Birds of Hokkaido - Wildlife of Japan｜Saiyu Travel

2021.11.01 update

Steller’s Sea Eagle On The Drift Ice（Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula）

This is a Steller’s Sea Eagle that we observed during a Drift Ice Cruise from Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula. It is such a handsome looking bird of prey, with white wings, a white tail, and a large yellow beak and yellow legs.

When open, the wingspan measures 220 to 250cm (7.2 – 8.2 feet), and the weight can be heavy from 5 to 9 kg (11-20 lbs), and the females are usually a bit larger than the males.

They breed on the coasts of the Sea of Okhotsk and the coast of Kamchatka Peninsula, and in the winter a small part of that population will come to the southern part of the Kuril Islands and Hokkaido. There are about 3,200 pairs in the world, and about 2,000 individuals are thought to migrate to Hokkaido for the winter.

The name “Steller’s Sea Eagle” came from the German naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller.

Steller was of German but he joined the Russian expedition of Vitus Bering who set out to explore the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. In 1741, after Bering died of illness on Bering Island, now part of the Commander Islands, the remaining crew and Steller were able to escape and returned home to tell the world of the newly discovered sea animals, such as the Steller’s sea cow and the seabirds living in the area.

Then, as an unfortunate result of being “discovered,” the Steller’s sea cow was overfished and gone extinct within only 27 years of its discovery. Spectacled cormorants were also extinct by 1852.

The reconstructed skeleton of the Steller’s sea cow on display in a private gallery on Bearing Island, Commander Islands.

Returning to the Steller’s sea eagles, they spend the winter in Hokkaido and move back north in the first week of March. It is thought that these Sea eagles did not originally migrate long distances, but came floating on the drift ice to Hokkaido and the Kuril Islands. Then they would return to their breeding grounds for the courtship season. They will lay 1-3 eggs between April to May.

The Steller’s sea eagles against the backdrop of the town of Rausu. Soon, they will be heading back North.

Photo & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: February 2018, Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido

*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.

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2021.10.21 update

Spectacular View! Rausu Drift Ice Cruise at Dawn (Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula)

This is a report from our February 28th Rausu Drift Ice Cruise. We were told to be at the harbor at 4:45 in the morning, so we went straight from the “Washi no Yado”, where we were observing the Blakiston’s Owl up until 4:30am. Without a cloud in the sky, the stars were shining so brightly, in the crisp wintery air of Shiretoko. We headed to the harbor, filled with expectations thinking “Today might be a beautiful day.”

As we departed, I took this shot looking back at the town of Rausu with the backdrop of mountains on the Shiretoko Peninsula.

The Kunashir Island blanketed with red. The captain announced, “Today the drift ice is very close.” Sure enough, we could soon make out the dark shadowy outline of the drift ice.

The drift ice in the foreground, with Kunashiri Island behind. It is beautifully silhouetted in the morning light. The captain let us know “The sun will come out soon.” Everyone was waiting on the deck.

Daybreak.

The Steller’s sea eagles on the drift ice with the morning sun.

The Steller’s sea eagles and White-tailed eagles started to gather around our boat (and the crows too!) Besides that, it was a really beautiful day today!

There are endless shutter clicks on the deck of the ship. Many foreigner bird photographers are on board for the tour and it is not limited to just Japanese people. The early morning daybreak cruise is quite a “hard challenge” because we had just stayed up all night, for observing the Blakiston’s Fish Owls, but this scenery is a wonderful reward for our efforts.

Photo & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: February 2018, Rausu, Siretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido

2021.09.11 update

Shiretoko Peninsula – Brown Bears Catching Pink Salmon

In late August, the Shiretoko Peninsula sees the return of the Pink salmon. However, due to a lack of rainfall, the rivers are too shallow for the salmon to swim upstream. As a result, the fish gather along the shore, in the sea, near the mouth of the river.

