Tancho - Wildlife of Japan

2023.04.19 update

＜Red-crowned Crane> Report for FEB, 2023 Eastern Hokkaido Wildlife Tour in the Winter

For 6 days from February 17、I traveled to Eastern Hokkaido. This article introduces the Red-crowned Cranes in the village of Tsurui.

Over the course of two days, I visited Otowa -bashi, a famous spot for observing the roosting cranes. On the first day, it snowed and the lowest temperature that morning was about -6℃. It was forecasted to have an ice-fog at below 15 degrees Celsius. Perhaps due to these bad weather conditions, when we arrived at the bridge at 4am, there were only 3 tripods lined up when we arrived. After 5:30am, the sky brightened and the cranes began to appear even though it was still snowing, and we were able to see them at a short distance away, only about 50 m from the bridge.

On the second day, the lowest temperature was minus 15℃, and when we arrived at 4am, there were already 30 tripods lined up, and in the end, there were so many people crowding to see the cranes, that we had to form two lines for the tripods. The red-crowned cranes were several hundred meters away, because it was sunny, but the morning glow was a golden hue, coloring the crane’s roosting area, making it a very magical sight.

Scenery from Otowa Bridge in the morning sun

At the Ito Sanctuary, which is the feeding ground for them during the winter, many people had already reserved their photo-taking positions from an hour beforehand. On the first day, perhaps because the wind was really strong, the cranes flew from behind us observers, passing directly above us. Even the photographers with the big camera lenses, were using their cell phones to shoot cause the distance was too close. Also, due to the snow, the ground was covered with a fresh coat of snow, making their courtship displays very elegant and fantastic.

On our second day, there were so many people gathered there from an hour before the feeding time. This time, in the parking area of Ito Sanctuary, there were people who had gotten stuck in the snow, causing lots of confusion in the parking lot. Driving in eastern Hokkaido takes some getting used to, so if you do drive yourself, please be careful not to waste precious photography time and get there early. On this day, it was a particularly beautiful day to observe cranes flying in with the clear blue skies as the backdrop.

The bright blue sky and the red-crowned crane

Red-crowned cranes coming to Ito Sanctuary

Then, at noon, we took a break at the shop that has bird feeders out for the Long-tailed tits “Shimaenaga.” Tourists are there eating the pasta flavored with locally grown basil and Hokkaido’s famous ice cream while observing the small long-tailed tits that were attracted by the birdfeeders.

In the evening, we observed the cranes going to roost. Due to the fact that they all return at once from the feeding site to the roost, we waited for the photo opportunity by waiting along the route. Over the 2 days, we saw a large number of cranes flying overhead. On the second day in particular, the sunset was a beautiful hue, so many people were able to get photos with a magical atmosphere.

Red-crowned cranes on its way to the roost

Photo & Text: Wataru HIMENO
Observation: Tsurui Village, East-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.

*Youtube : Wildlife of Japan

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

2023.03.03 update

Wildlife Sightings for January in Eastern Hokkaido

February is generally the peak season in Hokkaido’s eastern region, but what is it like in January? In this blog, we would like to introduce the wildlife that you might see in East Hokkaido (Kushiro, Notsuke Pennisula, Rausu) in January.

Short-Eared Owl (Notsuke Peninsula)

During this period, short-eared owls migrating from Siberia and other places, could be observed (depending on the year). This grassland owl is a rarity in Japan, but when you visit the open grassy fields in the evening, you might observe them flying around looking for mice. After that, as the weather gets colder, many of the owls migrate to other places around the main island of Japan (Honshu), so Hokkaido in January might be the best time to photograph the snowy landscapes with short-eared owls.

Ural Owl (Eastern Hokkaido)

The ural owl, is an endemic species that inhabits Hokkaido as a resident year around. It is easy to spot these birds in the leafless trees.

Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Rausu)

The Blakiston’s fish owl can be seen from a facility along the Chitorai River in Rausu. It is a very rare species that inhabits only eastern Hokkaido and Far East Russia (Kunashir Island).

White-Tailed Eagle (Rausu, Notsuke Peninsula, Nemuro)

In eastern Hokkaido, there are wildlife that migrate here to overwinter, and there are also resident birds as well. They are most abundant in February, and can be easily seen flying around Lake Furen and Rausu.

Steller’s Sea Eagle (Rausu, Notsuke Peninsula, Nemuro)

The Steller’s sea eagles, which breed in Far East Russia such as in the Kamchatka Peninsula, migrate to eastern Hokkaido in the winter. February is the most common, month they start arriving, but I was able to confirm their appearance in January as well.

Red Crowned Crane (Tsurui Village)

In January, the red-crowned cranes are preparing for the breeding season. I was able to see the paired couples singing and dancing together, and a young bird practicing alone. From February to March, the breeding season is in full swing, the number of couples increase and the time they spend doing their displays goes on for longer periods of time.

Red Fox

The red fox, a subspecies that inhabits the Sakhalin, Hokkaido and its surroundings, is also approaching their breeding season as well. During this period, males will walk large areas in the deep snow searching for females, so the muscles of the upper body are said to be very developed, and this one here is a good example, showing very developed pectoral muscles.

One fox approached us with the Kunashir Island in the backdrop, and if you look closely at its tail, you can see some small hair loss. Scabies is spreading among the red foxes, and is seems to be causing a population decline.

Ezo Sika Deer

These are some Ezo Sika Deer with the Kunashir Islands in the background. At this time of year, they have winter fur and are very cute, but they have a voracious appetite and are highly successful at reproduction, so in some areas they are being exterminated due to damage to agricultural areas. At Shiretoko Sarai, the venison is added to the menu so it is not wasted.

In addition, you might see kestrel and a group of long-tailed tit.

January was a fulfilling time to encounter wildlife in eastern Hokkaido for a 3 nights and 4 days stay in January.

Photo & text: Wataru HIMENO

Observation: Jan 2023, Eastern Hokkaido

*Youtube : Wildlife of Japan

Tags: Wildlife Photography tour in Japan, Bird photography in Japan, Tsurui village, Winter Hokkaido, Crane Dance, Blakiston’s Fish Owl, Owl Photography, Rausu, Blakiston’s Fish Owl observatory, Washi no yado, Shiretoko Serai, Shiretoko, Widlife in Japan, Ural Owl, Red-crowned Crane, Saiyu Travel, Birds of Hokkaido, Tancho, Owl

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: GAKU TOZUKA, Wildlife in Japan, Birding tour Japan, 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

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.

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