Bird tour Japan - Wildlife of Japan｜Saiyu Travel

2022.03.02 update

Winter Photography Tour of Red-Crowned Cranes, Tsurui Village -Part 2

This is the second part of the winter tour report by bird photographer Gaku Tozuka, during the Tsurui Village Tour to capture Red-crowned Cranes, Jan 10 – 13, 2022.

Winter Photography Tour of Red-Crowned Cranes, Tsurui Village -Part 1

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In the middle of the night, while at the lodging, I heard a large sound, which was like “Zuzaa…” from outside several times, and I thought it was sound of the strong winds blowing. But when I looked out in the morning, I figured out it was instead, the sound of the snow falling off the roof. I cancelled the early morning photo outing because it was very windy and some occasional snow. After our breakfast, I was planning to go out shooting, but the sleet had turned into rain, so I decided to wait until noon. In the meantime, while waiting with everyone, I conducted a course on how to get good shots, for about an hour.

Ural owl

After lunch, the snow and rain had stopped, and so I took the group to see the place where the Ural Owl had been seen. At first, I had to check the trail and location ahead of the group. After I had confirmed the location of the Owl, I went back to get the group and lead them into the woods. We still had some time after that, so we headed to see the Red-crowned Cranes and get photos of them. As soon as we arrived, we spotted the cranes, amongst the fresh snowfall and captured some beautiful scenes. Gradually, the sky grew dark and we were forced to call it quits at 4PM. We were lucky, because in Tsurui Village, the snow had been relatively mild, as I heard reports later, that there were other places that suffered considerable damage due to the heavy snowfall.

And then, it is the last day of the Photography Tour.
Departure was scheduled at 6am. The stars were twinkling in the night sky. There were some clouds to the east, but the weather looked stable enough to go out. However, it was a warm minus 3°C (26°F) and so we would not be able to get photos of the “rime ice” or the fine powdery ice frost we had seen before. Just the fact that it was not snowing or raining was a blessing.

When we arrived at the Otowa Bridge, it was still dim, but there were no other tourists there! It is unbelievable compared to the time when there were so many inbound customers before the Covid-19 Pandemic. It was too warm for the rime ice, but as the sky brightened up, the mallards started moving around and flew away. Back in the Setsuri River, we could see the whooper swans swimming in the beautiful river.

Red-crowned crane

The sun was rising, the temperature fell, and even though the tips of my fingers were hurting from the cold, everyone was focused on their photography. At 8am, the car came to pick us up and we had breakfast. When we went for getting photos of the Red-Crowned Cranes, yesterday’s fresh fallen snow was shining so brightly making it a dazzling scene. I was aiming for their flight and calling, but they were only doing their display towards the back of the flock…so it was difficult to get a good photo!

I was deeply appreciative of Mr. Wada, the owner of HOTEL TAITO, and all the staff who took care of us for the 4 days.

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The Birds Photographed: Red-crowned Crane, Ural Owl, Whooper Swan, Eurasian Nuthatch

Birds Observed: Steller’s Sea Eagle, White-tailed Sea Eagle, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Wagtail, Great Tit, Bulbul, Long-billed Plover, Crested Kingfisher, Carrion Crow, Jungle Crow

Mammals Observed： Sika deer

Photography & Text: Gaku TOZUKA (Bird photographer)
Visit: 2022, 10-13 JAN, Tsurui Village, Hokkaido

Profile：Gaku Tozuka （戸塚学）

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.

Tags: Tsurui mura, Bird tour Japan, Otowa-bashi, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Bird Watching Japan, Otowa bridge, Wildlife of Japan, Red-crowned Crane, Ito sanctuary, Birds of Hokkaido, Tancho, Birds of Japan, Tanchou, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Photography tour of Red-crowned carane, Wildlife tour in Japan, Photography of Red-crowned crane, Tsurui village, Rausu, GAKU TOZUKA, Wildlife in Japan, Birding tour Japan

2022.02.22 update

Winter Photography Tour of Red-Crowned Cranes, Tsurui Village -Part 1

This winter tour report was written by the Bird Photographer Gaku Tozuka, during the “Crane Photography Tour of Tsurui Village” that took place January 10 -13, 2022.

Winter Photography Tour of Red-Crowned Cranes, Tsurui Village -Part 2

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Hokkaido this winter saw heavy snowfall. I was so nervous as I watched the weather forecast, but when we arrived in the Kushiro area, the weather was fine. We immediately visited the Ito Crane Sanctuary upon my arrival. I had prepared boxed lunches (bento) for the participants of the tour, so they could fully enjoy the good weather and their photography without having to worry about stopping for lunch. As soon as we arrived, I gave a quick orientation with pointers about recommended photo spots, and then everyone was given free time to take their own photos. However, I was nearby to offer support on what camera settings to use, while also keeping an eye on the wind so you could predict possible flight patterns of the Red-crowned Cranes we had come to photograph. The participants asked if we would see the “Courtship dance” but unfortunately, it is still a bit before the breeding season, so I replied we would have to leave it to our luck.