This is where the Rausu fishermen set up their nets, as do the brown bears, in the same area. This is the time of year when the brown bears are the most hungry and thinnest. The bears will venture into the ocean to catch the pink salmon that cannot enter the river.

This is the scene near “Pekin-no-hana”, on Shiretoko Pennisula with the fishing brown bear. It is like the White-tailed eagle is sitting just behind the bear, as if saying “Hurry up and catch something!” As the bear heads into the ocean…

A bear in the sea water.

The bear dunks its head into the water over and over, while swimming, to look for the Pink salmon underfoot.

It caught a female Pink salmon!

The roe, fish eggs, started overflowing with every bite.

It is probably too tiring to keep swimming while eating, so the bear heads back to the beach. It was there for a while, munching on the salmon with its backside facing us. After finishing off the main parts, the bear heads back into the sea for another round.

The White-tailed eagle quickly moves in to secure the leftover food. Then the crows move in for some leftovers too.

Then, just when we thought this bear would return to fishing, it got distracted and started playing with the net buoys! This must have been a young bear that was still holding on to its playful nature. Our customers who were with us, really enjoyed watching the fun-loving cute bear.

Eventually, it tired of playing and returned to the beach. It was a lovely chance to catch the last moments of summer with the brown bear.

Photography & text : Mariko SAWADA

Special Thanks : Mr.Kokichi TENJIN & Shohei MORITA(SHIRETOKO SERAI（知床サライ)

Tags: Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Brown Bear, Wildlife tour in Japan, Ezo-brown bear, Higuma, White-tailed sea eagle, Brown Bear Photography Hokkaido, Rausu, 知床, Birds Photography of Japan, Shohei Morita, Shireoko, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Shiretoko peninsula, Wildlife of Japan, Ojirowashi, Birds of Hokkaido, Shiretoko, Birds of Japan

2021.06.15 update

Cackling Geese Wintering in Japan’s Kuril Islands

The Cackling Goose in the Kuril Islands

Once deemed extinct in the Kuril Islands when it was still under Japanese rule, the cackling geese have been reintroduced to the Islands and I was fortunate enough to encounter a flock when visiting there.

Coming to Japan for over-wintering and for breeding, the cackling goose will use the central islands of the Kuril Island Archipelago (in Japanese called ‘Chishima retto’ or in Russian called ‘Kurilskiye ostrova’). Before WWII, when the Kuril Islands were under Japanese rule, Blue Foxes (dark-colored morphs of Arctic Foxes) were introduced to the islands for the purpose of fox fur farming. As a result, the cackling goose was driven into extinction. The last record of observations was made in Miyagi Prefecture in 1935, with geese in flocks of hundreds, before they disappeared.

At first in Alaska, the fur industry was booming in the Aleutian Islands as red foxes were introduced to the islands and ended up decimating the cackling goose populations. Then in 1962, some breeding cackling geese were discovered in the Aleutian Islands. Due to conservation and breeding efforts to restore the population, the number of birds began to return. These birds were then used to help continue to restore populations in the Kuril Islands by the ‘Japanese Association for Wild Geese Protection’ in close partnership with the ‘Sendai Yagiyama Zoological Park’ (Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture), the US Government and Russian researchers over many years. From 1995-2010, birds were released on fox-free Ekaruma Island as a project to bring them back from the brink of extinction.

So, this is about the first time that I could see these wild cackling geese. We were travelling the eastern coast of Shiashkotan Island during a “Kuril Islands Adventure Cruise” when I saw a flock of birds landing on the water. I asked aloud, “Oh, what birds are those?” Luckily, they landed relatively close enough for us to be able to ID.

The touring bird photographers and the sea bird guides were so ecstatic to see them!

These are the breeding cackling geese of the central Kuril Islands. The ones without a white ring on their necks are the juvenile individuals. We approached them in an inflatable rubber boat, keeping enough of a distance, so they did not fly off.

Cackling Goose, flying against the Shiashkotan Island backdrop, in the Kuril Islands.

