By Bernie Grossman
My wife, Chris, and I have just returned from a 17 day birding trip to Japan that was offered by Field Guides, Inc., Austin, TX (www.fieldguides.com). This was our second trip there. The first in February, 2014, had the goal of seeing the wintering migrants such as the White-naped, Hooded, and Red-crowned Cranes, and the Steller’s Sea Eagle as well as regular residents. The second trip was pointed more at breeding residents as well as some unusual and rare endemics. Our guides on both trips were Phil Gregory and Jun Matsui.
We all know that Japan is an industrialized, first world country made up of several islands off the coast of Asia. Most of us don’t realize that these islands are quite mountainous and forested with the population concentrated in a relatively small portion of the land. There is an extensive intra-country air system and excellent highways, so travel is easy. The nine of us (7 clients, 2 guides) traveled in small buses and by air. In one case, we took an overnight ferry to an island. We stayed mainly in western style “business” hotels with one memorable night in a traditional Japanese inn.
Most mornings started early, so breakfast was delayed or eaten on the road. To do this, we often had to buy breakfasts the previous night at convenience stores such as Family Marts or Seven-elevens. This isn’t as bad as it seems, since the stores had a wide range of both Asian and western foods. Much of it was quite good. The Seven-elevens did not offer Slurpees. Lunches came from convenience stores or restaurants, while dinners came from restaurants or at the hotels.
We had wonderful traditional Japanese dinners and breakfasts a few times. These consisted of an array of small portions of traditional items with sauces or soups. Each place had a little brazier that cooked meat and vegetables in a broth heated by a candle. It was a delight.
Our first stop was the area near Kochi, Shikoku Island southwest of Tokyo. The island is Japan’s fourth largest, and the goal was the Fairy Pitta, an elusive, but beautiful bird. It was so elusive that we spent hours looking for it, but only heard it call distantly twice. Other birds were also scarce causing frustration. The most interesting sighting was a couple of foot or more long, fluorescent purple earthworms, Siebold’s Earthworm (Google it).
The next stop was the slopes around Mt. Fuji. We saw the mountain thrusting through the clouds as we flew to and from Shikoku. The mountain’s lower slopes are forested and are the home of several thrushes, Again we were frustrated by seeing only one of the several possible birds. We had a great morning at a small nature center which had a pool reached after a walk in through the woods. Along the path, we had sightings of two different Old World Warblers as well as a Goldcrest and a Red-flanked Bluetail, a flycatcher. The Old World Warblers are a real challenge for most American birders, because they have only small differences in plumage within a family. They are best identified by call, which is why we pay the big bucks for guides.
Ijima’s Leaf Warbler
Returning to Tokyo, we boarded the overnight ferry to Miyake-jima, a volcanic island about 100 miles south of Tokyo. The volcano is active with an eruption cycle of about 20 years. All the residents live along the shore near a road that circles the island. After a convenience store breakfast, we drove to the Miaki Nature Center located in a wooded area off the highway. From the parking lot, we spotted a Gray-breasted Bullfinch, which is now separated from the more western Bullfinch. The latter has a much more completely rose-colored breast. The walk in revealed the call of a shy Ijima’s Leaf Warbler (phylloscopus). After some searching, the group found an Owston’s Tit, a recent split from the Varied Tit. The nature center itself had a wet area that finally attracted our target, a beautiful Izu Thrush (Turdus), endemic to the small group of Izu Islands that includes Miyake-jima. Finally, we drove to a lookout on a cliff on the shore. A fierce wind was blowing, but in a birding miracle, our target, Pleske’s Grasshopper-warbler (Locustellus), popped up onto a grass stalk about twenty feet from the van and sang loudly enough to be heard over the wind.
Izu Thrush (Note leg band)
We had only 4-5 hours on the island and returned on the ferry to Tokyo. The next morning, we flew to Amami Island in the Ryukyus south of the main Japanese Islands. Ryukyus are sub-tropical. The birding goal here was a unique set of endemics found only on Amami and Okinawa further south. Walking through a reserve, we were able to get a glimpse at a Ryukyu Robin, one of a split of the robin group into Eurasian, Japanese and Ryukyu. The latter has two sub-species, one on each island. Endemics also seen were the Owstom’s Woodpecker and the Lidth’s Jay. Only a very few hundred of these two species exist.
Two unusual endemics are the Amami Woodcock and the Amami Black Rabbit. Both are nocturnal. We drove slowly up a forest highway after dark and soon spotted a trio of the strange looking Woodcock walking ahead of us along the paving. Like many island endemics, the Woodcock is flightless and fearless. We were able to approach them closely. Several more were seen as we drove along. Later we saw the Rabbit grazing at the road’s edge. It was a strange looking creature: longer bodied and chunkier than an Eastern Cottontail and having a dark brown coat and small rabbit ears. The highways all have signs posted warning drivers of woodcock and rabbit areas.
Okinawa was a short flight south of Amami. It is physically larger and more heavily settled due to the big American military presence around the island’s southern end. The northern end is mostly protected by a national park with most of the settlement along the coast. Both the islands are inhabited by the Habu, a venomous pit viper feared by the residents. Indian mongooses (mongeese?) were introduced in the early 1970s as a control measure, but those in charge failed to realize that the snake was nocturnal, while the mongoose was diurnal. As a result, the mongoose went after the local animals and nearly wiped out several endemics.
