Honshu Birding sites N & East of Tokyo (1 Viewer)

[MKinHK]

My wife and I will visit Japan from 18 -29 June I'd welcome any advice on birding sites in E and N Honshu which non-birders might also enjoy. I'm heading up to Hokkaido from Tokyo and thinking about places to stop en-route.

Also does anyone know if the birding from the ferry between Sendai and Tomakomai is as good as if you leave from Oarai.

Some of my key target birds for Honshu are as follows:

1. Japanese Green Woodpecker
2. Ruddy Kingfisher
3. Ural Owl
4. Japanese Marsh Warbler
5. Copper Pheasant
6. and in my dreams . . . Japanese Night Heron

Cheers
Mike

 

[Strandman]

Also does anyone know if the birding from the ferry between Sendai and Tomakomai is as good as if you leave from Oarai.
Cheers
Mike

Nice- quite an albatrossy time of year I think, although I might be out of date. So one tactic is to check the ferry times and see which one gives you most hours in daylight over the southern stages, to maximise your chances of the big one(s)..

Nice list here for Tomakomai /Hachinohe in June if you haven't seen it:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kantori/message/3631

 

[RJM]

I think Ruddy Kingfisher is difficult in northern Honshu. Probably the mountian parks around Nikko would be your best chance. Better chances are in southern islands down to Okinawa. You might get more updated info if you post on the Kantori Yahoo Group.

 

[MKinHK]

Many thanks Ed and RJM
Mike