Habor seal

Habor seals usually are shy and go away from human to approach them.
But this individual is different as unusual.


However, it is better not to be too close him.

All photos are Toyokoro, Hokkaido. Nov/2009.

Tomakomai Cruising4 -Albatrosses-

In the cruising, albatrosses are one of target, they can be seen about 30km from the shore,water depth is about 100m.


Black-footed Albatross (Diomedea nigripes)



Laysan Albatross (Diomedea Diomedea)

Finally we saw Short-tailed Albatross (Diomedea albatrus).

It was very exiting.

All photos in Tomakomai, Hokkaido. Oct/2009

Tomakomai Cruising3 -The battle-

In cruising tour, I saw attacks of skuas on kittiwakes many times.
Some times one kittiwake was attacked by several skuas.
The battles, their acrobatic flight, were very attractive and exiciting.

Tomakomai Cruising2 -Skuas-

In October I saw many Pomarine Skuas (Stercorarius pomarinus) and some Arctic Skuas (Stercorarius parasiticus). They were many types and stages. But all photos are Pomarine's, maybe...




Black type.

Pale type.

Bathing.


They stayed around Kittiwakes' assemblage and aimed for Kittiwakes's prey
I will introduce the battle at later entry.





With a small central tale-wing, called "spoon".


With full "spoon".

All photos in Tomakomai, Hokkaido. Oct/2009.

Tomakomai Cruising -Shearwaters-

In October to November, I organized birding cruises four times at Tomakomai.
I saw many sea birds, so I'll introduce sea birds at this cruising on several entries.

At first, Shearwaters.
I saw three seawaters: White-faced Shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas), Short-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris), and Pale-footed Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes).

White-faced shearwaters were saw early to mid-October. Their assemblages were seen many times.

Short tailed sheawaters' assemblages were smaller than White-faced's one and a Pale-footed Shearwater was seen one of this assemblage (no photo).

Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) were seen in offshore, and the assemblage contained over 100 individuals.

Photos in Tomakomai, Hokkaido.