Japan

Tokyo
20 May 2017
A Day trip in the heart of Japan
Lo Chun Fai and Ho Wing Tung (lchunfai@live.hk)

Japanese Marsh Grassbird (Locustella pryeri pryeri)







The photos in this report are taken by iPhone 6 plus, Canon 1Dx Mark II and EF 100-400mm II with 1.4X extender III.
Introduction:

We did a 3-days trip to Tokyo for traveling, with the help from Yann Muzika
(who is owning the Facebook page - The Wilderness Alternative), we were able
to visit some birding spots, targeting the Japanese Marsh Grassbird and Reed
Bunting mainly, and we also got some spare time visiting nearby area. The trip is
very success and once again,

In this short report, the day list and maps are provided; we hope anyone who are
interested in these two species can do a day trip when visiting Tokyo.

Birding Spots:

We went to fields in between Tone River and Kurobe River in early morning for
the Grassbird and Reed Bunting, arriving there at around 6am, as sunrise is early
in summer in Japan.

Tone River is a famous birding spot for the two species, and very close to the
Sasagawa Train Station. (More info can be obtained from ebird)

And this time, one particular field was very birdy, nearly 99% of the Grassbirds
and Buntings in this trip were seen in this field. The GPS is 35.851162,
140.654960.

Japanese Marsh Grassbird


Japanese Reed Bunting

Japanese Green Pheasant Less friendly than the Buntings and Grassbirds





Both Buntings and Grassbirds were numerous in this time of the year and
showing well, especially in display flight. However, photographing was always
challenging because of the heat current and dense reed. After enjoying several
hours, we decided to move to other spots for trying other birds.

We saw several Oriental Greenfinch and a pair of Green Pheasant showing very
well in Akiba Shrine, 35.787270, 140.681695.

We also tried the nearby woodland (, 35.780256,
140.675608) for Japanese Green Woodpecker but without success, and the
woodland was less birdy than expected.

Lastly, we visited Choshi at noon for seabirds, although May is not a good time
for seawatching in Tokyo (but taking a ferry to Miyakejima or somewhere else
always producing lots of seabirds), the outcome was much better than expected.

A small Little Tern colony started breeding near Tone Park 35.745250,
140.819393. Several Red-necked Grebe and Pacific Loon (one is possible Arctic
Loon), numerous Streaked and Short-tailed Shearwater were found in Hasaki
New Fishing Port 35.747340, 140.841594.

We drove along the coast for more seabirds, and ended at the last spot,
, 35.707990, 140.868867, at around 3pm, where more loons, shearwaters
and Ancient Murrelet were observed.










Tour List:

Japanese Green Pheasant Phasianus versicolor
- 2m and 1f seen in Tone River, 1m and 1f seen in Akiba Shrine

Chinese Spot-billed Duck Anas zonorhyncha

Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica
- Over 30 loon species were seen in Choshi, mostly this species, including 3
adult breeding

Arctic Loon Gavia arctica
- 1 non-breeding plumage bird in Choshi was identified as this species

Short-tailed Shearwater Ardenna tenuirostris
- Over 100 seen in Choshi

Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas
- Over 200 seen in Choshi

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
- 5 in Choshi

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
- 5 in Choshi

Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris
- One heard in Tone River

Great Egret Ardea alba

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo





Japanese Cormorant Phalacrocorax capillatus
- More than 2 were seen in Choshi

Black-eared Kite Milvus migrans
- 4 in Tonegawa River

Little-ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
- 1 in Choshi

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
- Total 12 were seen in this trip

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
- 5 in Choshi

Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes
- 5 in Choshi

Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris

Vega Gull Larus smithsonianus vegae
- One in Choshi

Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus


Little Tern Sternula albifrons
- More than 50 birds in Choshi

Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus
- 12 seen in Choshi

Rock Dove Columba livia

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis

Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos

Carrion Crow Corvus corone
- One in Tone River

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
- 5 were seen in woodland near Tone River

Japanese Skylark Alauda arvensis japonica
- Very common throughout

Japanese Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis brunniceps
- Very Common in Tone River

Brown-eared Bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis

Japanese Bush Warbler Horornis diphone

Oriental Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis

Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps

Japanese Marsh Grassbird Locustella pryeri pryeri
- More than 7 seen and heard in Tone River

Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicas
- Heard only

White-cheeked Starling Spodiopsar cineraceus

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus

Oriental Greenfinch Chloris sinica
- 5 in Akiba Shrine

White Wagtail Motacilla alba

Japanese Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioides ciopsis
- Heard only in this trip





Japanese Reed Bunting Emberiza yessoensis
- More than 20+ m and 1f seen and heard in Tone River

Other birds seen in Tokyo Town in 21 May 2017:
Mute Swan Cygnus olor 4 in Palace
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis several breeding in Palace
Asian Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus 4 in Tsukiji Market
Japanese Tit Parus minor heard only in Palace