Bird Watching in Japan & Asia

2025-11-09

Birdwatching in Notsuke (July 12-13, 2025)

This summer, temperatures were high, and unlike the usual scene in early July, many flowers had already fallen. Birds were also less singing, and the voices of Black-browed Reed Warbler, Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler, and Siberian Rubythroat, which can usually be heard everywhere, were sparse, and the Lanceolated Warbler was hardly heard at all.

Eurasian Cuckoo

Oriental Cuckoo

Chestnut-cheeked Starling

Black-browed Reed Warbler

Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler

Neptis rivularis

Ezo Deer

2025-11-08

Birdwatching in Ochiichi Nature Cruise, Hokkaido (11 July, 2025)

This was my first time on a nature cruise from Ochiishi Port. I was really looking forward to seeing seabirds in their breeding plumage this season. Soon after leaving port, Rhinoceros Auklets began appearing. They have a strange protrusion on their beak and a white whisker resembling a beard. Further offshore, we began seeing many Spectacled Guillemots. They're almost entirely black, but with round white areas around their eyes and bright red legs, they're very conspicuous in flight. The highlights of the day were the Tufted Puffin and the Pigeon Guillemot. The former used to breed commonly in eastern Hokkaido, but their numbers have declined significantly in recent years, making them a rare bird. The Pigeon Guillemot breeds in the Kuril Islands, making it a rare sight at this time of year.

We also spotted a White-tailed Eagle, Ancient Murrelet, and Red-faced Cormorant, making for a very productive and satisfying day.

Rhinoceros Auklet

Japanese Cormorant

Ancient Murrelet

Pigeon Guillemot

White-tailed Eagle

Spectacled Guillemot

Red-faced Cormorant

2025-11-07

Birdwatching in Kiritappu and Nemuro, Hokkaido (July 10-11, 2025)

I took a vacation from July 10th to 13th and went to Hokkaido with some friends. Unfortunately, the first two days were cloudy and the temperature was low, so we couldn't observe as many wild birds as we had hoped. However, we were able to see Long-tailed Rosefinches and Middendorff's Grasshopper Warblers everywhere, which are typical of summer in Hokkaido.