Desert Wheatear

A young Desert Wheatear comes to Chiba prefecture.

I went my parents house via Kanto, then I went there.

It was very tamed to human, so I could take photo of it at very short range.

 Flying.

Chiba. 23/Jan/2011.

Before and after of the cruise

Before the cruise, I went to Atuma where there was grass small birds feeding it.

Fortunately, I could see interesting birds.

Pine Bunting fed on Elymus mollis. It was first time to see it at short range, I saw it at a glance several years ago.

A flock of Rosy Finch. How many is it in this photo?

Additionally, I saw flock of Lapland Bunting, they flew away above us.

After birding, I went to Mukawa to see Short-eared Owl.

Young American Wigeon was in flock of Eurasian Wigeon, my friend pointed me.

Short-eared Owl were there yet.

Tomakomai Cruise

I organized cruise in Tomakomai at 15th January.
It was very waving day, so it was difficult to find birds.

Brünnich's Guillemot.

A number of Laysan Albatrosses were seen, though they were seen in summer as usual.

Some Least Auklets were seen. An individual were at very short range beside me, unfortunately I didn't see it...

A White-tailed Eagle flew above my boat.

Short-eared Owl in Mukawa

Fever of Short-eared Owl has come in Mukawa.
Many birders aimed the owl which stayed here at least 6 individuals.

This individual was tamed to human.

 It tried to hunt its prey but I couldn't observe its success.

I was first time to see its perching on standing grass.

In the evening I heard two individuals were hunted by falcon....

New year birding

I went birding at 3th January to Tomakomai to Mukawa.

At first, I went to Utonai lake, foggy condition made Silhouette of Northern Pintails.

Eurasian Nuthatch in Tomakomai Experimental Forest.

In Yuhutu moor, I found female and male Merlin. Female one was far to take photo.
In opposite, male was on the electric pole at short range.

I got to take off of it.

Long tail and Red face

Many Long-tailed Ducks were observed  at fishery port in East Hokkaido.

Red-faced Cormorant can be seen at Cape Nosappu constantly.

Red-faced (right), Pelagic (down left), and Japanese Cormorant.
Last summer, several pare of Red faced Cormorant bred on this rock.

End of the year in Eastern Hokkaido -Nemuro-

Shika Deer.

In 31th, I drove around Nemuro.
I herd Shore Lark in Syunkunitai, but I couldn't find...

Glaucous-winged Gull.

Red-necked Grebe.

In northern Hokkaido, some of sea birds can be observe in fishery port at short range.

Black-throated Diver (right) and Pacific Diver (left) were observed at the same time.

Pacific Diver.

Dive.

Black-throated Diver...

End of the year in Eastern Hokkaido -Notuke-

I went to Eastern Hokkaido 30th and 31th Decenmber.

In 30th, I went to Notuke. There were many eagles around at short range.

White-tailed Eagle.

Steller's Sea Eagle.

White-tailed Eagle juvenile.

Steller's Sea Eagles fed on dead fish.

Eagles on the electric pole.

I found many adult Stellers' but small number of juvenile.
I suspected that reproduction of Steller's in reporoduction area (Russian far east) was not good condition.

 Common Redpole.
I saw flock of its containing ca. 15 individuals.

The purpose of coming to this place was Gyrfalcon which came sometime came this place, but there were none of it in this season.

The snow fell at near evening.

Slaty-backed Gull juvenile.

After sunset, I moved to the spot of Brlakiston's Fish Owl and waited to appear where.
We will be able to see of it for outing nest to feeding place flying above us about once at evening.
But it appeared other point waiting me, a Belgium saw flying away above him...

I was billeted in minshuku Furen which was famous among foreign birders for English speaking host.
This day, American and Belgium (the person seeing the owl) family stayed.