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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dandsblair" data-source="post: 3356713" data-attributes="member: 107571">Stellar birdToday we were heading down to Lake Furen but not before spending some time at Todawara* and the Natshuke Peninsula, after yesterday's bad weather we hoped that a number of birds would be close to the shore. The signs were good at the first viewing point there were over a hundred* Common Scoter, then a few rafts of Long tailed and Harlequin Ducks, and plenty of Goldeneye,* Tufted Duck and Scaup.* The frozen lake had plenty of both Steller's and White-tailed Eagles, on the sea wall were Slaty-backed, Black-tailed and Glaucous Gull but it was the next sea watch close to the visitor centre that produced the goods. I was sorting through loads of Long-tailed when I said to Sarah I think I've got a Steller's Eider, it's with the left most group of male Long-tails Ducks, she was on it quickly it was only 50-60 metres out but I got it in the scope to study it and took the precaution of checking the field guide as we weren't that familiar with the bird (seen only once before a while back), while I was checking the plate, Sarah was watching through the scope and while the male Steller's Eider was looking to associate with the male Long-tails Ducks, they were trying to drive him away. However when we left it was still in the company of these ducks. It was only later when we were with Matsuo San that we realised that what used to be a regular annual occurrence was now rare. We gave some Japanese birders and a Brit the exact location and they were going to try for the bird the next day. Hopefully* they also found it as it was a very smart male bird in almost full breeding plumage and the only other bird around in Japan so far this year has been a dowdy eclipse female.We then headed up to Furen* with a look at the local nature reserve and surrounds, plenty of Great spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Marsh Tit,* Great Tit and Tree Sparrows around but no sign of Black Woodpecker which hasn't been on this side of the lake for a while. I was playing Sarah the Rosy Finch call to remind her of it when I wrongly played the Ural Owl call, an Owl then drifted across a gap and went into the trees, I didn't really see it well but Sarah described it a very pale and round winged, we saw the bird fleetingly once more but despite searching we couldn't find the bird. There was a bird with a regular day roost here all last winter but Matsuo San said that photographers had got too close and scared it on. It was almost certainly a Ural Owl as only other Owls occurring Blakinston Fish (too huge) and Short eared (only once have every observed a Shortie in woods and Matsuo reckoned birds here all stay in open). I didn't see the bird as well as Sarah and as she is only 90% certain so we won't count what would be a lifer (must do a Final Owls trip).Overnight was at Minshuku Furen where we discussed recently sightings and decided that we would do a boat trip from Habomai tomorrow morning then try for better views of Asian Rosy Finch, only seen briefly at top of a tree in Jigokudani.</blockquote>

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