BIRDING JAPAN: Hokkaido Day One

From Tokyo, we took an early morning flight into Kushiro, before driving to the Hickory Wind Wilderness Lodge. Along the way were many black-eared kites, and I got my first look at some stunning red-crowned cranes. In the woodland around the lodge itself was a small mixed flock of Eurasian nuthatches and marsh tits. We left the lodge for lunch, before heading off on a guided canoe trip down the Kushiro River.

BLACK-EARED KITE Milvus lineatus

RED-CROWNED CRANE Grus japonensis

EURASIAN NUTHATCH Sitta europaea asiatica

MARSH TIT Poecile palustris hensoni

On the canoe trip itself we saw several flocks of black-faced buntings and many black-eared kites overhead. A distant grey-headed woodpecker was heard but not seen. We got great views of 2 white-tailed eagles scanning the river for prey. An American mink and many Sika deer were also seen.

WHITE-TAILED EAGLE Haliaeetus albicilla