, Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 3
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1
21. GREY HERON (p) Ardea cinerea [Ao-sagi]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 14
19.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall 2, Kyoto Palace Garden 1
22.8 Shinkansen train 5, Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 20
24.8 Hokkaido, Okito 12, elsewhere 3
25.8 Hokkaido, Furen-ko 40 birds in a single flock.
26.8 Hokkaido, total 340, including a flock of 250 at the base of
Hashirikotan
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 8
22. MUTE SWAN Cygnus olor [Kobu-hakuchoo]
18-22.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall 6 captive birds
(wings cut)
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 23
-- (WHOOPER SWAN Cygnus cygnus [Oo-hakuchoo])
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 8 birds. These were injured birds that
were taken care of at the lake.
23. MANDARIN DUCK Aix galericulata [Oshidori]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1 female. Unexpected bird.
I almost stepped on the poor bird. It was able to fly fine
though.
24. FALCATED TEAL Anas falcata [Yoshi-gamo]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1 female. I did not expect this one either
at Utonai-ko although I had searched for it unsuccessfully
at Tofutsu-ko.
25. GADWALL Anas strepera [Okayoshi-gamo]
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 2 or possibly 4 birds.
26. COMMON TEAL Anas crecca [Ko-gamo]
24.8 Hokkaido, Poroto 2
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 45
27. MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos [Ma-gamo]
24.8 Hokkaido, Poroto 18, Okito 4, Kanesato 2
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 180
27.8 Hokkaido, Kussharo-ko 2 large unidentified Anas ducks
26.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 80
28. SPOT-BILLED DUCK Anas poecilorhyncha [Karu-gamo]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 5,
and East of Ukishima 8, Tonegawa river, Island North of
Sasagawa 2
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 20
I may have overlooked this species in the Mallard flocks in
Hokkaido.
29. PINTAIL Anas acuta [Onaga-gamo]
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 3 female plumaged birds
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 2 female plumaged birds
30. GARGANEY Anas querquedula [Shimaaji]
25.8 Hokkaido, Furen-ko area, near km141 on Rte 244, 1 eclipse
plumaged male.
31. NORTHERN SHOVELER Anas clypeata [Hashibiro-gamo]
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 6
32. GREAT SCAUP Aythya marila [Suzu-gamo]
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 3 female-plumaged birds
24.8 Hokkaido, Okito 1male 3females, Kirritappu harbor 1 male
33. HARLEQUIN (p) Histrionicus histrionicus [Shinori-gamo]
24.8 Hokkaido, Kirritappu peninsula SW corner 7+7 birds
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 1+2+3 birds
34. COMMON MERGANSER Mergus merganser [Kawa-aisa]
24.8 Hokkaido, Okito, 5 females
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km18(or km118?), 22 female-type plumaged birds.
35.. BLACK KITE (p) Milvus migrans [Tobi]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Lake Kasumigaura, Ukishima 1
19.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall 1
24.8 Hokkaido 1
25.8 Hokkaido 1
26.8 Hokkaido 140
27.8 Hokkaido 6
28.8 Hokkaido 15
36. WHITE-TAILED EAGLE (p) Haliaeetus albicilla [Ojiro-Washi]
24.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi, 1 adult and 1 subad.
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan, 2 ad and 1 subad,
Tofutsu-ko , East end 1 ad and 1 juv,
Tofutsu-ko , West end 3 juv-subad birds
27.8 Hokkaido, Shikaibetsu-ko 1 large raptor, of possibly
this species at dawn.
37. EASTERN MARSH HARRIER Circus spilonotus [Chuuhi]
26.8 Hokkaido, Hakuchodai, 1 male circling high above,
and Tofutsu-ko 1 female.
