Bird Watching in Japan & Asia: Birdwatching in Shiretoko (July 11-12, 2025)

2025-11-10

Birdwatching in Shiretoko (July 11-12, 2025)

What I was hoping to encounter on this trip to the Shiretoko Peninsula was Blakiston's Fish-owl, which I hadn't seen in winter. On the night of July 11th, I arrived at the Fish-owl Observatory just after 6pm, and within an hour I heard its deep call coming from the mountains. Soon after, a male came down to the river, caught and ate two fish, and was replaced by a larger female. Apparently she was raising her young, the female flew off into the forest with the fish in her mouth. During my three-hour stay, they visited two times each.

At Shiretoko Pass, I was able to see a pair of Pine Grosbeaks up close and encounter a school of Fork-tailed Swifts.