Blog
Blog
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Snow goose
The beautiful white figure of the Snow goose became a target for hunting, dwindling to such an extent that it became known as the very rare bird in Japan. By the early 20th century, its numbers had plummeted to just 3,000 worldwide, not only in Japan. Similar to conservation efforts in America and Canada, persistent efforts by organisations like the Japanese Swan Protection Society led to a recovery in numbers. Today, several hundred birds migrate annually to Ōgata Village in Akita Prefecture, and several dozen to Lake Izunuma. The Snow goose roosting at Lake Izunuma take flight at dawn. With…
- Birds
- Izunuma
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Greater white-fronted goose
The most numerous goose in Japan, with approximately 200,000 individuals migrating here annually. That said, the vast majority overwinter at Lake Izunuma, passing through Miyajima Marsh and Lake Utunai in Hokkaido during spring and autumn. The Greater white-fronted goose and the Lesser white-fronted goose are similar geese. The Lesser white-fronted goose has a conspicuous yellow eye ring, but the Greater white-fronted goose also has a faint eye ring, as shown in the photo, and some individuals have white reaching close to the top of their heads. This geese are classified into five subspecies with different breeding grounds, and the…
- Birds
- Izunuma
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Lesser White-fronted Goose
Reconnaissance trip to Lake Izunuma for the wildfowl guide. This lake hosts Japan's largest wintering population of geese, and the majority of all goose species recorded in Japan can be seen here. That said, spotting a few dozen Lesser White-fronted Goose among over 100,000 geese is quite a challenge. If luck is against you, you might not see any at all. I searched the rice fields south of Lake Naganuma meticulously, but came up empty on the first day. On the second day, just as I was worrying I might miss my flight, I found them. The most…
- Birds
- Izunuma
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Second-stage examinations at Kyoto University
The second-stage examinations at Kyoto University are finally commencing. At Japan's national and public universities, applicants first take the University Entrance Common Test, known as the first-stage examination. Based on these results, candidates select their preferred institutions and then sit second-stage examinations at each university. Before the clock tower, a peacock—presumably brought by members of the Kyoto University Peacock Society—offers its blessings for the candidates' success. The bird's shrill cries echo across the campus. The culmination of your high school years. May you all greet spring with smiles.
- Culture
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White-shouldered starling
As its Japanese and scientific names suggest, this starling breeds in southern China and northern Vietnam, wintering in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and other locations. While it is a rare migratory bird with records nationwide, including Hokkaido, a small number overwinter annually on Ishigaki Island. True to its English name, the male has conspicuous white shoulder patches. The female, in contrast, is uniformly pale gray. Though rather plain in appearance, the contrast between the white and glossy black feathers when in flight is striking. Some visitors come to Ishigaki Island in winter specifically to see this, and I am one of…
- Birds
- Ishigaki Island
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Brown shrike
It is a subspecies of the Brown shrike known in Japan as the Shima Akamozu Lanius cristatus lucionensis. This subspecies of the Brown shrike migrates from eastern China and the Korean Peninsula to the Amami, Okinawa, and Yaeyama Islands as a winter visitor. Whereas the subspecies Lanius cristatus superciliosus, once seen throughout Japan, has reddish-brown upperparts, the subspecies Lanius cristatus lucionensis is considerably more greyish. The subspecies Lanius cristatus has declined dramatically over the last century, with the Honshū population predicted to become regionally extinct by 2026. Conservation efforts, led by the University of Human Environments, are underway. Meanwhile, this…
- Birds
- Ishigaki Island
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Purple heron
This heron breeds only in Japan's Yaeyama Islands, such as Ishigaki and Iriomote. It is named the Purple Heron due to its reddish-brown plumage tinged with purple on the neck and sides of the body. However, the subspecies found in Japan, Ardea purpurea manilensis, has a generally paler overall colouration with a more strongly greyish upperparts, leading me to wonder, upon first sight, why it is called purple? The Indonesian name Cangak Merah (Red Heron) seems to capture its characteristics more accurately. It has a wide global distribution, with four subspecies known. Although its broad range means it is not…
- Birds
- Ishigaki Island
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Iriomote tit
Once considered a subspecies of the varied tit commonly found throughout Japan, DNA analysis has now classified it as a distinct species, endemic solely to Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands. This has become one of the reasons European and American birdwatchers visit Ishigaki Island. Whereas the varied tit has a pale cream-coloured forehead, cheeks, and crown, the Iriomote tit displays an orange hue. Its wings should be olive-grey, as suggested by its scientific name olivaceus, though this is difficult to discern in the wild. The Japanese name “Orii” originates from Mr. Orii Hyōjirō, a collector…
- Birds
- Ishigaki Island
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Pied avocet
This wader is the one of most popular species, characterised by its upturned black beak tip and striking black-and-white plumage. It is an extremely rare migratory bird in Japan. It is also known as the symbol of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Britain's largest nature conservation organisation. This year, eight individuals overwintered on Ishigaki Island. According to guide Mr Kobayashi, they remained in the rice fields until year-end but have recently begun gathering in flocks along the coast. Whilst common winter visitors in Senegal where I lived, I had never seen them in such large groups, making…
- Birds
- Ishigaki Island
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Red-breasted flycatcher
This year, I once again enlisted the help of Mr Kobayashi, the wild bird guide from Ishigaki Island, to visit various observation points. He mentioned that this winter has seen a very low number of small birds, particularly thrushes. Nevertheless, I successfully spotted some rare small birds at the points he recommended. The red-breasted flycatcher, which is increasingly seen somewhere in Japan each year, though the numbers migrating here remain very low. Previously, there was a species called the red-breasted flycatcher, and it was thought there were two subspecies: the red-breasted flycatcher, Flycatcher, inhabiting Europe, and the Taiga flycatcher, migrating…
- Birds
- Ishigaki Island
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Daurian jackdaw
A small crow, about the size of a pigeon, it migrates to Japan as one of the few winter visitors. In the Izumi Plain, several individuals are often seen mixed within large flocks of rooks. Previously, it was thought there were two types: a pale morph with white from the back of the neck to the chest and belly, and a dark morph with a glossy black overall colour. Now, the pale morph is generally considered the adult, and the dark morph the juvenile. The first time I saw one, I was astonished by its sheer smallness. Standing alongside a…
- Birds
- Kagoshima
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Rook
The crow that breeds in northeastern China and migrates to Japan for the winter. Once rarely seen outside Kyushu, it is now observed nationwide, including Hokkaido. They often move in large flocks, sometimes numbering several hundred. In the Izumi Plain, they forage in farmland, and by evening, one can see them clustered like bells on power lines near residential areas. In Aesop's fable “The Crow and the Pitcher”, a crow appears that uses tools. The story describes a crow dropping pebbles one by one into a jug containing only a little water, raising the water level so it…
- Birds
- Kagoshima