38. JAPANESE SPARROWHAWK Accipiter gularis [Tsumi]
24.8 Hokkaido, Near Nukabira-ko 1 male
39. NORTHERN SPARROWHAWK Accipiter nisus [Hai-taka]
24.8 Hokkaido, Onnebetsu bridge, 1 female
40. GREY-FACED BUZZARD(-EAGLE) (p) Butastur indicus [Sashiba]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Lake Kasumigaura, Ukishima 1
possibly of this species, and East of Ukishima 1 (1cy) bird.
41. BUZZARD (p) Buteo buteo [Nosuri]
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km122.6, 1 bird circling high above.
42. HODGSON'S HAWK-EAGLE Spizaetus nipalensis [Kuma-taka]
22.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall a raptor of about
the size of a Buzzard of a conspicuous shape: Shortish wings,
long tail, small head and a very strongly bulging inner wing.
The bird was flying only some 50-100 meters above me.
43. EURASIAN KESTREL Falco tinnunculus [Choogenboo]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, East of
Ukishima 1 hovering by the road.
44. PEREGRINE FALCON Falco peregrinus [Hayabusa]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula, 1 flying SE
-- HAZEL GROUSE Bonasa bonasia [Ezo-raichoo]
27.8 Hokkaido, Forest near Kawayu. I hear twice a sound that
I would have identified at home as Hazel grouse taking off.
I didn't see these birds though.
45. BAMBOO PARTRIDGE Bambusicola thoracica [Kojukei]
16.8 Tsukuba, Doho Park, 1 bird seen and 2 heard
46. GREEN PHEASANT Phasianus versicolor [Kiji]
16.8 Tsukuba, Doho Park, 1 male bird seen skulking in grass
undergrowth.
47. JAPANESE CRANE (p) Grus japonensis [Tanchoo]
24.8 Hokkaido, Poroto, 2 birds by the road
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km141 and Hashirikotan, heard two birds
at both sites.
48. PAINTED SNIPE Rostratula benghalensis [Tama-shigi]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima,
1 male and 1 female in open rice field.
49. COMMON OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus ostralegus [Miyakodori]
25.8 Hokkaido, Furen-ko 1 bird near the Parking area at
the entrance to the reserve.
50. BLACK-WINGED STILT Himantopus himantopus [Seitaka-shigi]
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve , 16.
51. ORIENTAL PRATINCOLE (p) Glareola orientalis [Tsubame-chidori]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, East of
Ukishima 1 bird, also in flight.
52. RINGER PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula [Hajiro-ko-chidori]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, East of
Ukishima 1 bird heard at the same location as the Pratincole.
53. LITTLE RINGED PLOVER Charadrius dubius [Ko-chidori]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 5
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 8,
and East of Ukishima 4a37, Tonegawa river mouth 2,
Chiba-ken, Choshi area 20
54. MONGOLIAN PLOVER (p) Charadrius mongolus [Medai-chidori]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 2
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 1,
Tonegawa river mouth 2
Chiba-ken, Choshi area 9
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 22
26.8 Hokkaido, Notsuke-Hanto 4 and Tofutsu-ko 8
55. PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER (p) Pluvialis fulva [Munaguro]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima
31 birds in 2 flocks, and East of Ukishima 39 birds in 2
flocks
56. GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola [Daizen]
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 70
25.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan and Notsuke-hanto, total of 50 birds
57. GREY-HEADED LAPWING Vanellus cinereus [Keri]
22.8 Shinkansen train 6 near Nagoya
58. GREAT KNOT (p) Calidris tenuirostris [Oba-shigi]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river mouth, 1ad
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 5
59. RED-NECKED STINT (p) Calidris ruficollis [Toonen]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, East of Ukishima 2
Tonegawa river mouth 4
Chiba-ken, Choshi area 4
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 1
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan 30, Notsuke-hanto 20 +300 unidentified,
Tofutsu-ko 50
60. SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER Calidris acuminata [Uzura-shigi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1
