Bird Watching in Japan & Asia

2025-08-29

Birdwatching in Eastern Hokkaido (June 18-21, 2025)

June in Hokkaido is highly appealing for birdwatchers. Seabirds such as the Spectacled Guillemot and Rhinoceros Auklet display their distinctive breeding plumage, while on the grasslands, the Amur Stonechat, Siberian Rubythroat, and Long-tailed Rosefinch offer beautiful song. Furthermore, in the mountain passes, one may encounter the Pine Grosbeak, which in Japan is only found in Hokkaido.

Grey-headed Woodpecker

Long-tailed Rosefinch

Northern Fulmar

Brown Bear

Short-tailed Shearwater

Amur Stonechat

Siberian Rubythroat

Oriental Cuckoo

Killer Whale

Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler

Chestnut-eared Starling

Spectacled Guillemot

Pine Grosbeak

Narcissus Flycatcher

Eurasian Cuckoo

Slaty-backed Gull

Rhinoceros Auklet

Eurasian Wryneck

Pacific Swift

2025-08-21

Birdwatching in Amami Oshima (June 15-16, 2025)

Perhaps because the rainy season had ended, we were blessed with two days of fine weather. Personally, the most memorable encounter was with the unexpected Chinese Egret, but it was also nice to encounter the relatively unguarded Amami Woodcock during night-time birdwatching. The Ryukyu Robin and Lidth's Jay were hardly seen, perhaps because it was the breeding season.

Chinese Egret

Amami Woodpecker

Amami Rabbit

Amami Woodcock

2025-08-20

Birdwatching in Yambaru, Okinawa (June 14, 2025)

Perhaps because it was the middle of the rainy season in June, there were few sunny spells in Yanbaru, and the sky was overcast with heavy clouds. I had heard that the Okinawa Rail could often be seen on cloudy days, but unfortunately, although I heard its call, I hardly saw it during my stay.

On the other hand, the Okinawa Woodpecker seemed to have finished raising its young and I saw it moving around actively several times.