Isahaya 1

Arriving at the end of the day we were just in time to catch a glimpse of a few birds

First a Short-eared Owl, コミミズク

The ISO had to be prepped up a fair bit to get these images. They are not perfect, but they show the bird that was there

Same with the fast-moving male Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ

A Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ joined the party

Followed by a Weasel, Japanese or Siberian? イタチ

... and play-acting Woolf - Raccoon Dog, タヌキ

First sighting of many Cranes, here the Hooded Cranes, ナベヅル

Meadow Bunting, ホオジロ watching me from the side of the road

To be continued

Raptors

 The following day it was cloudy and windy. I didn't see the Stonechats anymore. Just some wagtails. Raptors were flying left right and center. There were 2 Falcons, 1 Sparrow hawk and 3 Kestrels

A young Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ

The other Falcon seemed to be a juvenile as well, but was flying way west. I didn't get a photo. Are they siblings?

Sparrow Hawk, ハイタカ

Kestrels, チョウゲンボウ 2 of 3 birds

A Weasel, イタチ running fast to get out of my sight.

Sea birds

 On several occasions I set out to find seabirds, preferably Pacific Loons or Divers. It was pretty hard. I mostly had to make do with Cormorants...

Japanese Cormorant aka Temminck's Cormorant, ウミウ 

Japanese Cormorant, ウミウ and Pelagic Cormorant, ヒメウ (on the right)

Pelagic Cormorant, ヒメウ

A pair of Red-breasted Merganser, ウミアイサ quickly got out of my view

As I searched the horizon I noticed some movements, but could not identify anything other than "white dots"

Earlier this month on similar trips it wasn't much better, though I think these 2 birds could be Loons, オオハム

Loons?　オオハム

Greater Crested Grebes, カンムリカイツブリ and Red-breasted Merganser, ウミアイサ by the looks of it. Certainly no Loons

Some creature that stayed with me for a while, Japanese Weasel, ニホンイタチ

Fishermen at work

For the record: Great Cormorants, カワウ closer to shore

Isahaya part 2

At sunrise the Cranes start flying. There were not as many as before, but still more than I had ever seen here. The weather started off all right, but soon cloud cover rolled in.

The first raptors are hunting. Before sunrise it's too dark to tell who is who, but around 7am I could see some details. Below an Eastern Marsh Harrier, チュウヒ

Next a female Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ I think (Forgive me if I'm wrong)

More Cranes in flight, Hooded Cranes, ナベヅル

White-naped Cranes, マナヅル

A flock of Common Starlings, ホシムクドリwas actively foraging. They hardly took the time to argue. I prayed for a bit of sunshine to bring the colors out, but it didn't happen

At the same time a male Kestrel, チョウゲンボウ landed right in front of me. It was finishing off something small and started preening.

A Japanese Weasel, イタチ popped up from the ditch.

There were lots of other small birds. I'll come back with them later

River scenes 2

The forecast said snow and the sky was heavily overcast. With this little ambient light, the dark parts of the river were hard to deal with. Just to avoid the noise

Mandarin Ducks, オシドリ

Spot the odd one out. There is a Baikal Teal, トモエガモ. Can you find it?

The odd one again

A Crested Kingfisher ヤマセミ stopped by once I'd left my possy down at the water's edge. Had it been watching me all the while?

Out in the open, a Japanese Weasel, イタチ

Exploring the river bank...

... jumping from stone to stone

Japanese Grosbeaks, イカル were calling from far

I was cold, but reasonably satisfied with the results