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.
*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 water of Chichi-jima (Father Island) in the Ogasawara Islands, at depth of 1,500-2,000meters, are known as a place where female sperm whales with their calves observed throughout the year.
Having said that, it is best to visit this area when the seas are calmer, usually from July to October.
In October, on a day when the conditions were favorable, we headed to the whale watching area off Chichi-jima. We were lucky to encounter a group shortly after we started our search. Each of the groups was made up of 3 to 6 individuals.
Then, we found a lone calf by itself, patiently waiting for its mom, who had gone for a dive into the deep sea.
The baby looks as if it is flying, with such clear water. The calf’s body was a lighter color, but it had the typical wrinkles primarily seen on Sperm Whales, along with some scars of bitemarks from the cookie-cutter sharks.
This young sperm whale, swimming upside down towards our boat, was so close, that we could actually hear the “talking” clicking sounds on our ship!
We could so clearly see the lower jaw of the whale!!!
We parted for a little, but then it returned, approaching the boat again. This time with its mouth open.
This is the calf with its mouth wide open. We could clearly hear the clicking sounds again.
Amazingly, it flattened its fins and rotated while swimming into the edge of the ship, making the suckerfish scuttle around. Perhaps this was an offensive ?
A sperm whale swimming towards the direction of Chichi-jima.
This young sperm whale also came up alongside our ship, raised its face and seemed to look up over at the top of our boat.
The youngster seemed to enjoy spending time with us and then, eventually left and swam back to its mother and the family.
In Ogasawara, you can see these groups of females with their calves, but I wonder if we could ever see a male that comes to have mate someday? It would be such a dream to be able to see a male sperm whale in such clear water like this!
Photo & text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Oct 2020, Chichijima, Ogasawara Islands
Special Thanks: FISH EYE
On a nice calm day, with no wind or waves, we cruised from Aidomari around Cape Shiretoko in search of brown bears just before Rusha river in Shari town.
Now we are starting to see Cape Shiretoko! While on the cruise, depending on the location, the weather and conditions can change suddenly with wind and waves. On this day, Shiretoko was “stable”, but there was some waves along the way, since we were on an extended cruise.
This is the Shiretoko Misaki lighthouse. After passing that point, we entered the Sea of Okhotsk where usually there is a significant difference in the sea conditions between the Rausu and Shari sides, which are separated by the Shiretoko mountain range. However, it was a calm and sunny day on both sides.
The Cape Shiretoko has a plateau at 30-40m high, but the vegetation there was cut in the pioneering days, has never returned. There is also a factor that the Ezo-sika deer population has increased too much and is ruining the vegetation. The area from the central part to the northern part of Shiretoko Peninsula became a national park in 1964 and was later designated as World Heritage Site in 2005. Currently power boats are not allowed on land, but you can observe the landscape and wildlife from boats along the coast.
Same as on the Rausu side, there are abandoned fishing houses “banya” along the coast on the Shari side as well. The terrain on the Shari side makes it much more challenging for humans to reach.
Found them…the Brown bear mother and her cub.
The cute scene of a baby bear trying to keep up with the mother bear.
This little cub is just as curious about us. Since we perhaps were catching their attention too much, so we moved away from the coast and made our way towards the mountains.
Another pair of bears. This mother had walking with her a very young cub.
The mother bear makes her way up the slope while eating grass. And two little cubs trying to keep up.
Looks like they are a bit worried about the boat, and I apologized to them for interrupting them.
Photo & text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Aug 2020, Shiretoko Peninsula
Special Thanks : Mr.Koichi TENJIN, Mr.Shohei MORITA (Shiretoko Serai知床サライ)
*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.
Pink Salmon, called “Kurafuto masu” in Japanese, return to the rivers on the Shiretoko Peninsula. These salmon came from the rivers and migrated out into the Northern seas for about two years; then return to their natal rivers to spawn.
These salmon just in front of me are on the verge of death. The Pink Salmon embody the very raw ‘act of living’ in their tattered appearance. We, who eat these salmon, must have gratitude in our hearts.
Salmon Run- Pink Salmon Going Upstream in the Fall in Shiretoko Peninsula
Compared to other salmon species, the Pink Salmon do not have a strong “Homing Instinct” and will swim upstream of any freshwater rivers nearby. In the year this video was filmed (2016), the peninsula had experienced 3 typhoons in mid-August. This had caused the salmon net that had been set along the coast to come loose, and it enabled a large number of salmon to make it upstream.
