One last lot from Hokkaido, starting with a return to Notsuke, the Fish Owl and Sable at the magnificent Yoroushi Onsen, a visit to Lake Kussharo, some volcanic springsĀ and a return to Tsurui for some more cranes.
Birds, wildlife and travel
One last lot from Hokkaido, starting with a return to Notsuke, the Fish Owl and Sable at the magnificent Yoroushi Onsen, a visit to Lake Kussharo, some volcanic springsĀ and a return to Tsurui for some more cranes.
If you don’t like eagles look away now.Ā This post is very edited highlights of our boat trip from Rausu to see the Steller’s and White-tailed Eagles being fed.
One of the few benefits of the lockdown is that I have more time to spend on my photos.Ā I need it: there’s not that many species on Hokkaido, but they are superb, so I shot more than half my of photos in the few days we spent there.Ā Here’s a sample from the first few days, starting in Tsurui for the cranes, moving on to Nemuro for some seabirds and then to our night in Rausu.
Down south this time, where spring is springing, with two nights at the cranes in Arasaki and two nights near Miike.
Here’s the first batch of pictures from Japan, covering the first section of the trip on Honshu, starting in Tokyo, spending three nights in Karuizawa and a couple of nights in Kaga.
Foxes on Hokkaido are great.Ā Not only do they look fantastic in their fluffy winter coats, but they’re also very friendly, actively seeking out humans in case there’s a sandwich or fish going spare.Ā This one had gone for a more traditional route, though, having caught a shrew and taken it off to eat in peace.Ā Things didn’t quite go to plan though…
After much more pouncing and digging, the fox gave up and looked sad at us until it was thrown some food.
“It’s been coming between half past five and half past six the last few days.”Ā Excellent – a great bird and an early night.Ā Ā By nine o’clock the advice was “probably between three and five tomorrow morning, but it could come in the next five minutes.”Ā Time to take three-hour shifts so we got at least some sleep.Ā Both awake for three, still nothing doing, and four went past too.
Finally after just short of eleven hours watching it came in.Ā Blakiston’s Fish Owl: what a bird!
An hour of standing by an open window and no Blakiston’s Fish Owl yet.
A slightly more challenging day today, with a boat trip cancelled and the weather deteriorating meaning that the afternoon was done in snow, making photography a challenge. Still, we had some cracking birds and an encounter with a very friendly fox. The forecast is better for tomorrow!