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.

Shearwaters

Buller's Shearwater was one of main target of this cruise.

It was often sleeping.

"I'm sleepy"

Flesh-footed Shearwater.

Another target was Red-legged Kittiwake. Although we searched flock of Kittiwake one by one, no one contained...

Tomakomai, Hokkaido. 29th/Oct/2011.

Cruise in Tomakomai

I organized cruise in Tomakomai last Sunday.

The weather was not so good, strong wind postponed the cruise on Saturday and swayed on Sunday.

I observed interesting action of Rhinoceros Auklet: two individuals stretched their neck each other, I thought it was their display. No one knew the display of it in crew, it was strange behavior.

Brünnich's Guillemot also was seen two individual-flock as like pair.
But they doesn't bleed in Japan. Are they no-bleeding pairs?

Pacific diver was seen not only at short range but heard its voice. It was my first time to listen its voice.

Short-tailed Shearwater.

Phalaropes are main target in this season, confer this and this entries last year.
We hoped tens thousands of Phalaropes, but only hundreds of them stayed around this area. And Red Phalarope was absent. I think timing of migration delayed compared to annual.

Tomakomai, Hokkaido. 15th/May/2011.

Dolphin and whale

I attended nature cruise in Rausu,

Flock of Dall's Porpoise

Minke Whale

Migration of Short-tailed Shearwater began in this area, several ten thousands of this shearwater will assemble within several weeks.

Rausu, Hokkaido. 30th/Apr/2011.