Mysticete
Well-known member
Hey folks,
I was asked if/when I am going to post any of my birding trip I have undergone while I have been in Japan, so I figured I would throw out some information I have discovered as well as some species I have seen.
First off, July is probably the single worst month for birding. Birds are done breeding and are less active, migration is not occurring, and and the humidity and heat over most of the country is horrific. That said most weekends I have been able to see at least a few new birds, and Tokyo is actually quite a convenient spot for birding.
Here is a quick overview of some birding spots I have hit up. Most of the directions for these sites can be found in Charles Harpers post or in the somewhat out of date but still useful Brazil Birdfinding guide
Mt Takao: This is about an hour train ride from Tokyo (Be careful as on the local it is much further). We had a good selection of forest birds here, although the mass number of day trekkers here, as well as the heat and the climb...can put a damper on things. Some good birds seen here include Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Japanese Thrush, Japanese Grosbeak, Eurasian Jay, and Varied Tit. Chinese Hwamei is also common, and an established exotic. Species missed but present include Copper Pheasant and Japanese Woodpecker, both of which appear to be quite tough to get. Several other flycatchers, Asian Stubtail, Eurasian Wren, and Eastern Crowned Warbler should also be present, however we failed to spot any.
Tamagawa (upper reaches) (riverine birding): This is a good conveinent area from Tokyo for both Japanese Wagtail (seen and common) and Long-billed Plover (not seen). The latter bird, from what I understand, is much more difficult in July as their young have fledged and they are somewhat more dispersed. We also had a variety of common egrets and herons, cormorants, Bull-headed Shrike, Zitting Cisticolas, and Eurasian Skylarks here.
I was asked if/when I am going to post any of my birding trip I have undergone while I have been in Japan, so I figured I would throw out some information I have discovered as well as some species I have seen.
First off, July is probably the single worst month for birding. Birds are done breeding and are less active, migration is not occurring, and and the humidity and heat over most of the country is horrific. That said most weekends I have been able to see at least a few new birds, and Tokyo is actually quite a convenient spot for birding.
Here is a quick overview of some birding spots I have hit up. Most of the directions for these sites can be found in Charles Harpers post or in the somewhat out of date but still useful Brazil Birdfinding guide
Mt Takao: This is about an hour train ride from Tokyo (Be careful as on the local it is much further). We had a good selection of forest birds here, although the mass number of day trekkers here, as well as the heat and the climb...can put a damper on things. Some good birds seen here include Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Japanese Thrush, Japanese Grosbeak, Eurasian Jay, and Varied Tit. Chinese Hwamei is also common, and an established exotic. Species missed but present include Copper Pheasant and Japanese Woodpecker, both of which appear to be quite tough to get. Several other flycatchers, Asian Stubtail, Eurasian Wren, and Eastern Crowned Warbler should also be present, however we failed to spot any.
Tamagawa (upper reaches) (riverine birding): This is a good conveinent area from Tokyo for both Japanese Wagtail (seen and common) and Long-billed Plover (not seen). The latter bird, from what I understand, is much more difficult in July as their young have fledged and they are somewhat more dispersed. We also had a variety of common egrets and herons, cormorants, Bull-headed Shrike, Zitting Cisticolas, and Eurasian Skylarks here.