61. DUNLIN Calidris alpina [Hama-shigi]
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 12
62. LATHAM'S SNIPE Gallinago hardwickii [Ooji-Shigi]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, East of
Ukishima 2-3 birds
63. EURASIAN WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola [Yama-shigi]
25.8 Hokkaido, Near Furen-ko on a minor road.
64. BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica [Oo-sorihashi-shigi]
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 60
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 57
65. WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus [Chuushaku-shigi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 4
17.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 2
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan 4
66. EURASIAN CURLEW Numenius arquata [Daishaku-shigi]
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 1
67. FAR EASTERN CURLEW Numenius madagascariensis [Hooroku-shigi]
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 2
68. COMMON REDSHANK (p) Tringa totanus [Akaashi-shigi]
17.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 4
69. GREENSHANK Tringa nebularia [Aoashi-shigi]
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 13
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan 3, Tofutsu-ko 20
28.8 Hokkaido Utonai-ko voice
70. GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus [Kusa-shigi]
28.8 Hokkaido Utonai-ko voice
71. WOOD SANDPIPER Tringa glareola [Takabu-shigi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1
17.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1
24.8 Hokkaido, Kanesato 1
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan 12, Tofutsu-ko 40
72. TEREK SANDPIPER Xenus cinereus [Sorihashi-shigi]
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 14
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 9
73. COMMON SANDPIPER Tringa hypoleuca [Iso-shigi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 3,
and East of Ukishima 2
Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 2
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 1
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 2
74. GREY-TAILED TATTLER (p) Heteroscelus brevipes [Kiashi-shigi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 7
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 6,
and East of Ukishima 1,
Chiba-ken, Choshi area 2
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 230
25.8 Hokkaido, 1 bird West of Nemuro
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan 20, Notsuke-hanto 135, Tofutsu-ko 30
75. RUDDY TURNSTONE (p) Arenaria interpres [Kyoojo-shigi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 7
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, East of Ukishima 4,
Chiba-ken, Choshi area 6
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 30
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan etc total 10 birds
76. NORTHERN PHALAROPE Phalaropus lobatus [Akaeri-hireashi-shigi]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 133, seen all day
77. POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus [Toozokukamome]
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 4 between 06.45 and 07.00
78. SOUTH POLAR SKUA Stercorarius maccormicki [Oo-toozokukamome]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 1 at 16.20
79. COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL Larus ridibundus [Yuri-kamome]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Lake Kasumigaura, Ukishima 2
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 20
80. BAND-TAILED GULL (p) Larus crassirostris [Umineko]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 150
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river mouth + Chiba-ken, Choshi area 250
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 200
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro 2 only!
24.8 Hokkaido, total 500
25.8 Hokkaido, total 500
26.8 Hokkaido, total 150
81. (VEGA) HERRING GULL Larus argentatus (vegae) [Seguro-kamome]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river mouth 1 adult
82. SLATY-BACKED GULL (p) Larus schistisagus [Oo-seguro-kamome]
17.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 10
24.8 Hokkaido, total 2210
25.8 Hokkaido, total 3650
26.8 Hokkaido, total 500
27.8 and 28.8 None
83. GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (p) Larus glaucescens [Washi-kamome]
25.8 Hokkaido, Furen-ko 1 ad at entrance to park
26.8 Hokkaido, 1 Hashirikotan 1ad and a possible hybrid
ad GWGull x ? flying along the road (Rte 244) near Odaito
84. COMMON TERN Sterna hirundo [Ajisashi]
23.8 Tokyo-Kushiro 62 (47 of these between 16.00 and 16.45)
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan 92 near the tip of the peninsula.
85. LITTLE TERN Sterna albifrons [Ko-ajisashi]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river mouth 50
86. WHITE-WINGED TERN Chlidonias leucopterus [Hajiro-kurohara-ajisashi]
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river mouth 2 (1st cy)
87. SPECTACLED GUILLEMOT Cepphus carbo [Keimafuri]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi 2 adults by the light house.
