Okku-Nikko
and environs in Tochigi-prefecture, April 15-17,1998
I was lucky and could choose the lodge Nikko Ryuuzu-Yama-no-Ie
(Shyobu-ga-hama, Nikko-shi, Tochigi-ken. Tel: 0288-55-0261.) as the
site for our seminar.
The weather turned out to be excellent. Remember the rain of April 13-15!
In the afternoon of April 15 it became dry and April 16 was sunny and
even warm most of the day. Clouds entered the highlands late in the
afternoon, and April 17 brought rain again on the slopes below
Nikko. Temperature was pleasant, at least 15. Hardly any wind.
I walked in the area north (via the Ryuuzu falls to Senjougahara) and west (Takayama) of the lodge. (Note that the lodge is reachable by bus from Nikko station!)
The heavy rainfall on the morning of the 15th and the few days
before had melted almost all the snow in Nikko. Only on the slopes of
the higher mountains snow was visible. A lower mountain like Takayama
had made snowfree by the rain.
The water of the Ryuuzu-falls
was brown and violent on the 15th. No Dippers. Only on April 17 I
could see one, then the water seemed blue and white again. On the
morning of April 17 I could see and hear the courtship of one Latham
snipe. On April 16, I could see two Hodgson's Hawk
Eagles [Kumataka] flying along the western edge of Senjogahara. Larger
than Common buzzard. Long tail, long, rounded wings light
underneath. Not soaring or circling but flying in long guirlandes over a long distance, say 2 km:
slowly upwards, slowly downwards meanwhile giving clear whistling calls,
not mewing.
For a number of species this must have been their first spring presence at Nikko of this year...
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Mallard
Anas Platyrhynchos
[Ma-gamo] April 15-17. More than 12 all in the rivers of Senjougahara
-
Hodgson's Hawk Eagle
Spizaetus nipalensis
[Kuma-taka] April 16. 2 ex above Senjougahara. See above.
-
Common buzzard
Buteo buteo
[Nosuri] April 15-16. In total 5 ex on Senjougahara
-
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
[Tobi] April 15 1 ex near Nikko.
-
Latham's snipe
Gallinago hardwickii
[Ouji-shigi] April 17. 1 ex. calling and diving above Senjougahara.
-
White-rumped swift
Apus pacificus
[Amatsubame] 5 ex near Nikko, April 15.
-
Great spotted woodpecker
Dendrocopos major
[Akagera] Most abundant woodpecker, at least 30 ex. April 15-17.
-
Japanese pygmy woodpecker
Dendrocopos kizuki
[Kogera] Clearly less abundant woodpecker, at least 10 ex. April 15-17.
-
Barn swallow
Hirundo rustica
[Tsubame] April 15, Nikko. 10 ex.
-
Gray wagtail
Ki-sekirei
[Motacilla cinerea] Along Ryuuzu falls, 5 ex. April 15-17.
-
Indian tree pipit
Anthus hodgsoni
[Binzui] April 16, Takayama. 1 ex.
-
Brown-eared bulbul
Hypsipetes amaurotis
[Hiyodori] April 15, Nikko.
-
Brown dipper
Cinclus pallasii
[Kawagarasu] April 17, Ryuuzu falls.
-
Winter wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
[Misosazai] Abundant. April 15-17. At least 50 ex. Singing everywhere.
-
Japanese robin
Erithacus akahige
[Komadori] 2 ex singing. Takayama, April 16.
-
Siberian Bluechat
Tarsiger cyanurus
[Ruri-bitaki] 12 ex singing. Takayama, April 16.
-
Goldcrest
Regulus regulus
[Kikuitadaki] 6 ex singing. Takayama, April 16.
-
Stonechat
Saxicola torquata
[No-bitaki] 2 males. Senjougahara, April 15.
-
Dusky thrush
Turdus naumanni
[Tsugumi] At many places, April 15-17. At least 30 ex.
-
Bush warbler
Cettia diphone
[Uguisu] At many places, April 15-17. At least 15 ex.
-
Willow tit
Parus montanus
[Ko-kara] At many places, April 15-17. At least 100 ex.
-
Great tit
Parus major
[Shijuu-kara] At many places, April 15-17. At least 50 ex.
-
Coal tit
Parus ater
[Hi-gara] At many places, April 15-17. At least 50 ex.
-
Long-tailed tit
Aegithalos caudatus
[Enaga] Takayama, April 16. At least 5 ex.
-
Nuthatch
Sitta europaea
[Gojuu-kara] At many places, April 15-17. At least 50 ex.
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Common Treecreeper
Certhia familiaris
[Kibashiri] Takayama, April 16. At least 2 ex.
-
Siberian meadow bunting
Emberiza cioides
[Hoojiro] Takayama, April 16. At least 5 ex.
-
Black-faced bunting
Emberiza spodocephala
[Aoji] Senjougahara, April 17. 1 ex singing.
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Oriental greenfinch
Kawarahiwa
[Carduelis sinica] Nikko. April 17.
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Siskin
Carduelis spinus
[Ma-hiwa] Takayama, April 16, on group of 15 ex.
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Tree sparrow
Passer montanus
[Suzume] Around lodge. 4 ex. April 15-17.
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Russet sparrow
Passer rutilans
[Nyuunai-uzume] In Forest along Ryuuzu falls, at least 6 ex. April 17.
-
Jay
Garrulus glandarius
[Kakesu] Around the top of Takayama at least 10 ex. Very verbal. April 16.
-
Jungle crow
Hashibuto-garasu
[Corvus macrorhynchos] Several individuals. April 15-17.
Remarks:
Mammals
- Sika deer Cervus nippon [Shika] Small groups could
be seen and heard all around the the lodge and Takayama. Many trees,
specially the "fir trees" had their skin completely removed at the
lower part of the stem. Pattern of fresh, small double cuts. Damaged trees of previous year seem to fall victim to insects and woodpeckers.
process
- Red fox Vulpes vulpes japonica [Kitsune] Fox could be smelled at various places along the Ryuuzu falls.
- Asiatic Black Bear Selenarctos thibetanus [Tsukinoguma]
Near the top of Takayama fresh scratchmarks on the trees (vertical scratches, sometime the skin has been removed by the scratching) (as well as old marks) a bolus (dark, segmented and pointed, 12 cm long, 1.5 cm wide. Smelly). heavy scent flags on nearby trees. The path we followed had not be trodden on for several days. (I wonder whether the thin trees which where half bitten through, with splints irregularly torn from the stem where malterated by bear as well, or by dear). On one beech tree perfect clawmarks (4-5 nails) of an upward climbing bear. The bears were most likely just awaken from hibernation.
Butterflies among others:
Low croacking sounds of frogs or toads could be heard along the rivers.
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Last modified: April 19, 1998.
Fer-Jan de Vries.