Usually, the Blakiston’s fish owls will mate in February and lay two eggs in March. The female warms them for 35 consecutive days, without rest. However, for the Blakiston’s fish owls it is very challenging with various factors influencing the results: like the extreme weather and cold temperatures during breeding; the physical condition of each owl itself; and their past experience of raising chicks. On average only one bird survives until fledging.
At the Blakiston’s fish owl Observatory in Rausu (Washinoyado), the birds can be observed throughout the year, and in June 2022, the pair were able to fledge both chicks for the first time in 15 years! The young birds practiced flying near their nest, and then eventually around August, they would come down to the river with their parents to learn how to catch the fish. Around September, they learned how to hunt for themselves, becoming more independent.
Mother bird showing how to hunt
The mother taking the food to the chicks
Sometimes, there are young birds that cannot fish successfully, and end up on the roadsides to try to eat roadkill. However, they might end up getting hit by cars due to the dark conditions. Thankfully, our two chicks at the Observatory have been safe from this kind of accident so far.
One of the chicks born in 2022
In December, the two will become independent, and then around 2024 they will mature and find their own partners and live somewhere in Shiretoko. I am praying that they can both survive the trials of winter to live long lives.
Image & text: Kaito IMAHORI
This report is based on observations till Oct 2022
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
The fall of 2022 was a rough start to the winter for the bears. The pink salmon, which usually go upstream starting from mid-August every year, provide an important source of fat and nutrients for the bears to survive the winter. But this time, there were almost no salmon that came.
A brown bear with the pink salmon, which are dwindling in number
In 2021 was said to be bad with 1/10 the number of salmon compared to the year before. But this year was even more horribly below that. We rarely observed the brown bears in August this year, even though normally we would see them, if we took a boat along the coast. It was thought that the shortage of food would continue, but in September, the chum salmon returned in numbers that were close to the previous years’ numbers.
Chum salmon surfing the waves
The bears which had returned to the forests due to the lack of salmon, came back to the shorelines in September to look for returning salmon. Due to the short period of time, and fierce competition, it was quite difficult for the mother bears with cubs and the younger, weaker bears to get close enough to the beach to catch the salmon. In only a month’s time, the long, harsh winter of Shiretoko will begin.
A mother bear showing her cubs how to fish for salmon
A cub imitating its mother
I hope they can get through the winter, and we can see them again next year.
Photography & text : Kaito IMAHORI (Shiretoko Serai), observation SEP2022.
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have our guesthouse Shiretoko Serai in Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula.
Please see other article from Kaito IMAHORI about Wildlife of Hokkaido
Ezo sika deer with the Shiretoko mountain range in the background
The Notsuke Peninsula in the winter has many charms.
One of them was an encounter with the Ezo sika deer, Cervus nippon yesoensis. In the winter, the heavy snowfall causes the deer to face food shortages. The flat Notsuke Peninsula, which juts out into the Nemuro Strait, is well-ventilated with relatively little snowfall, making it a great feeding ground for the Ezo sika deer. Therefore, in winter, you can encounter hundreds of Ezo sika deer all at once.
A group of female Ezo sika deerMale Ezo sika deer
The Notsuke Peninsula is also designated as a wildlife sanctuary, so the Ezo sika deer are not weary of people, therefore close range photography is possible.
In addition, you can see the Shiretoko mountain range and Kunashir Island from the Notsuke Peninsula in good weather. If the visibility is good, you can also see the Akan volcanic complex and Mt. Kamui (also Mt. Mashu). The sun rises behind Kunashir in the morning and then sets on the frozen icy side in the evening, making it an attractive location for photography throughout the day.
View of Kunashir Island (the Northern Territories) in the background
This is located only an hour (one-way) from Shiretoko, Rausu, so it is possible to visit on a day trip, perhaps after an early morning drift ice cruise.
Photo & text: Shohei MORITA (Shiretoko Serai)
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
The Ezo red foxes live all over Hokkaido island. Officially a subspecies of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes schrencki, they inhabit the islands of Hokkaido, Sakhalin and the Southern Kuril Islands.