The courtship dance of Red-crowned cranes

We moved to a different spot so I could explain ahead of time, the challenges of getting good shots of cranes flying in the evening sky as the sun was setting. I had gotten some local information ahead of time that there were many cranes that fly to roost early, and we wanted to get the photos of the cranes flying with the clear skies until sunset. It is quite difficult to predict the number of cranes and where they might fly in from because it is always different every day, but it seemed to me that all the participants could get good photos.

Red-crowned crane returning to its roost

The next morning, we had good weather and left the lodging at 6am. I took the group to get photos of the cranes as they were roosting. Every moment was magical with the soft dusting of rime ice that had formed on the branches of the trees by the riverside, and the changing colors of the sky.

The distance to the flock was quite far but they were visible as well.
Suddenly a bird plunged into the surface of the water, and as it emerged again, it turned out to be a White-tailed Eagle! I wonder, perhaps it was aiming for some leftover salmon carcass? After a little time passed, we heard the shrill bird calling “Kyara Kyara,” it was a medium-sized bird, which was the Crested Kingfisher! Then, there was a very large bird who appeared, and it was a Steller’s Sea Eagle!

Of course, I had my cameras set to slower shutter speeds for capturing the shots of the slow-moving cranes, so when I turned to get photos of the other birds, I could not get the shots. I guess you cannot kill two birds with one stone, or camera in this case!

A red-crowned crane in the river mist, Otowa bridge

Whooper swans flying towards us, Otowa bridge

After that, I changed my camera settings to capture the Red-crowned Cranes as they approached our position. But after I did that, I realized the large bird flying towards me was a Whooper Swan, not a Crane.
By the time 8am rolled around, the car had returned to pick us up and everyone was thoroughly chilled by the -20 below Celsius (-4°F) and ready to get warmed up.

Whooper swan at Setsuri river, from Otowa bridge

Photography & Text : Gaku TOZUKA (Bird photographer)
Visit: 2022, 10-13 JAN, Tsurui Village, Hokkaido

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Profile：Gaku Tozuka （戸塚学）

*Please contact us, Saiyu Travel for arrangements for wildlife and bird photography tours in Japan.

Tags: Photography tour of Red-crowned carane, GAKU TOZUKA, Photography of Red-crowned crane, Birding tour Japan, Bird tour Japan, Bird watching tour Japan, Crane Photography Tour of Tsurui Village, Wildlife of Hokkaido, Bird Watching, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Widlife in Japan, Tsurui mura, Birds of Hokkaido, Red-crowned Crane, Otowa-bashi, Birds of Japan, Japanese crane, Otowa bridge, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Tancho, Ito sanctuary, Wildlife tour in Japan, Tanchou, Tsurui village

2021.12.01 update

Rausu’s Drift Ice Cruise and the Drift Ice in the Port of Rausu・The Steller’s Sea Eagle and White-tailed Eagle

This is a winter report from the Shiretoko Peninsula, Rausu (Hokkaido).

This year the drift ice season in Rausu was very short. The morning we arrived in Rausu, the staff at the lodging, Shiretoko Serai informed us right away, “Until last night, the conditions for the drift ice were very good, but the westerly wind is blowing, so its possible the drift ice might be gone by night time.”
Due to the strong winds, the dawn cruise was cancelled, but luckily we could get a 9am cruise where we could see the Port of Rausu full of drift ice.

This is how it looks in the Fishing Port of Rausu with the accumulated Drift Ice. There are Steller’s Sea Eagles and White-tailed Eagles feeding in the photo. If one takes the photo zoomed in, without the port in the background, you can get surprisingly great photos that make the eagles look like they are in a very natural spot.

Sea Eagles on drift ice Rausu（Rausu’s Drift Ice Cruise 羅臼の流氷クルーズ）｜西遊旅行 Saiyu Travel

Image & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Feb 2021, Rausu, 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.

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

2021.11.21 update

Winter in Eastern Hokkaido, Rausu. Drift Ice Cruise and the Steller’s Sea Eagle

The Drift Ice Cruise of Rausu, Hokkaido. This year the drift ice arrived in Rausu around mid-February. This is a photo from a Drift Ice Cruise on March 5. From the day before, it was windy, and the drift ice moved towards the cape on the Shiretoko Peninsula.

We had chartered our boat for the Saiyu Travel’s “Photography Tour of Eastern Hokkaido in Winter” and we headed to sea in our Boat “Ohwashi.” The captain told us, “The drift ice has moved quite a bit, but let’s go check it out. If we travel for about an hour, we will be able to see it probably.”

