Japan in Summer: Jun 28—Jul 08, 2010

Lying off the Pacific coast of Asia and extending over three thousand kilometers, Japan ranges from the southern subtropical Nansei Shoto islands to the cool temperate regions of northern Hokkaido. This isolation has resulted in the evolution of several endemic and near endemic species of birds in addition to a fascinating array of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, not to mention some truly beautiful woodlands.

Just a short flight away is the island of Amami Oshima and the stunningly beautiful and endemic Lidth's Jay. We will also search for the secretive Amami Woodcock which is much easier to see here than on Okinawa. With a bit of luck we may also find Amami Thrush, White-backed Woodpecker, Ryukyu Woodpecker, and some very localized mammals such as the endemic Amami black rabbit and Amami spinous mouse.

On Kyushu we should find Ruddy Kingfisher and the stunning Fairy Pitta, along with Narcissus and Japanese paradise-flycatchers to mention but a few. From there we will fly north past the snow-capped cone of Mount Fuji to Tokyo, and take the ferry to the island of Hachijo-jima. A tiny island cloaked in lush subtropical forest, this is home to the endemic and abundant Izu Islands Thrush and Ijima's Leaf Warbler. In addition, we should find Grey-faced Buzzard, Brown Hawk Owl, Japanese Wood-Pigeon, Lesser Hawk-Cuckoo, Japanese Robin, and Styan's Grasshopper Warbler.

The return sea crossing to Tokyo is in daylight and will provide us with our first taste of the richness of the seabirds in Japan's coastal waters: Black-tailed Gulls, tens of thousands of Streaked Shearwaters, numerous Short-tailed Shearwaters, and the scarce Tristram's Petrel and Japanese Murrelet, both of which have the center of their Japanese breeding ranges in the Izu islands.

At Karuizawa, in the wooded foothills of the Japanese Alps, we can expect to see the exquisite Mandarin Duck; Copper and Japanese pheasants; Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo; Japanese Green and Japanese Pygmy woodpeckers; Japanese, Brown, and Siberian thrushes; Siberian Blue Robin; Blue-and-white Flycatcher; Eastern Crowned Warbler; Eurasian Bullfinch; and Japanese Grosbeak. On Hokkaido, the hills and forests hold resident populations of Hazel Grouse; White-backed, Lesser Spotted, Three-toed, and Black woodpeckers; and Long-tailed Rosefinch. The species diversity increases with the arrival of summer visitors including Eastern Marsh Harrier, Northern Hobby, Latham's Snipe, White-throated Needletail, Japanese Accentor, Gray's Grasshopper Warbler, Pale-legged Leaf-Warbler, the gem-like Narcissus Flycatcher, and Red-cheeked Starling.

Hokkaido is also renowned as the breeding area for two of Japan's most impressive residents, Red-crowned Crane and Blakiston's Fish-Owl.