Starting with a relatively small number of geese released in the central Kuril Islands, on Ekarma Island, populations expanded, and more birds learned the migration route over the years, coming back repeatedly. Currently, now the birds migrating to Japan annually number over 8,000.

That first encounter with them was in mid-August 2018. Since then, I wanted to see them here in Japan again, but didn’t have an opportunity to do so until winter of 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic limiting international travel, I could finally be lucky enough to see the cackling goose here with domestic travel.

These are the geese of Kabukuri-numa (wetland). I was blown away by how many there were!

I have now been on the cruises to the Kuril Islands 9 times so far, but I have only been lucky enough to see the cackling geese twice – once in 2018 and the other time in June 2019 on Ekarma Island. Due to Covid in 2020, I could not go on a trip to the Kuril Islands, but I do hope the population continues to increase!

Keeping my fingers crossed to be able to go again to the Kuril Islands!

Photo & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Aug 2018, Shashikotan Island, Kuril Islands, Russian Far East, Dec 2020, Kabukuri-numa、Japan
Reference : Mr. Masayuki Kurechi, Japanese Association for Wild Geese Protection

Tags: Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Birding tour Japan, Birds Photography of Japan, Bird tour Japan, Bird Watching Japan, Wildllife in Japan, Kabukuri-numa, Izunuma, Kabukurinuma, Cackling Goose, Wildlife of Japan, Kuril Islands, Birds of Hokkaido, Ekarma Islands, Birds of Japan, Kuril Islands cruise

2021.05.26 update

Long-tailed Tit : Winter Photography Tour (Nemuro, Hokkaido）

This is a report of the Winter Eastern Hokkaido Photography Tour.

After getting photos of the Steller’s sea eagles and white-tailed eagles at Lake Furen, we moved on to a chance to photograph the Long-tailed tits. While we were getting our cameras setup, the first bird we encountered was a Eurasian nuthatch. The species Sitta europaea asiatica, which inhabits Hokkaido. And then, the Japanese tit, and the great spotted woodpecker made an appearance and then finally we could hear the calls of the long-tailed tits! In Hokkaido, the long-tailed tit is a subspecies of Aegithalos caudatus japonicus, which is one of the 4 subspecies in Japan. It has a head of all white and looks really cute!

They came to the feeding station and the Japanese bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus which was prepared for the photographer…this set up really highlighted the cuteness of the long-tailed tit.

Long tailed tit シマエナガ｜西遊旅行 Saiyu Travel

This winter, there were new things to look forward to in Eastern Hokkaido!

In Nemuro, we observed the Steller’s sea eagles, white-tailed eagles and other birds at Lake Furen, and in Habomai Port, we could see ducks and some seabirds (though at a far distance) at Cape Nosappu’s Northern territory. It was a very pleasant and fulfilling journey!

Image & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Feb 2021, Nemuro, Hokkaido
Special Thanks: Lodge “Lake Sunset”

Tags: Enaga, Birds of Japan, Bird watching in Japan, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Nemuro, Wildlife tour in Japan, Lake Furen, Birds Photography of Japan, Lake sunset in Furen Lake, Birding tour Japan, Furen Lake, Bird tour Japan, Lake sunset, Bird Watching Japan, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Long-tailed tit, Wildlife in Hokkaido, Wildlife of Japan, Shimaenaga, 根室, Birds of Hokkaido

2021.04.30 update

Icy Lake Furen: Steller’s Sea Eagle and White-Tailed Eagle (Lake Furen, Hokkaido)

2021 Report from Winter in Hokkaido Photography Tour

In mid-February, the temperatures were high and with less snow on the ground, we were worried if that would mean less ice formation on Lake Furen. However, the Lake’s sunset show was spectacularly set at always. Best of all, with only a few foreign tourists around, it was not crowded at all.

After 8am, the Steller’s sea eagle and white-tailed eagle were waiting in standby on the lakeside trees, and a crow was waiting impatiently on the ice.