Just before daybreak, we could see Kunashiri Island (Northern Territory, an island effectively under Russia) we could see a Steller’s Sea Eagle on the ice.

It’s Daybreak.

Sunrise with Kunashiri Island, the ice, and Sea eagles. The morning in Rausu is so breathtaking.

The surface of the sea had shards of ice floating and reflecting the sun like pieces of glass.

The mountains of Shiretoko as a backdrop to the Steller’s Sea Eagle.

The Sea eagle flying to the sea.

The sea eagle locked on to a fish.

The Sea eagles hitch a ride on the floating drift ice off the coast of Rausu.

Once a Sea eagle catches a fish that is thrown from the boat, it flies away. Then another bird will appear to fill the vacant spot.

The remaining bits of drift ice offer a precious place for rest, and they are competing for space on it.

The Steller’s sea eagles eating their fish on the drift ice.

Our boat ran to the Cape Shiretoko and we could finally see the massive drift ice collected there! Steller’s sea eagles were also sitting there as well!

From here on, there is nothing but drift ice. It looks like maybe it continues all the way to Kunashiri Island.

A Stellter’s sea eagle on the drift ice. Then, we heard from the captain, that the wind and waves were getting stronger, so we will turn back here.

The sea of Rausu in the early morning. It was a spectacular time with the Steller’s sea eagles and gulls doing their dance on the drift ice.

Photo & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: March 2017, Rausu, Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido
Special Thanks: Captain of the Ohwashi, Mr. KAWABATA and the crew

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

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

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

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

2021.09.01 update

Spectacled Guillemot at Terui Island / Akaiwa Observatory

>For information and tours of Teuri Island, click here!

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.

Photographs from the Small Fishing Boat! Spectacled Guillemot of Teuri Island

Homecoming of the Rhinoceros Auklet (Teuri Island – Hokkaido）

Rhinoceros Auklets on the Rocky Cliffs: Teuri Island

Ocean Sunset at Terui Island, with the Spectacled Guillemot and Rhinoceros Auklet

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

★ Visit our web site of TEURI ISLAND.

★Contact us to make arrangements for photographing seabirds on Teuri Island and Wildlife of Japan.

★Wildlife videos are also available on Youtube – we have the playlist as well.

Tags: Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Wildlife in Hokkaido, Birds Photography of Japan, Teuri, 天売島, Teuri Island, ケイマフリ, Akaiwa Observatory, Keimafuri, Spectacled Guillemot, Birding tour Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Bird tour Japan, Birds of Japan, Bird Watching Japan

2021.08.25 update

Ocean Sunset at Terui Island, with the Spectacled Guillemot and Rhinoceros Auklet

>For information and tours of Teuri Island, click here!

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

★ Visit our web site of TEURI ISLAND.

★Contact us to make arrangements for photographing seabirds on Teuri Island and Wildlife of Japan.

★Wildlife videos are also available on Youtube – we have the playlist as well.

Tags: Wildlife in Hokkaido, Teuri Island, Teuri, Rhinoceros Auklet, 天売島, Akaiwa Observatory, ケイマフリ, ウトウ, Keimafuri, Wildlife of Japan, Spectacled Guillemot, Utou, Birds of Japan, Birding tour Japan, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Bird tour Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Bird Watching Japan, Birds Photography of Japan, Wildlife in Japan

2021.08.15 update

Rock Ptarmigan of Tateyama – Photography Tour Report (May15-16, 2021)

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.

Rock Ptarmigan of Tateyama – Photography Tour Report (April 23-24, 2021)

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Image & Text: Gaku TOZUKA
Observation: May 2021, Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture

Profile：Gaku Tozuka （戸塚学）

*Please contact us, Saiyu Travel for arrangements for wildlife and bird photography tours in Japan.

Tags: 立山, ライチョウ, Rock Ptarmigan, Tateyama, Tateyama Rock Ptarmigan Photography, GAKU TOZUKA, Raicho, Wildlife of Japan, Birding tour Japan, Birds of Japan, Bird tour Japan, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Bird Watching Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Wildlife in Japan

2021.08.05 update

Homecoming of the Rhinoceros Auklet (Teuri Island – Hokkaido）

>For information and tours of Teuri Island, click here!

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

★ Visit our web site of TEURI ISLAND.

★Contact us to make arrangements for photographing seabirds on Teuri Island and Wildlife of Japan.

★Wildlife videos are also available on Youtube – we have the playlist as well.

Tags: Wildlife in Hokkaido, Wildlife tour in Japan, Teuri, Birds Photography of Japan, 天売島, ウトウ, Teuri Island, Utou, Rhinoceros Auklet, Bird in Hokkaido, Akaiwa Observatory, Seabirds in Japan, Birding tour Japan, Bird tour Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Bird Watching Japan, Birds of Japan, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife Photography tour in Japan