As usual the forecasters got it wrong – rain during the night clearing by dawn with sunny skies from noon – alas, rain, rain and more rain. In fact, it’s still raining now at 19:45! Anyway, I left home at 03:30 in order to catch the dawn and see if any migrants were around at […]
Tag: japan
Hyotanike Lake
This morning I had a little bit of time and the weather was great, so I went to nearby Hyotanike lake to see what was happening. This lake has very nice scenery but is usually a bit low on bird life other than the resident Mallard and some introduced ducks. But the Barn Swallows love […]
Bird Tour Report
Yesterday and today I ran a birding tour in the Fukuoka area for two guests from the UK. Conditions were quite challenging, however we saw a total of 66 species and heard an additional 5. Highlights included Black-faced Spoonbill, Far Eastern Curlew, Great Knot, Japanese Cormorant, Grey-headed Lapwing, Asian Stubtail, Narcissus Flycatcher, Japanese Thrush, Red-flanked […]
Japan killed record low number of whales
Japan blamed environmental activists for a “record low” take during this year’s whaling season in the Southern Ocean, reports Kyodo News. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said the recent hunt yielded only 103 Antarctic minke whales and no fin whales, according to the agency’s web site. The target had been 1,000 whales for […]
The Taiji Dolphin Slaughter (with graphic videoclip!)
The dolphin drive hunt in Taiji, Japan has been at the center of animal activism for many years and now it has finally come to the center of science. The dolphin drive in Taiji involves the corralling of dolphins into a cove for slaughter or to be removed and then sold to representatives from marine […]
Action at the Lake
Late this afternoon I stopped in at what is reputedly the smallest and newest lake in Japan, Lake Shirachi in Shimabara. Actually more of a large pond than a lake, it is surrounded by streets but usually has herons and egrets as well as a few resident “soup” ducks. However it is also a good […]
Azamidani, Mount Unzen
This morning I tried Azamidani to see if any migrants were passing through. Seems a bit early still, as the Grey-bellied Bullfinch and Red-flanked Bluetail were still there, however all the wintering thrushes had gone. It seems likely that migrant warblers should be passing through any day now. Among the Grey-bellied Bullfinch was one male […]