Squirrel

Chitose, Hokkaido. 22th/Apr/2012.

April cruise

I organized Tomakomai cruise, my first time held in April. Though I could not expect species observed in this time, it became good cruise.

Ancient Murrelet.




Hudreds of Short-tailed Shearwaters migrated to east.

Summer plumage of Long tail duck which is difficult to see in Hokkaido.

Flock of Velver Scoter. I could observe them at short range. Scoters are very timid, run away as soon as the boat approaches. Was it mating?

Tomakomai, Hokkaido. 22th/Apr/2012.

April in campus

These photos are took in Hokkaido University. They will bleed in this campus.

 Stonechat - summer visitor.

A Brown-eared Bulbul fed on sap of Japanese White Birch.

I saw two pair of Madarin ducks.

Last year, one pair of it bled here. I hope chicks will be observe in June.

Other pair.

Sapporo, Hokkaido. 20th/Apr/2012

Confusing female wigeon

A confusing female Wigeon was in flock of Eurasian Wigeon at Mukawa (left one).
It is seemed to be a female American wigeon.
The feature of American is grayish head and white wind flap. But I didn't see its wind flap...
A male American Wigeon stayed here one month ago. This female was looked paired with Eurasian Wigeon (right one). Is it Hybrid?

Right one is Eurasian and left one is pending individual.



Common Scoter.

Mukawa, Hokkaido. 14th/Apr/2012.

Japanese Crane

Japanese Crane!?

A man who came around here generally said two Japanese Cranes stayed in Mukawa.

Crows attacked Crane.

It will might be seen small cranes here in this summer....

Mukawa, Hokkaido. 14th/Apr/2012.

Redshank and more

A Common Redshank, though it bleeds in eastern Hokkaido, it is seen central Hokkaido scarcely, was in Mukawa, it was my first time to see here. I've seen it  about 8 year ago in Okinawa.

It fed on unknown things.

Little Linged Plover.

Mukawa, Hokkaido.  14th/Apr/2012.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Two Spotted Woodpeckers chased each other, competition of their territory?

Naganuma, Hokkaido. 14th/Apr/2012.

Northern Goshawk

It was snowstorm day despite in April. A male Goshawk was down on the ground to avoid strong wind and  aiming its prey.


Naganuma, Hokkaido. 4th/Apr/2012.

Cruise in midwinter

I organized Tomakomai cruise in February.
This cruise was held under weak wind although winter tended to be rough around these sea area in general.

But there was less appearance of sea birds as much as we expected.

Though there was a number of Least Auk, one of main target of this cruise,  other auks we expected (Crested Auklet and Long-billed Murrelet) were not seen.

Black-throated Diver.

Fur seal.

Black Scoters before riding on boat.

Tomakomai, Hokkaido. 19th/Feb/2012.

Human growing Pelican and thief

A wild Pelican lives at Inba-numa in Inzai city Chiba prefecture.
It is tamed by human for feeding by fisher.
It is an idol of Inba-numa.

A Common Moorhen suddenly was on boat avoiding fisher's eye.

Why did it ride on boat?

!!!!

It stole fish from boat!!
It also tenaciously utilized fisher.

Inzai, Chiba prefecture. 28th/Jan/2012.

Siberian Crane and Tundra Swan

Siberian Crane which was endangered and a straggler came to Chiba prefecture.

It stays at roost of Tundra Swan which comes in winter. At noon, it forage at its feeding site several km from roost.

Tundra Swan.


Siberian Crane has blackish wing, but it doesn't show it easily.


I waited its open its wing. Fortunately local people with dog passed its near, so it moved for fear of dogs.

Inzai, Chiba prefecture. 28th/Jan/2012.

Aiming fish

Spotted Redshank was sweeping around small pond through opening its bill.

Surprisingly, it ate many small fish. In general, warblers eat benthos. It was my first time to see its feeding of fish. 

  Common Tern at shore.

Ishikari Hokkaido. 11th/Sep/2011.

Murrelets

Five auks were observed around Tomakomai sea area organized cruise at 17th December.

Ancient Murrelet,

Long-billed Murrelet,

Least Auklet,

Brünnich's Guillemot, and Rhinoceros Auklet (no photo).

Tomakomai, Hokkaido. 17th/Dec/2011.

Japanese Quail

Two Japanese Quails sang each other at their breeding site.

Salvaged from my HDD.

Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido. 14th/Aug/2011.

Happy new year eve

I saw Snow Bunting at 31th/Dec at Atuma, it was twice to see the bunting !
The first my finding was two years ago in Kiritappu, eastern Hokkaido, so I was very happy to see it at my normal observation area.

They made a flock with Lapland Bunting (Lapland 10 and Snow3).

 They ate seed of dead grass.

Laplands.

In the same day, I took photo of Falcon, Rough-legged, and Short-eared.
It was happy final day of 2011 for me.