A control program was put in place that included building three fences across the narrow point of the island, and then instituting a strong elimination program. We saw several traps in the woods along the roads and paths we walked. The mongoose population has been reduced significantly in the park and wildlife is recovering.
Okinawa is a stopping point for many migrants, but there are only 14 species considered breeders. Two of the most interesting are the Okinawa Woodpecker and the Okinawa Rail. We spent a considerable amount of time walking a woods road in the park looking and listening for the woodpecker. Finally a pair responded to recorded calls and made brief, but satisfactory appearances in the foliage. We later got a very brief look at a third bird. Only a very few hundred of these remain.
The rail is another flightless endemic. One was spotted as we drove along a yard one morning.
The trip technically ended with our flight back to Tokyo, and two of the group flew home. The remaining five continued on an extension to Hokkaido along with the guides. Hokkaido is the northern-most Japanese island that is sparsely settled and home to big fishing, timber, dairy, and tourist industries. The island’s position close to northeastern Asia exposes it to fierce winter weather. A very severe winter in 2014 almost blocked our first attempt to visit. Permanent snow fences and lighted, downward pointing pole-mounted arrows on road edges are needed for winter travel. In contrast to the southern locations, the weather was quite pleasant.
We spent the first night in Kushiro, and then visited the nearby Kushiro Nature Park. Walking the wooded paths, we saw Eurasian Nuthatch, Pygmy Woodpecker, three different Tit species, and, after a lot of work, a Sakhalin Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus) hiding in the tree tops.
We then spent the afternoon driving along the northeast coast toward Rausu on the Nemuro Peninsula. Along the way, we spotted several Red-crowned Cranes. Along the way, we drove onto the Netsuko sand spit, a long finger into the ocean. Netsuko is a wild, wind-swept peninsula now primarily used by the fishing industry. It does have a nice little visitors’ center where we stopped for some birding. Along the spit, we spotted several White-tailed Eagles, a Red-necked Grebe, a Rhinoceros Auklet, and a Middendorff’s Grasshopper-warbler (Locustellus). My favorite bird was lovely Siberian Rubythroat that was spotted at a distance and who responded nicely to recorded calls. It perched up quite near us and sang.
Netsuko was followed by the trip’s high point for me. We drove on to Rausu where we spent the night at a traditional Japanese inn complete with sleeping mats spread on the floor of our rooms. The inn was located at the base on a wooded hill and next to a flowing stream. A Eurasian Dipper was working the stream when we arrived. The inn had built a small pool out of rocks in the stream and it was stocked with fish daily. After a wonderful traditional Japanese meal, the guests left the table to look out at the spotlighted pool through the dining room windows.
Blakiston’s Fish Owl is the world’s largest owl with a wing span of almost 6 feet and with large females weighing as much as 10 pounds. The bird is listed as endangered with a very few hundred thought to remain. The blakistoni sub-species is found in the Russian islands north of Hokkaido as well as the northeastern portion of the latter. Another sub-species is found in the Russian and Chinese far east. Heavy snows in 2014 blocked our access to the inn, and while we heard an owl near our substitute inn, a Eurasian sable hung around the fish pond blocking the owl’s approach.
The staff reported that the owl pair was calling in the woods behind the inn. The pair dueted with the male calling with a deep boo-boo and the female completing with a hu. After a tense half hour’s wait, we saw a large shape swoop in to land on the pool’s edge. Leg bands told us that it was the female who clomped around the edge. Suddenly she jumped in the water and emerged with a fish in her talon. It was maneuvered to her mouth and swallowed in one gulp. Two more fish were caught and then she left. The male appeared shortly after the group had gone to bed.
After a traditional breakfast, we drove into Shiretoko National Park and the Shiretoko Pass with hopes of more high altitude birds. Fog limited visibility, so the only one of interest seen was a single Pine Grosbeck. We left the pass to go back to Notsuka. Here we had the best looks at the Middendorff’s Warbler and the Rubythroat. Rain ended the day, and we drove to Nemuro further south along the coast.
Our last full birding day started early with a walk through a beautiful park in Nemuro. Most of the time was spent trying to lure out a Sakhalin Grasshopper-warbler (Lucustellus) from a hedge row. The bird responded to recorded calls by moving back and forth through the hedge while refusing to provide more than a very brief glimpse as it moved.
Later in the morning we went out on a 2+ hour pelagic cruise. The ocean was quiet bird-wise with Rhinoceros Auklets being the most common species. Several Ancient Murrelets were present along with many Pelagic Cormorants. As we approached a rocky island, the boat guided pointed out a few nesting Red-faced Cormorants. These are much more common in the Aleutian and Pribiloff Islands of Alaska. Finally we got close to two or more Sea Otters.
After lunch, we drove to Kiritappu Meadows and its nature center where a Lanceolated Warbler (Locustellus) was lured up and out of the marsh grasses by recorded calls. This is another difficult to see species that prefers to creep mouse-like through the grass rather than fly place to place.
Our last morning started early as usual with a return to the Nemuro park for another crack at the Sakhalin Grasshopper-warbler. It frustrated us just as it did the pervious morning. A pair of lovely Long-tailed Rosefinches made up for the frustration. After our final Seven-Eleven breakfast, we drove to the Kushiro airport for the internal flight to Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Along the way to Kushiro, we spotted a Red-crowned Crane pair caring for their chicks. A bus drove us from Haneda to Narita, Tokyo’s international airport where the group dispersed for their flights home.