For those of us who live in Hokkaido, they are a familiar face that we often see in the city. However, people should be careful not to get close to them because they are hosts to a parasite called Echinococcus. Echinococcus (a type of tapeworm) is said to have spread to Hokkaido through fur fox farming in the Aleutian Islands and Kuril Islands. Sadly, the Ezo red fox has become the definitive host of the parasite Echinococcus. There are programs for delivering anthelmintic drugs to the fox population to reduce the infection rate.
A pair of Ezo red foxes during the breeding season (Notsuke Peninsula).A pair of Ezo red foxes during the breeding season (Notsuke Peninsula).
During the summer, Ezo red foxes don’t look very beautiful because their fur sheds unevenly. Unlike the Japanese red foxes of mainland Japan (a subspecies of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes japonica), the Ezo red fox, Vulpes vulpes schrencki, which inhabits Hokkaido, north of the Blakiston’s line, has fluffy winter fur and gives it that beautiful look.
The bushy fur covers the Ezo red fox
Also, the whiteness of the snow makes their brown fur stand out. Especially from February to March, during their breeding season, they are often seen in pairs. If you are lucky, you may see them chasing each other playfully, or mating in the forest.
A couple of playful Ezo red foxes.A couple of playful Ezo red foxes.A couple of playful Ezo red foxes.
Photo & text: Shohei MORITA (Shiretoko Serai)
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
The wild sea otters in Japan, can only be found breeding in the eastern part of Hokkaido. The species that live in this northern coast of Japan are the subspecies Enhydra lutris lutris which uses the Commander and Kuril Islands of Russia. They were overharvested in Japan for their fur in Japan and was once thought to be extinct by the early 20th century, but since the 1980’s they were found to be breeding on the coast and near the islands around Nemuro.
Currently, they can sometimes be observed along the coastline of eastern Hokkaido and around the fishing ports year around, regardless of the season. Around June of every year, you might see the adorable sight of the parents carrying their pups on their bellies.
Sea otters have a very thick layer of fur that has a special adaptation to trap air in between their hairs, which allows them to float all day long with no effort. During the day, they repeatedly dive down and then surface to eat seafood on their stomachs while floating. At night, they will wrap kelp around their bodies to keep from being carried away on the currents while they sleep.
These adorable sea otters actually have many problems due to human activities, so coexistence is a constant challenge for them. Since sea otters in eastern Hokkaido eat sea urchins and northern mussels, fishermen have raised various concerns about the damage they cause to the fishing industry.
Current estimates of sea otter populations say a little more than 12 otters live in the area. Fisheries representatives are looking for ways to balance sea otter conservation and fisheries.
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have a guesthouse, Shiretoko Serai, in Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula.
The Long-tailed tit in Hokkaido is Aegithalos caudatus japonicus, a sub-species of the Long-tailed tits found on Honshu. Unlike the tits of the mainland, the Hokkaido tits do not have thick black eyebrows, so their faces are all white.
With a white face like a snowball, a small beak, round eyes, and yellow eyelids, the Hokkaido long-tailed tits are called “snow fairies” because they are so cute in their appearance. It became quite popular when it was featured in Japanese animation (anime) and comics (manga), and a variety of souvenir goods. They can be observed all year around in Hokkaido, but in the cold winter months, they will puff out their feathers to stay warm. Many wild bird photographers are aiming to capture them in that cute, round shape.
Hokkaido’s Long-tailed tit (A. c. japonicus)Hokkaido’s Long-tailed tit (A. c. japonicus)Hokkaido’s Long-tailed tit (A. c. japonicus)
From mid-February to early March, once the bitter cold starts to loosen its grip, the parts of the trees that are damaged will start to drip out sap, which freezes into sweet icicles. Small birds, such as the Long-tailed tits, can be seen hovering around the trees, licking the sap as a precious source of sugars in their bodies.
Hokkaido’s Long-tailed tit (A. c. japonicus)
Photograhy & text : Kaito IMAHORI (Shiretoko Serai)
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have our guesthouse Shiretoko Serai in Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula.