88. RHINOCEROUS AUCKLET Cerorhinca monocerata [Utou]
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 2
89. TUFTED PUFFIN Lunda cirrhata [Etopirika]
24.8 Tokyo-Kushiro, 1 juvenile
90. ROCK DOVE Columba livia [Dobato]
15.8 Daily sum 25
16.8 Daily sum 20
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river, Island North of Sasagawa 10,
Chiba-ken, Choshi 90
19.8 Kyoto, Garden Palace 50
22.8 Shinkansen train, 90
24.8 Hokkaido 1
25.8 Hokkaido 34
26.8 Hokkaido 3
27.8 Hokkaido 12
91. RUFOUS TURTLE DOVE (p) Streptopelia orientalis [Kiji-bato]
15.8 Daily sum 23, usually singles or pairs.
16.8 Daily sum 21
17.8 Daily sum 17
19.8 Kyoto, Garden Palace 2, Kyoto International Conference Hall 2
22.8 Shinkansen train, 5, Tokyo 3
24.8 Hokkaido 2
26.8 Hokkaido 11
27.8 Hokkaido 14
28.8 Hokkaido 10
92. JAPANESE GREEN PIGEON Treron sieboldii [Ao-bato]
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km120 1 bird over the road
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 2 in beautifully in full sunlight.
93. CUCKOO SP Cuculus sp [Kakkoo/Tsutsudori/Hototogisu]
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km134, 1
27.8 Hokkaido, near Nukabira-ko 1
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1 red phase + 1 sound.
94. BLAKISTON'S FISH OWL Ketupa blakistoni [Shima-fukuro]
25.8 Hokkaido, East of Nemuro. Saw one male. In addition I heard
a female and two young ones. All birds were calling at 18.15.
95. PACIFIC SWIFT (p) Apus pacificus [Amatsubame]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi 2 birds
26.8 Hokkaido, total 110, several flocks on the coast North of
Hashirikotan
27.8 Hokkaido, Kawayu/Izu-San area 25
96. COMMON KINGFISHER Alcedo atthis [Kawasemi]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Tonegawa river 1
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 3
97. GREY-HEADED WOODPECKER Picus canus [Yama-gera]
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km 140, 1 actively calling bird
98. BLACK WOODPECKER Dryocopus martius [Kuma-gera]
27.8 Hokkaido, Kawayu area, 1 actively calling bird on
the Southern slope of Ponponyama.
99. GREAT-SPOTTED WOODPECKER (p) Dendrocopos major [Aka-gera]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 1
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km134 1
27.8 Hokkaido, Kawayu area 2
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 2
100. JAPANESE PYGMY WOODPECKER (p) Dendrocopos kizuki [Ko-gera]
16.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tsukuba Mountain, 2 birds calling
19.8 Kurama, 2 birds calling
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1 bird seen very close by
101. SKYLARK Alauda arvensis [Hibari]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 6, Tonegawa River 6
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, East of Ukishima 1
Chiba-ken, Choshi area 2
24.8 Hokkaido, Kushiro 1
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi 2
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan 2
I noticed on some birds had rufous/reddish lesser wing coverts.
I don't know how to separate A a japonica from other races of
arvensis (or gulgula), but apparently A a japonica is the only
one to breed on the main islands of Japan.
102. BANK SWALLOW Riparia riparia [Shoodoo-tsubame]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 20
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima
56, and East of Ukishima 20
22.8 Chiba-ken, Yatsu-higata reserve 10
24.8 Hokkaido, Okito 10
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 about km80, 200
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 4
103. BARN SWALLOW Hirundo rustica [Tsubame]
15.8 Daily sum 30
16.8 Daily sum 10
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima
20, and East of Ukishima 2
18.8-22.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall 10
24.8 Hokkaido, Okito 4
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 8 apparently migrating birds.
104. ASIAN HOUSE MARTIN Delichon dasypus [Iwa-tsubame]
Only up in the mountains.
27.8 Hokkaido, Nukabira-ko 350
To separate from Del urb, check greyer underside, darker
underwing coverts, shallower fork in tail, smaller rump patch,
and less glossy plumage.
105. OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT Anthus hodgsoni [Binzui]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 2
106. YELLOW WAGTAIL Motacilla flava [Tsumenaga-sekirei]
26.8 Hokkaido, Tofutsu-ko 7 birds of race taiwana
107. GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea [Ki-sekirei]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 1 voice.
108. BLACK-BACKED WAGTAIL (p) Motacilla lugens [Haku-sekirei]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 9, Tonegawa River 3
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 1,
and East of Ukishima 1
Chiba-ken, Choshi area 4
24.8 Hokkaido, Kirritappu peninsula 2
25.8 Hokkaido 26
26.8 Hokkaido 25
27.8 Hokkaido 3
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 5
109. JAPANESE WAGTAIL (p) Motacilla grandis [Seguro-sekirei]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 2
22.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall 1
24.8 Hokkaido, Kirritappu peninsula 1
110. BROWN-EARED BULBUL Hypsipetes amaurotis [Hiyodori]
16.8 Tsukuba, Doho Park 30, Tsukuba city 10,
Ibaraki-ken, Tsukuba Mountain 8
19.8 Kurama 1
18.8-22.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall 6, Kyoto 4
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1
111. SIBERIAN RUBYTHROAT (p) Lusicinia calliope [No-goma]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 2 pairs near the lighthouse
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1 (1cy m) and 3 singing.
112. RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL Tarsiger cyanurus [Ruri-bitaki]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 1 silent and 2 singing birds.
113. STONECHAT (p) Saxicola torquata [No-bitaki]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 12
26.8 Hokkaido, Coastal areas 10
27.8 Hokkaido, 4
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 2
114. BROWN THRUSH Turdus chrysolaus [Akahara]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1female-type, and one unidentified
Turdus thrush
115. SHORT-TAILED BUSH-WARBLER Cettia squameiceps [Yabusame]
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km134, 1 singing
116. JAPANESE BUSH WARBLER Cettia diophne [Uguisu]
16.8 Tsukuba, Doho Park 1, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukuba Mountain 2
24.8 Hokkaido, total 3
25.8 Hokkaido, total 5
26.8 Hokkaido, total 6
28.8 Hokkaido, total 3
117. FAN-TAILED WARBLER Cisticola juncidis [Sekka]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Choshi area 6, Tonegawa River 8
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 9,
and East of Ukishima 1,
Chiba-ken, Choshi area 3
118. MIDDENDORFF'S WARBLER (p) Locustella ochotensis [Shima-sennyuu]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi 7, silent after 8AM.
119. GRAY'S GRASSHOPPER WARBLER Locuetella fasciolata [Ezo-sennyuu]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 2 birds warning calls.
120. JAPANESE MARSH WARBLER Megalurus pryeri [Oo-sekka]
15.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river, Island N of Sasagawa 1 heard
singing
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Lake Kasumigaura, Ukishima 2 seen singing
121. BLACK-BROWED WARBLER (p) Acrocephalus bistriceps [Ko-yoshikiri]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 10
122. EASTERN CROWNED WARBLER Phylloscopus cornatus [Sendai-mushikui]
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km134 8
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1 and 2 phylloscopi of unidentified
species, possibly this one.