Sea Eagles on Ice lake Furen 風蓮湖の鷲｜西遊旅行

Video & text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Feb 2021, Lake Furen, Hokkaido
Special Thanks : Lodge “Lake Sunset”

*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.

Tags: Birding tour Japan, Steller's sea eagle, Bird tour Japan, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Eagle photography of Japan, Bird Watching Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Birds Photography of Japan, Wildlife in Japan, Birds of Hokkaido, Oowashi, Wildlife in Hokkaido, Birds of Japan, Ojirowashi, White-tailed eagle, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Furen Lake, Eagle fighting, Eagle in action, Lake sunset, White-tailed sea eagle

2021.03.31 update

Bird Photography : Steller’s Sea Eagle and White-tailed Eagle (Rausu, Hokkaido)

Winter 2021 Eastern Hokkaido Photography Tour Report

This time, for the Rausu Drift Ice Cruise, there was no drift ice out at sea, so the photography cruise took place in the fishing port.
Due to that situation, however, it proved to be challenging to get photos of the Steller’s sea eagle and White-tailed eagles without any buildings in the background. For the first half of the tour I was trying to get them with the ice and snow as the backdrop, and then for the second half I mainly took shots of them flying in the air. The staff on the ship assisted in this effort by expertly throwing the fish in the air.

A Steller’s sea eagle flying towards our boat.

Battling for food mid-air.

I wondered if it is just less risky to steal another eagle’s fish rather than grabbing the ones that have fallen on the ice surface?

Fierce competition.

Oh no! You dropped your fish!

Perhaps the White-tailed eagles are a little more mature? I had the impression that the fights occurred more amongst the Steller’s sea eagles (maybe it just seemed that way for that particular morning tour).

Although I was taking photos in the fishing port (it’s hard to call it a ‘cruise’ since we didn’t get out to sea!) we were blessed with good weather where we could see the beautiful eagles flying in the skies above.

Photo & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Feb 2021, Rausu, Hokkaido
Special Thanks: The staff at Gojira-iwa Kanko

Tags: 知床サライ, Birds of Japan, Birds Photography of Japan, Shiretoko Serai, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Rausu sunrise drift ice cruise, Wildlife in Hokkaido, Wildlife tour in Japan, Shireoko, 羅臼, Shiretoko peninsula, オオワシ, Oowashi, White-tailed eagle, Ojirowashi, White-tailed sea eagle, Birding tour Japan, Steller's sea eagle, Bird tour Japan, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Rausu, Bird Watching Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Rausu drift ice cruise, Wildlife in Japan, Birds of Hokkaido, Eagle photography of Japan

2021.03.05 update

Hokkaido’s Ural Owl Feeding on a Large Field Mouse

Eastern Hokkaido Winter 2021 Report

Being told that the owls aren’t in their nests that much this year, we went to check the hole in the tree where they can usually be spotted. But just as our local guide said, they were not home. This owl pair that live near the “Tsurui Dosanko Ranch,” are a favorite because they are usually quite reliable to be close by and so very cute to watch.
Eventually we could see them. I couldn’t see both of them at the same time, but one of them had caught a large Japanese field mouse (Ezo Akanezumi). This subspecies of field mouse is Apodemus speciosus ainu and it is endemic to Japan!

Ural Owl（エゾフクロウ）｜西遊旅行

After the video was taken, the owl did not eat his prize field mouse right away, but instead put it down inside the burrow and just sat there watching us.

Video & Text : Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Feb 2021, Tsurui village, Hokkaido

Tags: Ezo Ural owl, Birding tour Japan, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Bird tour Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Bird Watching Japan, Birds of Hokkaido, Wildlife in Japan, Birds of Japan, Wildlife in Hokkaido, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, エゾフクロウ, Wildlife tour in Japan, Tsurui village, Ural Owl, large Japanese field mouse, Hokkaido’s Ural Owl, Ezo Akanezumi, Wildlife tour of Japan