Pink Salmon that were caught in the net.
This is the mass of Pink salmon gathered at the bottom of a waterfall. Their dorsal fins are sticking out from the surface of the water.
A Pink salmon trying to swim up the waterfall.
A Brown bear that has caught a salmon. This is the time of year that the brown bears are the thinnest and can be seen desperately chasing the Pink salmon.
Image & text: Mariko SAWADA
(Photos/video are from a trip in Aug 2016 & Sep 2017)
Location: Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido
Special Thanks : Shiretoko Diving Kikaku 知床ダイビング企画
*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.
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)
*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.
Finally, I had the chance to make it to Terui Island; I have always wanted to visit here. Spectacled guillemots and Rhinoceros auklets breed here, but it is very hard to see them breeding up close overseas.
We immediately head to the Akaiwa Observatory, where we can observe the spectacled guillemot, and see the world’s largest breeding ground for the rhinoceros auklet. Akaiwa, meaning red rock, is a 48 meter high rock that protrudes from the westernmost part of Terui Island. The surrounding cliffs are called the Akaiwa Observatory, and there are trails and terraces for observing the breeding grounds of the auklets.
The observation boardwalk and the burrows of the auklets. The burrows are about 20 cm in diameter. The auklets do not return to the Island until after it gets dark, but you can still observe the guillemots on the sea-facing cliffs.
The spectacled guillemots returned from sea with the namesake Akaiwa in the background. Spectacled guillemots build nests in the crevices of the ‘Red Rock,’ taking advantage of any small gaps and nooks on the rough surface. From this vantage point, you can see guillemots flying to and from the nests and the sea, as well as get good observations of their courtship behaviors as the pairs sit on the rocks.
A Spectacled guillemot returning from the sea, landing near its nest.
Then the partner came out and they started their display. This was the lovely first glimpse we got, right off the bat.
A spectacled guillemot husband and wife.
I wonder what they are saying to each other, these guillemots.
Their courtships calls pierce the sky.
This is the effect the Akaiwa Observatory can have on you…where you are captivated by the beauty of the guillemots and you forget to look at the time.
Photo & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Jun 2018, Teuri Island, Hokkaido, Japan
No where else in the world can you see these rare seabirds nesting, as close as you can on Terui Island, the island of the Spectacled Guillemot and Rhinoceros Auklet. To get there, one needs to take a ferry from Haboro, Hokkaido for about 1hour and 30 minutes, in the remote reaches of the Sea of Okhotsk. The birds will arrive at the island from April to July, but it is a bit easier on the traveler to come when the sea conditions are calmer, around June. By this time, breeding has passed its peak and you can observe the seabirds hastily raising their chicks.
On the day we arrived on Terui Island, Mr. Takaki Terasawa, a nature photographer living on the Island, told us “Today’s sunset has a lot of potential” so we headed back out to sea in his boat, ‘Keimafuri Gou’ (literally translated to the ‘Spectacled guillemot ship’).
By June, you can see the seabirds diligently carrying a beak full of fish back to their chicks in the nest. Right off the bat, we saw a rhinoceros auklet.
Once the sunsets, it is time to head back to the nest. We could see this figure appear, an auklet with a bunch of fish in its beak. As its namesake implies, the mature Auklet has a growth that resembles a rhinoceros horn, which protrudes from the base of the upper beak.
This rhinoceros auklet has many fish to take back to the chicks waiting at its nest.
This is a guillemot that is carrying some fish in its beak. Probably it has caught the Pacific sandlance? The common name in Japanese for the guillemot translates to “Red legs” derived from the Ainu name “Keima hure” because of its noticeable bright red legs. The English name is based on the smart pair of glasses the birds wear, Spectacled guillemot, due to the white patterns around its eyes. Either way, however, it is hard to understand these descriptive names in this back lit scene.
As the sun sets low and the sky grows dark, it is about the time that one starts to worry about whether the shutter speed on the camera can capture the images we want. More and more guillemots are arriving with fish in their beaks.
The setting sun in the sea off Terui Island.
The striking scene of the setting sun silhouetting the rhinoceros auklets. I have such a deep appreciation to be able to see this amazing site! Thank you!
