Eurasian Hobby

Eurasian Hobby bleeds in Hokkaido.
But I couldn't see it in bleeding season.
This individual might move from other place. They migrate to South-east Asia in winter.

Tomakomai Hokkaido. 23/Sep/2010.

One day trip to Tokachi

After cruise, I went to Atuma to see Spoon-billed Sandpiper I saw it last day.
Tobias wanted to see it.
But I couldn't find.

Next day, we went to Tokachi because my friend found Spoon-billed at there.

We arrived 12:00, my friend found it 11:00.
But we couldn't find...
We had to go back to Tomakomai at 18:00, so we leaved Tokachi at 14:00.

18 and 19/Sep/2010.

Tomakomai Cruising -Auks in pelagic-

After observation of Skuas, I moved to off shore.
Today's cruise, I could see several Auks and Divers despite end summer.

 Pacific Diver and

Brünnich's Guillemot were in short range.

Japanese Murrelets.
I saw 7 individuals of them, their habitat in this season was not clarified yet, I wondered quite a few of them might stay around this sea area in this season.

The highlight of this cruise was juvenile of Tufted Puffin.
Its my lifer!

Tobias attended this cruise, he wanted to see Albatrosses especially Short-tailed, but we couldn't see any Albatrosses and there were no lifer for him. It was very exiting and satisfying cruise I thought but he was not looked like satisfied...

Tomakomai Cruising -coast area-

I organized cruise in Tomakomai last Saturday.

At first I wandered around coast area, there were many Common Tern.

Many Tern assembled on the buy of fixed fishing net.

They were in migration, they will disappear in the end of this month.
And gang tailed terns.

Many Arctic Skuas stayed in this sea area, they attacked Common Terns.

I saw many acrobatic flight of them.

Mukawa

I went to Mukawa to see shore birds.

At first I found Pectoral Sandpiper in flock of Red-necked Stint.

It is first time to see this bird.

In the same flock, there were 2 Temminck's Stint.

 A Red-necked Phalarope, it was interesting its on land.

I moved to Atuma, on the way to next shore birds spot, young Northern Goshawk perched on tree. I was with Senzaki brothers, he told me it was first male juvenile.

In Atuma I saw flock of Black-tailed Godwi consisting 50 individuals.

 Some individuals pecked plant, probably they eat bugs.

3 Curlew Sandpipers was in assemblage of waders containing Red-necked Stint, Long-toed Stint, Broad-billed Sandpiper and Dunlin at harbor in Atuma.

It was satisfying day for shore birds.

At evening my friend came to Tomakomai ferry terminal from Hachinohe by ferry to sea sea birds, but he couldn't see sea birds well.
I lead him Atuma to see Curlew.
After dinner, I send him the ferry terminal he went back to Tokyo by ferry. Off course, he would see sea birds. Good luck.

Photos in Mukawa and Atuma, Hokkaido. 11/Sep/2010.

Bathing

After cruise, I went Mukawa to see shore birds.

I observed bathing of Rufous-necked Sandpiper.

 Long-billed Ringed Plover. It is rare species in Hokkaido, though it is not rare in Honshu, the day I've lived in Tokyo, I've seen it usually.
Little Ringed Plover was behind of Long-billed.

Broad-billed Sandpiper

Broad-billed Sandpiper.

All photos in Mukawa, Hokkaido. 5/Sep/2010.

Tomakomai cruising -Whale and Dolphin-

Although there were small numbers of birds, I saw pods of whale and dolphin.

Short-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala macrorhyncus.

 It can be identified its whitish spot rear of dorsal fin. They come this sea area in autumn.

It was first time to see this whale, I was so excited.

I saw over 50 individuals.
I suspected they hunt their prey (probably squid) because many fishery boat floated to catch them around here.

I also observed Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus at the same area.
They were smaller numbers than Short-fined.
This is only one photo of them....

Tomakomai Cruising -silence-

Last Sunday I organized cruising in Tomakomai.
I was supposed to organize two weeks ago, but the boat was in maintenance.

Unfortunately there were small numbers of sea birds; a few Shearwaters and no Albatros.

I saw

Red-necked Phalaropes,

Pomarine Skua,

and Japanese Murrelet, it was first record I organize this boat.