Please see other article from Kaito IMAHORI about Wildlife of Hokkaido
In Hokkaido you can find 10 out of the 11 species of owls that live in Japan, making it an owl sanctuary of sorts. There are two species that are especially sought after by birders, the Ural Owls and the Blakiston’s Fish Owls.
The Blakiston’s Fish Owl lives in only a limited number of places in the northeastern part of the Eurasian continent, and due to that, many birders come from around the world for a chance to see them in the wild.
The Ural Owls are more widely distributed in northern Eurasia – from Scandinavia to East Asia. Although it is a common pet species, the subspecies that lives in Hokkaido, Strix uralensis japonica, is particularly lovely in appearance, with whiter feathers compared to their cousins elsewhere. For this reason, they are often pursued by bird watchers in Japan and beyond.
From January to March, the courtship activities of the Ural Owl can be observed. Especially in February, when the mating is at its peak, you will often see the pairs cuddling. They will often preen each other’s wings and feathers, sticking close together. This is often referred to as a symbol of happiness.
A pair of Hokkaido’s Ural Owl(Strix uralensis japonica)
Photography & text : Kaito IMAHORI (Shiretoko Serai)
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have our guesthouse Shiretoko Serai in Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula.
Please see other article from Kaito IMAHORI about Wildlife of Hokkaido
This year (2022), many Steller’s sea eagles and white-tailed eagles have come to Shiretoko and Rausu to pass the winter. This year, about 300 Steller’s sea eagles and about 120 white-tailed eagles, made a total of 420 birds that were observed at one time.
White-tailed eagle at fishing port in RausuSteller’s sea eagleWhite-tailed eagle in actionSteller’s sea eagle on the drift ice
Rausu has long been used by many eagles during the winter months. A big reason for that is the fishing industry. In winter, cod fishing reaches its peak in the Nemuro Strait between Rausu and Kunashir Island. Until 30-40 years ago, Rausu accounted for nearly half of all Hokkaido catches, with 110,000 tons of fish being caught in 1989, the catch was the highest. At that time, the ships were overflowing with fish, and the eagles were busy eating them. Today the harvest has decreased to about 10,000 tons a year, so the fish no longer overflow from the boats. Now, the tourist boats serve the role that the fishing vessels once did, giving them the fish to eat to help the Eagles survive the winter.
Steller’s Sea Eagles and White-tailed Eagles gathered around the tourist boats.White-tailed eagle on the drift iceWhite-tailed eagle on the drift iceSteller’s sea eagle on the drift ice
Photography & text : Kaito IMAHORI (Shiretoko Serai)
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have our guesthouse Shiretoko Serai in Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula.
Please see other article from Kaito IMAHORI about Wildlife of Hokkaido
June 14 (Tuesday) Cloudy, then Sunny
Despite the cloudy and foggy weather, we boarded the ship in the morning. As soon as we set sail, the announcement over the intercom announced “We will go look for Minke Whales,” and we made our way to the ocean. In fact, Minke whales will appear out here, but it often seems like when they do come out, it always is just a flash of dorsal fin and then they hide immediately. They are not like the killer whales which take their time around you so we can enjoy watching them for some time. It can be so frustrating with the Minkes. After that, we had three boats searching for killer whales as well, but we did not have even one sighting.
We also couldn’t find any large flocks of Short-tailed Shearwaters, only sometimes seeing a Rhinoceros Auklet and the Northern Fulmar to photograph. Then, out of nowhere, a large flock of Fulmars started following our boat, as the rode the waves that the boat was creating! In a rush, I went to tell the tour participants, so they could get photos of the flock. They were able to get photos of them.
Pine Grosbeak
In the afternoon, it cleared up and was perfectly sunny, so we went to Shiretoko Pass for the Pine Grosbeak. I had heard from others that the grosbeak was not coming out lately, so it was just going to be up to luck if we did get to see it. Then, while we were chatting and eating our lunch, the driver shouted out at me, “Hey, Mr. Tozuka, isn’t that the Pine Grosbeak?” As he was pointing at the Siberian Dwarf Pine very near to us. Sure enough, just in the spot super close to us, was a brightly colored male sitting on the branch!
