Late summer butterflies

Riding my bicycle to buy food - which I can just manage - I noticed these pretty butterflies in a nearby garden. Had to go get the camera! Birds are difficult to capture when your body is not agile. Bufs are a little okay.

Plains Cupid, クロマダラソテツシジミ

Next 4 images: Pea Blue, ウラナミシジミ

Checking some Sago palms, ソテツ: Pea Blue, ウラナミシジミ on the left. The other one could be Plains Cupid, クロマダラソテツシジミ

Plains Cupid, クロマダラソテツシジミ

Swans in the field and in the air

 When I received the message about the swans, I realized I could go and see them from the car. Never was birding so easy. Though I was notified about Tundra Swans, I found Whooper Swans as a family in a field. 6 of them were feeding peacefully. Suddenly all action stopped, heads turned toward the sky. A group of 5 other swans flew over, circled once and left. Here I found a Tundra Swan, but there was only one I could clearly see. 

Whooper Swan, オオハクチョウ

Something is up

5 more Swans!

Look below. The one in front doesn't have that extensive yellow on the bill. 

Tundra Swan?, コハクチョウ? Or just a young bird...

There aren't many days when I see 11 swans in one go!

Ohisashiburi November 2026

 There were many moments I thought I'd give up birding. Now would be a good time. There are other things in life. But when I got out of the hospital I could not resist the urge. Driving was no problem, so off I went. Just for a short time. I tire easily.

There were not many migrators around. Not that I expected otherwise... The one bird that I felt worth noticing was a young Crane. Just one.

Juvenile Hooded Crane, ナベヅル

A couple of days later: female Eurasian kestrel, チョウゲンボウ

The sun was low on the tidal flats. Some waders in front of Egrets and Spoonbills

Between the Dunlins, ハマシギ and the Greenshanks, アオアシシギ 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, オオソリハシシギ

And 1 Curlew, Far-Eastern I think, ホウロクシギ

There was just enough light for this Stonechat, ノビタキ

And her mate

On November 12 a Common Starling, ホシムクドリ briefly came to rest on a fence

Hokkaido part 6

Unfortunately the planned nature cruises were cancelled due to bad weather, mostly bad visibility. We tried to make up for it by driving along the coast. On the first day we had seen Orca's from the shore. Several seabirds as well, like guillemots, but too far out for my camera. On the 3rd day, we encountered some sea otters close to the shore. T-san carried me on his back, so I could watch them as well!

Western Sea Otter. チシマラッコ

Cuteness overload

Hooray!!!

The gulls flying by were all Slaty-backed, オオセグロカモメ

Gathering nesting materials from the rocky shore. Do the large white Umbellifers make soft lining?

Dive in and go for it!

The Ezo-shika Deer, エゾシカ seemed to be everywhere. Very pretty animals, with clear spotted backs. We saw groups of males and groups of females, separated. I guess that's their life style

Ezo Daylily, エゾカンゾウ?

Finally a White-tailed Eagle, オジロワシ again

Hokkaido part 5

My Hokkaido posts are going back and forth. This is day 3. My leg hurts, hurts, hurts despite the large amount of paracetamol. I cannot stand with the plaster cast. How can I possibly continue? 

One night we stayed at a wonderful inn. I could have spent a week there! The view from the dining room included a small veranda with feeding stations for squirrels and chipmunks. Birds came and went. Through the window, I managed to take a few shots

Hokkaido Squirrel, エゾリス

Eurasian Nuthatch, ゴジュウカラ

Hokkaido subspecies of the Eurasian Jay, ミヤマカケス

Siberian Chipmunk, シマリス

We heard about new-born Ural Owls in the vicinity and found this couple near the road. Lucky!

エゾフクロウ

Siebold's Primrose, サクラソウ