Photo & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Jun 2018, Teuri Island, Hokkaido
This is a report for the “BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR” by Gaku Tozuka.
Just to check out the conditions, I visited the site three days before the tour was scheduled to start and took some photos. The weather forecast for the past few days was not accurate. The tour started as scheduled with everyone meeting at Murodo Terminal.
It was forecasted that the weather for the next day would be bad, but since the weather was good at the moment, we stopped at the roof of the terminal in order to get some photos of the Asian House Martin (Delichon dasypus) for about 30 minutes.
Asian House Martins (Delichon dasypus)
We walked to the inn at 12:30PM and are our lunch right away. Conducting a simple orientation, I explained the general schedule, some basic biology and behaviors of the rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta japonica). After we finished lunch, we put our luggage away and had a quick explanation of the lodging and we started shooting more photos quickly thereafter. There were people gathering outside already, by the time I stepped outside. Right off, we found a pair of rock ptarmigans and could get some photos right away, but they quickly hid in the Siberian Dwarf Pine (Pinus pumila), so we moved on to find some other ptarmigans.
A Pair of Rock Ptarmigans (Lagopus muta japonica)A Pair of Rock Ptarmigans
In April we had an average amount of snowfall, but now considering that it is May, there was still a lot of snow on the ground for this time of year. Perhaps it was due to that, but the rock ptarmigans didn’t stand on top of the large rocks, as they usually do. This is one of the shots we are aiming for, so it was a bit challenging that they did not do it. So, we returned to the first location where we saw the birds earlier and we found the female resting on the dwarf pine and got photos of it there. As we watched, a male moved slightly in the background, and as we positioned in the direction of their movement, we could get the two birds together making all the participants satisfied with some exciting action! Lol! The pair made their way back to the cover of the tree, and so we moved on to the next photo point.
A Pair of Rock PtarmigansA Pair of Rock Ptarmigans
At the new spot, another ptarmigan was there as well! It was good for photos, but a white fog rolled in, and after a while, it flew away.
Flight of a Female Rock Ptarmigan
We were planning to take a break around here, but then a different male bird came out on the opposite side. It looked like it was possibly being wary of other males, and when we looked more closely, we could see a female was nearby. As we were getting the photos, we realized there was a second female close by as well! So, we were able to get a rare chance to see and photograph two females in the same shot. It really does not happen often, so we were careful to get many photos of the scene as we could.
Two Female Rock Ptarmigans
After getting the photos, the females started fighting each other and the male had to chase one of the females away. I am not sure how much of the drama the other group members could catch of the exchange, but it offered an exciting variation from the normal behavior. A heavy fog rolled in, so we took a break at the lodging. Even though I was thinking that the sunset won’t be visible, the fog suddenly lifted, so we prepared with some warmer clothing and headed out to look for ptarmigans again. We quickly found another pair again. The light on the birds was good for photos, but unfortunately the ropes and posts were in the way, so it was hard to get a good photo. These birds didn’t move at all, so we packed up our gear and moved over to the sunset photo point.
We were going to set up the tripods to get the photos of the sunset, but a strong wind was blowing, and we just couldn’t risk using the tripods. So, we took photos holding our cameras firm in hand. The weather was changing rapidly but amidst enduring the cold, we were still excited for the rare chance to get photos of a nice sunset.
Tateyama’s AfterglowSunset with Dainichi Peak
On the second day, we met at 5 AM, but the heavy rain prevented our getting any photography time. We all had our breakfast at 6 AM. We gathered up again at 8 AM to discuss what to do next. There was a consensus to head back home, so we packed up our bags and arrived at Murodo terminal in the rain and concluded the tour there.
Sleeping Male Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta japonica)
In April and May, we conducted these 2 days and one night tours, but perhaps it is a bit too hard of a schedule? I am thinking perhaps it is to tough. It is an high-altitude location, so it is harder for people to adjust to the lower oxygen levels, when compared to photographing on flat ground at lower elevations.
For all the participants, it was quite difficult to walk in the snow for 2 days, especially also due to the strong winds and in the heavy rain. But I do hope they were able to fully enjoy the chances to see some rock ptarmigans and the beautiful sunset. Thank you so much for participating in the tour!
Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1966 and currently resides there. Became interested in photography when he was a junior in high school. He has been taking photographs mainly of natural scenery and wildlife, which he has loved since he was a child. Currently, rather than taking “pretty, cute, and cool” photos, he focuses on taking photos of scenes that have a human touch and environmental scenes that show the relationship with human life. Ultimately, he aims for “photographs that have a smell. His work has been published in photo collections and exhibitions, and used in magazines, illustrated books, and calendars. His photographic collections include “Raicho Korokoro” and others.
*Please contact us, Saiyu Travel for arrangements for wildlife and bird photography tours in Japan.
Teuri Island is the largest breeding ground in the world for the Rhinoceros Auklet. They are a member of the ancient murrelet family, and just as the name suggests, it has horn-like protuberance at the base of its upper beak, in its summer plumage.
The birds returning after sunset, to their nests on Teuri Island, during the breeding season is masterful. The beaks of the adults will be filled with fish like the Pacific sandlance and come into the nest at an amazing speed! When you see it, you’d think they will just collide into the ground!
After enjoying an early dinner at the lodge (fresh seasonal sea urchins at that!) the guide took us to Akaiwa Observatory parking lot. It is good manners to take this tour with a local guide in order to avoid accidents, as there is a chance that the rhinoceros auklet might be resting on the road. Once we attached our observational light to the guardrail next to the roadway and set up the tripods, then we are ready for getting some photos.
We can hear the sounds of the feathers ruffling in the wind just before the they land. Then there is a bit of a tussle between the birds that could catch fish and the birds that couldn’t as they battle for the food and cry out “Gu-e” when attacked. Those parents that couldn’t find any fish attempt to desperately “steal” their neighbor’s catch. The birds with fish, rush to their burrow after landing in order to protect the food for the chicks.
A rhinoceros auklet with a bunch of fish in its beak. It will scurry into its nest to avoid getting robbed on the way.
One auklet in hot pursuit of the one with a fish. They passed just at my feet unaware of their observers.
The pair of rhinoceros auklets appeared out of the burrow we were observing, just in front of us. They were so loving to each other.
It was a very satisfying night at the Akaiwa Observatory for us as we could see the fast homecoming + fish-filled beaks + a lovey-dovey pair of auklets.
Photo & Text : Mariko SAWADA
Observation : Jun 2018, Teuri Island, Hokkaido, Japan
Japan’s westernmost island is the Yonaguni Island. It is said that on a good visibility day in the summertime, you can see all the way to Taiwan. One of the things that make Yonaguni famous, are the schools of Hammerhead Sharks that can be observed here while diving.
We visited early April, which is the end of the hammerhead season, so we thought it would be difficult to encounter them, but we were able to see many schools multiple times.
An unexpected encounter with a large school of hammerheads.
The hammerhead sharks at Yonaguni Island are all females and are generally calm and do not bite. Usually, they are found swimming at a depth of 35m to 40m, but this time we could encounter them at a relatively shallow depth of 25m to 30m.
Of course, while diving, we also visited the ‘Yonaguni Underwater Monument.’What looks like a terrace cut at right angles, looks man-made, but the natural formation is not actually a ruin. It is found in a spot that has a fast moving tide.
We stayed at Guesthouse FIESTA, where the owner prepared a wonderful BBQ for us.
The Yonaguni marlin are also famous. There are also many fishing boats that mainly target the marlin. We could get some fresh sashimi from the local Kinjo Tackel Shop. During our stay, we could also enjoy the fresh greater amberjack and green jobfish
We also had some locally produced ‘Island tofu (Shima tofu)’ cold and the last of the seasonal ‘Island Coriander/cilantro (shima pakuchii).’
This baby goat isn’t on the menu! This is the 2-month old goat of the Dive Shop Marlin, and it has been guaranteed the lucky designation as a lifelong pet.
Image & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Apr 2021, Yonaguni Island, Okinawa
Special Thanks: Yonaguni Diving Service MARLIN, Guesthouse FIESTA
Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1966 and currently resides there. Became interested in photography when he was a junior in high school. He has been taking photographs mainly of natural scenery and wildlife, which he has loved since he was a child. Currently, rather than taking “pretty, cute, and cool” photos, he focuses on taking photos of scenes that have a human touch and environmental scenes that show the relationship with human life. Ultimately, he aims for “photographs that have a smell. His work has been published in photo collections and exhibitions, and used in magazines, illustrated books, and calendars. His photographic collections include “Raicho Korokoro” and others.
