After a couple of days at Kaga we flew down south to Kyushu and had two nights at Arasaki. It’s a frequent experience when visiting the far east to look out of your hotel window and see a lot of cranes, but this place is a bit different. The cranes are part of a flock of 15000 Hooded Cranes, 500 White-naped Cranes and a handful of Common, Sandhill and Demoiselle Cranes. It’s a noisy and unforgettable experience.
It’s a great Waxwing year. This is part of a flock of over 50 Japanese Waxwings. We have even had a few Bohemian Waxwings mixed in.
Lesser and Greater White-fronted Goose
Grey-headed Lapwing
Cranes flying in at dawn
A White-naped Crane spars with a Common Crane in the midst of the Hooded Cranes
The Demoiselle Crane is much smaller than the others, but is a smart bird.
Hooded Crane
Hooded Crane
A White-naped Crane towers over the Hooded Cranes.