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Winter Migrants in Japan

Common Buzzard in the dawn, © Koji TAGI

In Japan, winter is another good season for birdwatching. Since many birds are easily seen, probably, it is the most popular season among foreign birdwatchers.

After the red leaves season, birdwatchers are very busy while they hear news of wintering bird's arrival. In the park or gardens, Dusky Thrush (photo left) occurs solitarily. The streaked bird is called "Tsugumi". Because, ancient people believed the small bird stop calling (in Japanese word "Tsugumu) in summer"

In the lakes, rivers and ponds, hundreds of ducks stay in and sometimes attract visitors with their cheerful behaviour. Among them, a Northeast Asian endemic, Falcated Teal (photo right) is a handsome bird. The male has elongated tertiary.

In the montane forest, finches and buntings occur. However, their visit is very erratic and unpredictable. For example, Pallas's Rose Finch (refer to Photo Gallery), Rosy Finch (photo) and Common Redpoll can be seen numerously in some years while there is no bird in some winters. They are often gregarious and nomadic. Because of this reason, encountering to these birds are always exciting.

While the winter is freezing enough in Japan, not many people travel northward. However, birdwatchers are out of the commonsense. They do not mind on boarding a ferry between Honshu and Hokkaido (northeast island) for looking for seabirds. On the ferry, guillemots, mullets, auklets and puffins are seen while loons and albatrosses are also attraction for them.

In Hokkaido, Steller's Sea-Eagle (photo left) is doubtlessly a highlight for both Japanese and foreign birdwatchers. The huge bulky eagle is a common visitor in Hokkaido and northern Japan.

If you are from out side of Japan, you should visit fishery ports, especially eastern or northern Japan. Japan is also a good country for ticking gulls. Common species are Herring (photo right-left bird: now sometimes regarded as Vegae), Slaty-backed (photo right - right bird), Black-tailed, Common Black-headed and Mew Gulls + Black-legged Kitiwake. In addition to this, Saunder's (mainly western Japan), Glaucous (mainly northern), Glaucous-winged (mainly northern) Gulls are also locally common. Thayer's and Pallas's Gull are scarce but regular.

In Kyushu, there are two major attractions. Izumi is an internationally place as the wintering cranes. Regular visitors are Hooded (recently more than 8,000!), White-naped (sometimes more than 2,000) and Common Crane (normally 1-5). However, other cranes, such as Sandhill (recently regularly 1-3), Siberian and Demoiselle Crane are sometimes recorded.

In the Hakata Bay, you can see two international rarities. One is Saunder's Gull and another is Black-faced Spoonbill.

Now you may be able to understand why many birders visit in winter despite the freezing climate. Probably, next is your turn...

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