It was back on a plane on Friday 13th February as we headed onwards to Kushiro on the island of Hokkaido for the next part of our trip. From the monorail to Tokyo Haneda Airport I saw Wigeon and Great Crested Grebe to add to my holiday bird list and from the departure lounge at the airport I had a distant view of a very large flock of Geese flying around. We also saw Mount Fuji again but this time it was just a distant view of its snowy peak poking out from above the clouds as we flew northwards.
On arriving at Kushiro it was sunny but noticeably colder and there was plenty of snow laying about on the ground and the only birds seen before it got dark were a Black Kite and Large-billed Crows.
Kushiro Train Station
Kushiro Drain Cover
Saturday 14th February was spent wandering around Kushiro and seeing the sights (which didn't take very long) but I did see some birds with a juvenile White-tailed Eagle flying overhead and spooking all the Slaty-backed Gulls the highlight. Also seen were Mallard, Wigeon, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Carrion Crow, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Thick-billed Crow and an immature male Scaup.
Slaty-backed Gulls
Slaty-backed Gull
Slaty-backed Gull
Red-breasted Mergansers
Sushimi at Kushiro WASHOU Market - sadly including Whale meat
Itsukushima Shrine
Itsukushima Shrine
Sunday 15th February was cold, overcast and dull as we headed out on a morning tour to the nearby Kushiro Shitsugen National Park to look for Red-crowned Cranes, the whole purpose of our visit to Kushiro. Our driver-guide was called Yuki and our first stop was at a lay-by beside a frozen lake which had a small patch of open water close to the road. An adult and juvenile Whooper Swan immediately caught my attention stood out on the ice and there were Ducks out on the water too with male and female Goosanders, a male Mallard, male Falcated Ducks and a male and 2 female Smew all seen while a Great White Egret flew overhead. The absolute highlight though was a beast of an adult Steller's Sea Eagle sat on a lamp post right by the side of the road with a second bird seen in the nearby trees, stunning views of a stunning bird.
Kushiro Shitsugen National Park - dull light and bright white snow were not my cameras friend
Whooper Swans
Steller's Sea Eagle
We carried onwards and saw lots of Sika Deer feeding on tree bark by the side of the road and had further views of Steller's Sea Eagles with 4 adults and an immature bird seen.
Sika Deer
Sika Deer
Sika Deer
Sika Deer
Steller's Sea Eagle
We eventually came across Red-crowned Cranes feeding in the roadside fields before watching a pair mating on the road right in front of our van!
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Crane with a leg ring
Red-crowned Crane
Mating Red-crowned Cranes
There were even more Red-crowned Cranes at the Tsurui village feeding station with birds loafing about in the snowy fields and whooping and dancing away while juvenile birds looked on. The Cranes are fed corn in the morning and afternoon, we arrived after the morning feed but the Cranes were still present in the fields and it was wonderful to see them so close. I could have stayed watching them all day but it did feel a little like watching the Bewick's Swans being fed grain at Slimbridge, the Red-crowned Cranes and Bewick's Swans are both wild birds but habituated to Humans.
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
Red-crowned Cranes
After returning to our hotel in Kushiro we headed off to the railway station for a 4 hour train ride to Sapporo, a comfortable journey through increasingly snowy landscapes to the next city on our tour of Japan.
Kushiro Train Station
There was a lot more snow around in Sapporo and the next day (Monday 16th February) it pretty much snowed all day as we wandered around the city. We visited a couple of temples in Nakajima Park which was a total snowy wonderland and where I saw Japanese Tit, 4 Brown-eared Bulbul and 2 Nuthatch. The only other birds seen in Sapporo were Large-billed Crows and a Carrion Crow, not surprising in the very cold and snowy weather.
Nuthatch
Sapporo
Sapporo
Sapporo
Sapporo
Sapporo
Sapporo
Sapporo Gokoku Shrine
Sapporo
Yahiko Shrine
Yahiko Shrine
Sapporo
Sapporo
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