123. PALE-LEGGED WARBLER Phylloscopus tenellipes [Ezo-mushikui]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 1
124. ARCTIC WARBLER Phylloscopus borealis [Meboso-mushikui]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi, 1
125. GOLDCREST Regulus regulus [Kikuitadaki]
24.8 Hokkaido, Onnebetsu bridge 1
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 6
27.8 Hokkaido, 10
126. BROWN FLYCATCHER (p) Muscicapa dauurica [Ko-same-bitaki]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 5
127. LONG-TAILED TIT Aegithalos caudatus [Enaga]
16.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tsukuba Mountain 5
27.8 Hokkaido, Flock, calls.
128. MARSH TIT Parus palustris [Hashibuto-gara]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi, 1
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km134, 3
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 15
129. WILLOW TIT Parus montanus [Ko-gara]
27.8 Hokkaido, Kawayu area 8
130. VARIED TIT Parus varius [Yama-gara]
27.8 Hokkaido, Kawayu area 2+ 3 calls
131. COAL TIT (p) Parus ater [Hi-gara]
19.8 Kyoto, Kurama 1
24.8 Hokkaido, 1
25.8 Hokkaido, 28
26.8 Hokkaido, 20
27.8 Hokkaido, 60
132. GREAT TIT Parus major [Shijuu-gara]
16.8 Tsukuba, Doho Park 2, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukuba Mountain 3
27.8 Hokkaido, Kawayu area 2
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 25
133. EURASIAN NUTHATCH Sitta europaea [Gojuu-gara]
24.8 Hokkaido, 1
25.8 Hokkaido, 2
26.8 Hokkaido, 2
27.8 Hokkaido, 6
28.8 Hokkaido, 4
134. BROWN TREECREEPER Certhia familiaris [Kibashiri]
27.8 Hokkaido, Shikaribetsu-ko 2 calling
135. JAPANESE WHITE-EYE Zosterops japonica [Mejiro]
19.8 Kyoto, Kurama 2
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 5
136. EURASIAN JAY Garrulus glandarius brandtii [Miyama-kakesu]
27.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 about km70, 1
28.8 Hokkaido, Kawayu area 20
137. AZURE-WINGED MAGPIE Cyanopica cyana [Onaga]
16.8 Tsukuba, Doho Park 7
138. CARRION CROW (p) Corvus corone [Hashiboso-garasu]
Daily sums 15-17.8: 15/15/2
19.8 Kyoto, Palace Garden, 25
Kyoto International Conference Hall, daily: 2+ 6 unidentified
22.8 Kyoto-Tokyo, Shinkansen 10 corvids
24.8 Hokkaido 12
25.8 Hokkaido 30
26.8 Hokkaido 25
27.8 Hokkaido 25
28.8 Hokkaido 5
139. JUNGLE CROW (p) Corvus macrorhynchos [Hashibuto-garasu]
Daily sums 15-17.8: 12/4/1
19.8 Kyoto, Palace Garden, 6
Kyoto International Conference Hall, daily: 2
24.8 Hokkaido 17
25.8 Hokkaido 150
26.8 Hokkaido 76
27.8 Hokkaido 25
28.8 Hokkaido -
140. RED-CHEECKED STARLING (p) Sturnus philipensis [Ko-mukudori]
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km (1)18 40birds
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 30
141. GREY STARLING (p) Sturnus cineraceus [Mukudori]
Daily sums 15-17..8: 50/6/75 in small flocks.
19.8 Kyoto, Palace Garden, 80
20.8 Kyoto, Main street (Karasumo dori) between
stations Oike and Shijo, dozens rooting.
22.8 Kyoto International Conference Hall, 20
25.8 Hokkaido, Nemuro 1
26.8 Hokkaido, Mountains on Rte 244 3
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 150+22 unidentified
142. RUSSET SPARROW Passer rutilans [Nyuunai-suzume]
26.8 Hokkaido, Hakuchodai 6
143. EURASIAN TREE SPARROW Passer montanus [Suzume]
Daily sums 15-17.8: 80/30/16 in small flocks.
19.8 Kyoto, Palace Garden 15
daily Kyoto International Conference Hall 15
24.8 Hokkaido 8
25.8 Hokkaido 30
26.8 Hokkaido 4
27.8 Hokkaido None
28.8 Hokkaido 20
144. ORIENTAL GREEN FINCH (p) Carduelis sinica [Kawara-hiwa]
-- wing bars almost like as in Eurasian Goldfinch!
