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

In the meantime...

Many kinds of ducks have arrived. Mostly in eclipse, but some are easily distinguished. 

Northern Pintails, オナガガモ

The odd one out. One Tufted Duck, キンクロハジロウ among Common Pochards, ホシハジロウ

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, ゴイサギ

Little Grebe カイツブリin winter dress

The Black-faced Spoonbills, クロツラヘラサギ can be seen feeding at the mudflats again

Lady Daurian Redstart, ジョウビタキ in the rain

The male on another day

Stejneger's Stonechats, ノビタキ come and go

The Wryneck, アリスイ doesn't show up much anymore. The raptors are here now and territorial issues have been delt with

At the harbor the Black-tailed Gulls have changed places with Vega Gulls, セグロカモメ

Slightly bigger than Vega, is it a Slaty-backed Gull, オオセグロカモメ?

Around the big waves: Black Scoter, Black-throated Loon, Osprey, more ducks and gulls

Uminonakamichi.
There are some strong waves around the rocks off Shioya. Knowing all about the force of breaking waves I admire the ducks that venture there. This single Scoter seemed quite skilled.

Black Scoter, クロガモ

A few solitairy Loons, facing the same breakers.  Black-throated Loon, オオハム

Diving just before the crash

Out in the far distance: hundreds, maybe thousands of Red-breased Mergansers, ウミアイサ

detail ↓

An Osprey, ミサゴ landing his catch

Herring Gull, セグロカモメ

Black-tailed Gull, ウミネコ left and below,      Slaty-backed Gull, オオセグロカモメ on the right

 There weren't many ducks in the wild bird pond. This trio got my attention. The one in front looks all roughed up. Why? Just wet, or...?  Common Teal, コガモ

Nothern Shovelers, ハシビルガモ doing their thing like going around and around in circles

Along the river 4: Gulls

Black-tailed Gull, ウミネコ , adult

Who is that flying by? A Mew Gull, カモメ

For the record: Slaty-backed Gull, オオセグロカモメAt a different location, but not far:

A big gull. Look at the size compared to the Shelducks!

Below with a younger Herring Gull, セグロカモメon the left.