Report on birds, with selected notes, by Chris Cook. ABA birding leader
Itinerary: Tokyo/east Hokkaido/Tohoku/Kyushu
Loon Spp. (Gavia Spp) A single bird, thought to be an Arctic Loon (Gavia arctica) at a river mouth at Matsushima Bay in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 5.
Little Grebe (Tachibaptus ruficollis)
Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena): A single bird off Cape Kiritappu in eastern Hokkaido on Feb. 1 and one off Cape Nosappu the following day.
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Temminck's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capillatus)
Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus)
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax): Seen only at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture where 5 birds were found roosting in the early morning of Feb. 8 and later a flock of about 40 birds noted flying over.
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis): A single bird at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 6.
Great Egret (Egretta alba)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia): Two birds at Imazu mudflats in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Feb. 6, and and additional two birds roosting on the sea wall at Arasaki the following day.
Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor): A flock of 21 birds seen at Imazu mudflats in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Feb. 6.
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Bean Goose (Anser fabalis): Three birds at Lake Izunuma and approximately 500 birds, referable to the race Anser fabalis middendorffii, at Kabukurinuma marsh in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 4.
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor): Two birds feeding at the mouth of a river a kilometer east of Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 7.
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
Bewick's Swan (Cygnus colombianus bewickii): Two family parties recorded at Kabukurinuma marsh in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 4. A single bird at Imazu estuary near Fukuoka on Feb. 6 and 5 birds at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture the following day.
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna): Recorded only at Imazu mudflats near Fukuoka on Feb. 6 and at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 8 and 9.
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata): A flock of approxinately 40 birds, including males in full breeding plumage, on a pond in Yoyogi Park in Tokyo on Jan. 30.
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca crecca)
Baikal Teal (Anas formosa): A flock of at least 150 birds at Lake Izunuma in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 4.
Falcated Teal (Anas falcata): A pair at Lake Izunuma in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 4.
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra)
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca)
Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Smew (Mergus albellus): A male and three females on a small river draining into the Tama River in west Tokyo on Jan. 30 and small numbers seen at Lake Izunuma and Kabukurinuma in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 4.
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla): Several birds seen at a number of localities in east Hokkaido. Finally, two birds at Lake Izunuma in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 4.
Steller's Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus): Recorded only in the east Hokkaido region where several birds, including superb adults, were seen around Lake Akkeshi, Cape Nosappu and the Odaito/Notsuke Peninsula areas. At Odaito-ko, approximately 10 birds, including 6 adults, in the air together.
Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus): Two birds circling over Dazaifu Shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture on Feb. 6.
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentillis): A single being mobbed by Large-billed Crows over Meiji Shrine in central Tokyo on Jan. 29, and another bird at the Tama River in west Tokyo on the same day. At Lake Izunuma, a single bird sitting in a tree together with a Common Buzzard on Feb. 4.
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus): A single near Tsuruimura in Hokkaido on Jan. 31.
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus): A single seen flying past the restaurant west of Nemuro on Feb. 2.
Eastern Marsh Harrier (Circus spilonotus): At Lake Izunuma, a male seen onFeb. 4 and another bird seen at Kabukurinuma Marsh the same afternoon. Finally, one seen from the while on the bus on the way to Narita International Airport at Tokyo Rinkai Koen in Chiba Prefecture on Feb. 9.
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Merlin (Falco columbarius): At Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture, a single hunting over the rice fields on Feb. 8.
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Chinese Bamboo Partridge (Bambusicola thoracica): Heard calling at the Tama River in west Tokyo on Jan. 30.
Japanese Green Pheasant (Phasianus versicolor): Three females presumed to be of this species seen at Lake Izunuma on Jan. 4 and a male seen briefly in flight at Araskai in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 8.
Common Crane (Grus grus): Six birds seen at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 7
Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis): Approximately 400 birds seen at two sites in eastern Hokkaido on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.
Hooded Crane (Grus monacha): The commonest crane at Arasaki, Kagoshima Prefecture, with approximately 8,000 birds present at the time of our visit.
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis): Two birds at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 7.
White-naped Crane (Grus vipio): The second commonest crane at Arasaki, Kagoshima Prefecture, with around 3,000 birds present.
Siberian White Crane (Grus leucogeranus): A single bird with a family party of 3 White-naped Cranes at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 7.