At 3:30 PM, we wrapped things up there and headed to the Rausu Visitor’s Center, then we returned to the lodging. Same as the previous night, we had some free time until dinner time. In the evening after dinner, we headed back to the Blakiston’s Fish Owl Observatory for photos.
Blakiston’s Fish Owl
Similar to the night before, one bird arrived at 7:50 PM. At around 8:50, it returned and before I could realize it, the other bird had arrived and we could get photos of the pair together. Then, again like the previous night, they left and did not return. We left there around 11PM.
Blakiston’s Fish Owl
June 15, (Wednesday) Sunny
I was awakened by a phone call at 6:50 AM, it was the chartered cruise boat company. “Today we are seeing high waves so we will cancel the cruise for today.” I was speechless. It was really sunny and seemed like perfectly good weather…but there was nothing we could do. I explained the situation to the guests over breakfast, and agreed to change the plan to try again for photos of the Pine Grosbeak. We retuned to the same place we saw it yesterday, and I searched around for it here and there but to no avail. Then as I was walking around, I saw a group of cameramen… “There is the red male!” they pointed it out. So, I ran to get my group participants and we all waited patiently for him to reappear. While we were there, the male came out 4 or 5 times again. Everyone’s photos were so-so but at least they could capture the red clearly on the male.
In the afternoon, we went to photograph the brown bears that appeared on the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula. I was so worried because the morning cruise had already been canceled on us, but the Captain gave us the “Go” sign and we hurried to the wharf.
Our cruise for this tour is using a small boat, so we were able to get quite close to the shoreline when the bears appeared. First to come out was a young bear and we were able to get him at a pretty close distance. After that, we kept encountering bears one after another, and at the tip of the cape, we were able to see a mother and her two cubs. It is quite a rare thing to see bears at the end of the peninsula like that, so we were pretty lucky with this sighting!
Since we were all the way at the far end of the Cape, we were about to go over time with our cruise, but on the way back, there was another sighting and the Captain of the boat said “There are two bears.” Perhaps they were a young pair of siblings, but they let us get their photos as well. On this day, we observed a total of 9 bears, for me this was the highest encounter rate I had ever had! Even though we went over time, the captain’s gracious attitude made it very unforgettable cruise.
This evening’s lodging is in Shari, and it will take some time to get down there, so we had a plan not to make any stops along the way. But right when we left, we saw a baby fox who was quite a character, so we started a photo session, right out the gate. This charming little fox did not run away, and even when we stepped out of the vehicle for photos he did not run. He let us get loads of photos of him playing by himself and even stopped to strike a pose for us now and then!
As we started making our way, the driver asked me, “So, Neboku Pass or Shiretoko Pass?” Since the weather was pretty good and clear, I decided to catch the beautiful evening vista of Shiretoko for our drive.
June 16 (Thursday) Light Rain and then, Sunny
Finally we are on our last day of the tour. It was a soft rain in the morning, but as soon as we left, it lifted. Today our goal is the Koshimizu Wild Flower Garden for the small birds.
Perhaps it was the low temperatures, but the little birds were pretty quiet today. However, as the temperatures rose, we started to hear the calls of the Lanceolated Warbler which sounds like the chirping of insects. We were not so fortunate as the birds, like the Locustellidae were making calls but they just would not make any appearances! It was so frustrating! LOL…Only the Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warbler showed itself. This year, due to the colder weather, the flowers were blooming late, so the sightings were not so good. But still at least we could see the Black Lily Fritillaria camtschatcensis.
Reed BuntingSiberian RubythroatSiberian StonechatPacific Swift
Since the time hit 10 AM, we moved from here to the final leg of the tour. We explored the lakeside paths, and looked for creatures to photograph. We could see and photograph different species like the kingfisher, little ringed plover, and the yellow-bellied kingfisher.
I wish to thank all the participants who came on this tour, I appreciate the good times during our long tour for 6 days and 5 nights!
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have our guesthouse Shiretoko Serai in Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula.
Please see other article related “Birds Photography in East Hokkaido”
June 12 (Sunday) Cloudy with Heavy Rain
We started with taking photos around Lake Furen, early in the morning. Typically, on good weather days, we would start the morning around 4:30 to 5am, but on this day, it was dark and cloudy so we gathered in front of the lodging to begin shooting.
