Winter in Japan for Bird's Wildlife & Nature - Day 5 - 9th February 2026

I tend not to look at weather forecasts and yet it had filtered through about tempestuous winds, possible snow and rough seas. We left Hyuga early (saying hello to the roosting Barn Swallows on the way out) and headed around the bay to Kadagowa passing a couple more Swallows on the way as well as a group of five Japanese Grosbeaks on the wires.

We were soon there in glorious sunshine and still air – perfect. Tree Sparrows, Daurian Redstarts and White-cheeked Starlings greeted our arrival and Black-eared Kites watched us with beady burgundy eyes from the telegraph poles.

Black-eared Kite

Black-eared Kite - interestingly Black Kite-this one...

Black-eared Kite - for some reason they reminded me of Nighthawks...

Black-eared Kite - Chris Darby

Black-eared Kite - Jim Willett

There was time to check out the harbour before boarding and Vega and Black-tailed Gulls were quickly found along with a couple of Black-headed Gulls.  The eyes of the Vegas were not consistently dark and some had clear pale eyes with an obvious reddish orbital but I am not familiar enough with this taxon – yet!

Two Vega and Black-tailed Gull

Vega Gulls

Black-tailed Gull - delightful 1w

Vega Gulls

Vega and Black-tailed Gull

Vega Gull

Black-tailed Gull - delightful 1w

imm Vega Gull - quite Glaucous-winged at the front half!

Black-headed Gull - Chris Darby

Black-tailed Gull - Chris Darby

Black-tailed Gull - Chris Darby

We pottered out of the harbour allowing some more quality Gull views before the first fish pens offered us superb views of the Black-eared Kites who seemed to be catching their own and not just stealing from the striking sinensis Great Cormorants and Grey Herons.

Black-eared Kites

Black-eared Kites

Black-eared Kite

Black-eared Kite and Great Cormorants - Chris Darby

Black-eared Kite  - Chris Darby

Beyond the massive breakwater we picked up our first Great Crested Grebes and a spiky male Red-breasted Merganser and then Jim picked up two Japanese Murrelets bobbing around between the fish pen nets.  It may have meant that we could not really get much closer but we still saw these two summer plumaged individuals very well as they actively fed. 

Last year it took well over an hour to find them so a speedy discovery was much appreciated and like last year we never did see any more which made them all the more special.

Japanese Murrelets  - Chris Darby

Japanese Murrelets  - Chris Darby

Japanese Murrelets  - Chris Darby

The fish pens were favoured by Grey Herons, Little Egrets, three smoky grey Pacific Reef Egrets and many Great Egrets which seemed to be made up of nominate Egreta alba alba (our one) and E a modesta – the Eastern Great Egret with the latter being noticeably smaller, slimmer and more compact with wholly grey legs compared to the yellowy tinged upper legs of the nominate.

Egrets - some thoughts

Carrying on out took us to the imposing breeding island of Hyuga Biro where our other main target was swiftly found with a party of Japanese Cormorants on the guano covered rocks showing the big pale throat patches and green (not bronzy sheen).

Japanese Cormorants

Japanese Cormorants

Japanese Cormorants - Chris Darby

Japanese Cormorant - Chris Darby

Pleased with out success we headed back for port added several views of Osprey along the coast and some more Japanese Cormorants but alas no more Murrelets.

Black-tailed Gull - Chris Darby

Pacific Reef Egret - Chris Darby

Grey Heron - Jim Willett

Black-tailed Gull - Jim Willett

Tea was taken in the fisherman’s office where as before I was fascinated by the ink rubbings of the prize fish that had been caught over the years.   An Eastern Blue Rock Thrush saw us off and we headed back to town for lunch and then out to the end of Cape Hyuga with our picnic.

Black-tailed Gull

Big Gull - Little Car

Mega Grouper!

Eastern Blue Rock Thrush

Eastern Blue Rock Thrush - Chris Darby

Japanese Black Woodpigeon was our quarry and eventually Chris saw one fly up the valley shortly before another started to briefly sing but it was obviously not going to be perching pigeon day.  

Cape Hyuga

Young leaves of Dendropanax trifidus

There was plenty else to see with an adult female Peregrine hurtling past us and Ospreys and Kites above us.  OTDs were spooked by the noisy Large-billed Crows and a female Daurian Redstart and a secretive Pale Thrush were seen on the roadside verge.  A Japanese Bush Warbler was in full song – a beautiful series of almost tropical whistles and I admit to being baffled until Dave told us what it was.

A roving flock contained Warbling White-eyes, Long-tailed and Japanese Tits and a Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker while a Japanese Green Woody was using the mega bamboo as a sounding board.  As ever Brown-eared Bulbuls were a constant backdrop as they quarrelled over the laurel berries high in the canopy.

There was a long drive ahead of us, back south then east across Kyushu through the puffing fumaroles of the local volcanos before wending out way back up into the forested hills.  There was little bird life on the way but 30 White-naped Cranes in some farmland were a surprise and a Kestrel was a trip first.  Amazingly another Japanese Racoon Dog crossed the road in front of the vans.

Steaming gently

For the Star Trek lovers out there -  I saw the 'Maru' part on an old iron sailing vessel in Tokyo (the Meiji Maru) and discovered that it is commonly used as a suffix for ship names to signify safety and completeness. 

We all needed some time outside and so stopped at Kagowa as dusk fell and made our way through the fields below the dam (where there were Black-backed and Grey Wagtails) towards the lower river bridge passing Meadow and Masked Buntings, Daurian Redstart and a bonus but brief Olive-backed Pipit on the way.

Grey Wagtail

Down at the bridge our timing was perfect and a noisy Crested Kingfisher erupted from a hidden perch and performed a full circuit before a close fly by took it up river.  Several brief sightings of two birds followed including one that perched up for a short while.  These were already more prolonged views than I had had before.  

Crested Kingfisher - Chris Darby

Crested Kingfisher - Chris Darby

Common Kingfishers zipped to and fro underneath but as the light faded and nothing else was forth coming we opted to continue down into Izumi where simply the best sashimi I have ever had waited for me once again.

Common Kingfisher

Yellowfin and Bonito...