17.8 Tsukuba 1,
Ibaraki-ken, vicinity of Lake Kasumigaura, West of Ukishima 1
24.8 Hokkaido 4
25.8 Hokkaido 20
26.8 Hokkaido 8
27.8 Hokkaido 2
28.8 Hokkaido 4
145. EURASIAN SISKIN Carduelis spinus [Ma-hiwa]
24.8 Hokkaido, Onnebetsu bridge 1
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 1
146. LONG-TAILED ROSEFINCH (p) Uragus sibiricus [Beni-mashiko]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 2
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 total of 14, mostly in pairs/families
in coastal scrub.
147. BULLFINCH Pyrrhula pyrrhula [Uso]
24.8 Hokkaido, Rte 123 1female
27.8 Hokkaido, Kawayu area about 10 singing birds
148. HAWFINCH Coccothraustes coccothraustes [Shime]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 3
149. BLACK-FACED BUNTING Emberiza spodocephala [Aoji]
16.8 Tsukuba, Doho Park 1male
24.8 Hokkaido, SW tip of Kirritappu peninsula 1
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 2
26.8 Hokkaido, Rte 244 km134 4 birds and elsewhere 2 birds
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 15+10 unidentified Emberizids.
150. MEADOW BUNTING Emberiza cioides [Hoojiro]
16.8 Tsukuba, Doho Park 1,
Ibaraki-ken, Tsukuba Mountain 1 possibly of this species
27.8 Hokkaido, Kawayu area 1
151. GREY-HEADED BUNTING Emberiza fucata [Hoaka]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 7
152. YELLOW-BREASTED BUNTING Emberiza aureola [Shima-aoji]
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 4
153. REED BUNTING Emberiza schoeniclus [Oo-jurin]
25.8 Hokkaido, Ochiishi peninsula 6
26.8 Hokkaido, Hashirikotan 5
28.8 Hokkaido, Utonai-ko 6
154. JAPANESE REED BUNTING (p) Emberiza yessoensis [Ko-jurin]
15.8 Chiba-ken, Tonegawa River 4,
Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river, Island North of Sasagawa
2 singing
17.8 Ibaraki-ken, Lake Kasumigaura, Ukishima 4,
Ibaraki-ken, Tonegawa river, Island North of Sasagawa
4 singing
155. RED-BILLED LEIOTHRIX (Peking Robin) Leiothrix lutea [Soushicho]
16.8 Ibaraki-ken, Tsukuba Mountain 6
==============================================================================
MAMMALS
----------
Pacific White-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchos obliquidens [Kama-Iruka]
- one school of this species (23.8 at 15.17),
and three unidentified school of possibly this
species from ferry
Dolphin sp - 4-10 individuals, an all brown species (23.8 at 15.10)
Pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus [Kobire-Gondoo]
- 12 small whales, which looked to me like pilots.
Ferry 23.8 at 15.17
Red Fox Vulpes vulpes [Kita-Kitsune]
- In Hokkaido daily sums: 1/-/5/6/-
Cat sized, short tailed animal - in the Southeatsren Hokkaido on 24.8.
Sika Deer Cervus nippon [Ezo-Shika]
- barking sound - several in Eastern Hokkaido
Weasel sp Martes sp [Ten]
- overall reddish brown, about 50cm head to
trail at Hokkaido Shikotsu-ko
==============================================================================
MUSHROOMS in Hokkaido
----------
Laetiporus sulphureus
Leccinum ( 3 species)
Amanita virosa (also in Tsukuba)
Amanita 2 ringless brown species
Russula sp (several species, and also in Tsukuba)
Cystoderma sp
Collybia sp
Macrolepitota sp (in Tsukuba)
==============================================================================
FISH AND REPTILES
----------
Flying? fish -- ferry trip 23.8 e.g. at 14.00
Sunfish -- ferry trip 2 sunfish 23.8 about 14.20
Green Sea Turtle -- ferry trip 1 at 14.03
Salmon
==============================================================================
Compiled by
Harry Lehto
Elotie 1 A 8
FI-20780 Kaarina
FINLAND
email: hlehto@astro.utu.fi
Last modified: Thu Dec 18 22:10:21 JST 1997