Bird Watching in Japan & Asia: Smew

Showing posts with label Smew. Show all posts

2026-07-18

Birdwatching in Enrei, Nara and Yamato River (January 26-27, 2026)

At Enrei, the snow and cold temperatures made it difficult to spot birds, but I was lucky enough to come across a Pallas’s Rosefinch. In Nara, I spotted a male Baer’s Pochard—a species classified as ‘Endangered’—and a female Ferruginous Duck, whilst on the Yamato River I saw a Scaly-sided Merganser, a rare sighting.

Baer's Pochard

Pallas's Rosefinch

Scaly-sided Merganser

Smew

Ferruginous Duck

2026-07-17

Birdwatching in Inbanuma, Lake Saiko, Karuizawa and Komoro (January 23-25, 2025)

I went birdwatching in central Honshu—at Lake Imba and Karuizawa—as part of a Rockjumper tour. At Lake Imba, I saw a flock of tens of thousands of Baikal Teals, and in Karuizawa I was lucky enough to spot a Mountain Hawk-eagle.

Brambling

Mountain Hawk-eagle

Dusky Thrush

Baikal Teal

Lesser White-fronted Goose

Smew

2026-01-12

Birdwatching in Igashira-Koen (December 5 & 15, 2025)

By December, I was finally able to see Falcated Ducks and Smews. Neither had yet fully changed into their beautiful breeding plumage, but I still observed their plumage to be sufficiently splendid.

In the park's copse, I was fortunate enough to encounter a male Long-tailed Tit.