Day 10 - Part 2: Winter in Japan for Bird's Wildlife & Nature - 14th February 2026

 And so to the rest of that amazing day.

There were not just Eagles on the Rausu boat trip and we were followed out by quite a few gulls giving us the chance to watch Slaty-backed and Glaucous-winged Gulls and singles of Kamchatka and Glaucous but once out there they drifted away as being around such top aerial predators was obviously not a safe prospect.

Slaty-backed Gull

Slaty-backed Gull - I presume from the mantle that it is a 2cy?

Slaty-backed Gull - same bird as above - looking more 1cy from underneath

Slaty-backed Gull - adult

Slaty-backed Gull - 1cy

Slaty-backed Gull - 1cy

Glaucous-winged Gull - 1cy

Glaucous-winged Gull - 1cy

Glaucous-winged Gull - 1cy

Slaty-backed Gull - adult

Slaty-backed Gull - string of pearls

Glaucous-winged Gull - 1cy

Slaty-backed Gull - 1cy

Slaty-backed Gull adult and 1cy and 1cy Glaucous behind

Slaty-backed Gull - adult.  Very white headed, trailing edge narrower and pearls not obvious?

Glaucous-winged Gull - a glorious adult

A flock of Red-breasted Merganser were the only ducks we saw out with the ice but back in the harbour there were little groups of Harlequins bobbing around.

Red-breasted Mergansers

Harlequins

We set foot back on the harbour with the vast bulk of Mount Rausu visible behind and a stream of Steller’s Sea Eagles drifting at height up from the south.  No one quite knew what to say about the Eagles from the boat so we packed everyone on board and moved south down the coast.

Mount Rausu

Steller's Sea Eagle

We stopped again at Shibetsu where the Scaup flock was checked again but there was nothing different and we soon moved on and before too long began the drive out onto the Notsuke Peninsular with the lively sea to our left and the frozen shallow bay to our right where many colourful tents denoted where the locals were trying to catch fish through the ice.

The Shibetsu Fleet - Alexis Bodycomb

The Shibetsu Fleet - Jim Willett

Slaty-backed Gulls

Sika (the Japanese word for deer is Shika...) were omnipresent including some fine stags and the first of several fluffy Red Foxes ambled across the road and often stopped along the vans to see if we had any titbits.  We were on the lookout for Rosy Finches but there were no small birds whatsoever this time.

Sika

Sika

Sika

'Konnichiwa governor.  Got any snacks?'

Red Fox

Red Fox

Down at the end by the visitors centre we set about scanning the now flat sea for life.  It was incredibly productive a few Pelagic Cormorants, Goldeneye, Mergansers, Black Scoter and Harlequins close in and a Elaine found a stunning drake Stejneger’s Scoter paddling a little further back where small parties of Long-tailed Ducks powerfully dived and never came up in remotely the same area!

Harlequin

There were three Red-throated Divers and at least 30 Spectacled Guillemots bobbing around.  The light was fantastic you could see a lot of detail.  Way further out there were hundreds of duck moving around and most seemed to be Long-tails with their wholly black wings flicking on the horizon while a little closer in I picked up two microscopic Least Auklets whizzing along at high speed.

Three Black Brant were found on the sea but were definitely far better when they took off and flew closer in while an adult Thayer’s Gull was seen sitting on the sea with a Slaty-backed Gull for useful comparison but we wanted a closer one really.

After a look in the centre we began to retrace our steps to the main road and stopped to look at the Sika and a pair of Whooper Swans in the inland side.  Sixteen Dusky Thrushes frantically fed along the exposed foreshore before the last of the light started to fade.

Because you need one more White-tailed Eagle

Sika

Sika

Dusky Thrushes

Whooper Swan

Dusk became twilight as we crossed the network of parallel roads through the flay snow covered countryside to get us to the Yoruoshi Onsen and it was almost fully dark by the time we arrived.

As is traditional everyone wore their Yutaka to our final banquet and once again it was a final dinner of many diverse dishes. We were almost at the end when our waiter came in and apologised but thought we might like to know that the Owl was in.

Deep fried Rock Fish - 'you eat everything except the spine'. 
I think not. 
The flesh was tasty though.

Cod and Crab Sushimi

Salmon caviar

Wolf Fish with Radish and a Ginger shoot

Yoroushi is also famous for its Blakiston’s Fish Owls but they often come in very late and require sitting up and waiting, albeit in comfort and warmth around the vast firepit. Trying to move quickly in a Yutaka is tricky and we all speed shuffled through the corridors to the lobby where the monster male was immediately visible sat just a few feet away outside the window.  There was already a crowd of excited Japanese families and a general murmur of awe rippling through the group.

His left eye was definitely damaged.

Blakiston’s Fish Owl

Blakiston’s Fish Owl - Chris Darby.  This was taken the next morning but that is a tale for the final post.

Blakiston’s Fish Owl

He fished a couple of times but always sat with his back to us once he hopped back out of the pool and after 40 minutes in his presence we all decided that we should once again leave with walk away views. We just looked at each other and shook our heads in disbelief. What an end to a day that had already given us so much.

It was difficult to sleep and it was the best part of midnight before I turned in.