A pair of Red-crowned Cranes were in the marsh.
The yellow flowers of the Thermopsis montana in the foreground help to frame the pair off in the distance.
I was loading the bags in the car after breakfast when I saw a bright red male Long-tailed Rosefinch just on the opposite side of the road. Everyone started clicking away.
We head to the Ochiishi port, and on the way there were a pair of White-tailed Eagles perched on a large tree. We approached quietly and slowly and showing no signs of wanting to fly away, we could get photos of them from the bridge.
I was honestly a little worried about the rough seas and being able to get out for the cruise in Ochiishi, but we were able to leave safely.
The Rhinoceros auklet was the first thing we saw, appearing now and then. But the real challenge is taking photos with the waves rocking the boat…it was really swaying. Such difficult conditions to get a good photo!
So I happened to look up just as a bird was flying over us…(It was stubby and plump, but flew higher than a puffin…!) So I blurted out “Tufted Puffin!” and luckily or unluckily by the time everyone looked up, the bird had flown so close, but all they could see was the tail as it flew away. These recent years have seen a decrease in the number of sightings, so we were just lucky to see it at all!
*Side note: In Japan, these species are so rare to be seen but they do breed on Yururi Island and Moyururi Islands.
After that, our guide spotted a young Horned Puffin which we photographed. The other tour participants seemed to have trouble getting a good photo of it that was in focus. But this bird is rarely seen in Japan and on top of that, it was in its summer plumage, which is even more rare!
There was some information going around that many Red-faced Cormorants were around this year, so we went to the rocky outcrops. It is very challenging to photograph from the rocking ship, but the tour members did a pretty good job.
We then made our way to the rocky area where we could observe the Sea Otters, and the first ones we saw were a baby with its parent. Soon after that we encountered a raft of sea otters, maybe 10 or so who were wrapped in kelp. It was like we transported to California! For me, this was the first time to see such a scene and I was super excited! In Hokkaido the sea otters only breed in the Nemuro area (Cape Kiritappu and the Moyururi Islands) so again, we were so lucky to see this many at once.
The otters wrapping themselves in the kelp beds. Sea otters found in Hokkaido are subspecies, Enhydra lutris lutris. It had at one time disappeared from the wild in Japan, but it was confirmed to be breeding since 1980.
There were some Spectacled Guillemots in the area so now and then we could grab some photos of them as well. Just before entering the harbor to alight, the Arctic Skua also made an appearance. I could not get a good photo of them, but typically they live offshore, so again, we had a fortunate chance to get to see some so close to the port.
June 13 (Monday) Rainy and Remained Cloudy after the rain
We headed to the Nosuke Peninsula in the early morning. There, the deer had already finished off the grass in the most easily accessible areas for photography. This is usually the place that the birds go for collecting nesting materials, but due to the overgrazing, the bird’s numbers are decreasing, and we could not see them. We moved on to some spots where we could see some flowers blooming, but it was quite cold there, so the birds were not feeding near the flower blooms. This is because when the temperatures are cold, the bugs stay close to the ground.
The Ezo deer in their summer coats.
However, the Common Cuckoo was flying around in the area. We could see some other small bird species that were nesting in the area as well.
This day’s lodging in Rausu was the Shiretoko Serai, an inn run by our Saiyu Travel Agency. The dinner was so elaborate and presented to nicely, that I could not believe I was in Rausu. Then at night, we were off to see the Blakiston’s fish owls…if only we could have stayed to relax and enjoy the meal a little longer! lol
This year, the pair of fish owls had 2 chicks, so the parents were at the feeding spot often to catch food for them. They came at 7:50pm, then again at 8:50, but we did not see them again after that. We finished our evening birding activities as planned around 11PM. (If the Owls had not made any appearance, we would have stayed until midnight, just in case.)
*Contact us, Saiyu Travel for more information about wildlife and bird watching in Hokkaido. We can make various arrangements for your trip. We have our guesthouse Shiretoko Serai in Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula.
Please see other article related “Birds Photography in East Hokkaido”