Demoiselle Crane (Antropoides virgo): Two birds seen late in the afternoon with White-naped Cranes at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 7.
Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus): A single bird seen in a marshy area at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 8.
Common Gallinule (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Long-billed Plover (Charadrius placidus): Two birds on the river at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 8.
Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis): A flock of about 20 birds on offshore rocks near Onnemoto, Nemuro, on Feb. 2.
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia): A single on the river at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 8.
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata): Three birds at Imazu mudflats near Fukuoka City in Fukuoka Prefecture on Feb. 6.
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Black-headed Gull (Larus rididbundus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus)
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens)
Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris)
Saunder's Gull(Larus saundersi): At least 10 birds, including immatures, at Imazu mudflats in Fukuoka Prefecture on Feb. 6.
Spectacled Guillemot (Cepphus carbo): Birds seen off Cape Nosappu near Nemuro, Hokkaido, on Feb. 2 and off Notsuke Peninsula the following day.
Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus): A single off Cape Nosappu, Nemuro, on Feb. 2.
Rufous Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis)
House Swift (Apus affinis)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Japanese Green Woodpecker (Picus awokera): A single bird, allowing superb views, perched high in a tree at Zuiganji Temple near Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 5. This was the 100th species of the tour.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker (Dendrocopos kizuki)
Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Asian House Martin (Delichon dasypus): Several birds seen in the Minamata City area of Kumamoto Prefecture on Feb. 8.
Gray Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Japanese Wagtail (Motacilla grandis)
Black-backed Wagtail (Motacilla lugens)
Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni)
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus): Two birds in a rice paddy at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 7.
Buff-bellied Pipit (Anthus rubescens)
Brown-eared Bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis)
Bull-headed Shrike (Lanius bucephalus)
Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus): A female/immature at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo on Jan. 30 and a superb male at Zuiganji Temple in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 5.
Daurian Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus)
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius): A single male at Matsushima Bay in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 5 and another at Mikasaya Ryokan in Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Feb. 8.
Brown-headed Thrush (Turdus chrysolaus)
Pale Thrush (Turdus pallidus)
Dusky Thrush (Turdus naumanni)
Japanese Bush Warbler (Cettia diphone)
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis): Two birds seen at Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 8.
Marsh Tit (Parus palustis): In Japan, found only in Hokkaido. Birds seen at a feeder at Ito Crane Sanctuary in Tsuruimura on Jan. 31 and at Shunkunitai Nature Center near Nemuro, on Feb. 2.
Willow Tit (Parus montanus)
Coal Tit (Parus ater)
Varied Tit (Parus varius)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europea): At Tsuruimura in Hokkaido, two birds seen on Jan. 31. A single also seen at a feeder at Shunkunitai Nature Center at Lake Shunkunitai, west of Nemuro, Hokkaido, on Feb. 2.
Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus)
Siberian Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides)
Chestnut-eared Bunting (Emberiza fucata)
Rustic Bunting (Emberiza rustica)
Black-faced Bunting (Emberiza spodocephala)
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Oriental Greenfinch (Carduelis sinica)
Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus)
Rosy Finch (Leucosticte arctoa): A flock of 10 birds at Cape Kiritappu in eastern Hokkaido on Feb. 1 and another flock of about 100 birds feeding on a kelp-drying area at Onnemoto, near Nemuro, on Feb. 2.
Long-tailed Rosefinch (Uragus sibiricus): At Lake Izunuma and Kabukurinuma Marsh, a few birds, including males and immature males, seen on Feb. 4.
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula): One bird heard at Zuiganji Temple in Miyagi Prefecture on Feb. 5.
Japanese Grosbeak (Eophona personata): Five birds found perched in a tree near Dazaifu Shrine near Fukuoka in Fukuoka Prefecture on Feb. 6.
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Chestnut-cheeked Starling (Sturnus philippensis): A single bird in a mixed flock of White-cheeked/Common starlings near Arasaki on Feb. 7.
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris): At least 10 birds in a starling flock near Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 7.
White-cheeked Starling (Sturnus cineraceus)
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Azue-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyana): One bird seen from the bus in a garden in Fuchu City in west Tokyo on Jan. 30.
Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica): Two birds seen from the bus in northern Saga Prefecture in Kyushu on Feb. 8.
Rook (Corvus frugilegus): Large flocks seen around Arasaki in Kagoshima Prefecture on Feb. 7 and 8. An estimated 1,000 birds at Arasaki on the latter date.
