Wild friends in East Hokkaido #2 Birds in the forest

The eastern Hokkaido is surrounded by dramatic nature,and there are many opportunities to encounter wildlife, rare plants, and bacteria.

Continued from previous post, we will introduce some of the wild friends in surrounding environment you can meet in the eastern Hokkaido region.



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Wild friends in East Hokkaido #1 Ezo Deer

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Today, we would like to introduce you to the wild birds you can find in Bokke trail in lake Akan. As leaves started to fall, it becomes much easier to find birds in the woods.

As you walk through the forest, stop and focus on the sounds and movements around you.

Parus families

Parus species, including Japanese tits, nuthatches, and willow tits, are often seen along the walking paths of Bokke.

Japanese tits have a pattern on their necks that looks like a tie, and nuthatches have a pattern around their eyes that makes them look like they're wearing sports sunglasses.

The willow tit is a very similar species that can easily be mistaken for the marsh tit, and I still have trouble telling them apart. It has a distinctive beak that resembles the tip of a pencil.

Nuthatches are also strange in their movements, running freely up and down tree trunks. Their legs are so strong that they are able to perch perpendicular to tree trunks and move quickly around tree trunks with their heads down. If you see one in the forest, be sure to pay attention to its movements.

Woodpeckers

Living on the shores of Lake Akan, you can often hear the drumming (the sound of woodpeckers pecking on trees) in the morning.



The White-backed woodpecker and the Great spotted woodpecker are often seen in the forest, where they can be seen picking out insects in the trees.

If you hear the sound of pecking on a tree, quietly check on them.
It is a larger bird than the parus species, so it is relatively easy to spot.

Among them, the black woodpecker is designated as a special natural monument of the country and is a woodpecker with a red head and a black body.

The color scheme attracts people with its stylishness that you will never forget once you see it.

You can recognize the black woodpecker's presence just by its cry: its cry echoes throughout the forest, and when it takes off, it makes a "koro koro koro..." sound. Even if you can't see it, try to be aware of its existence.

Long tailed tit

Also known as the "snow fairy," the long-tailed tit is so popular among travelers.

It is a subspecies of the long-tailed tit that lives in Hokkaido, and its pure white, fluffy, adorable appearance which attracts people's attention.

In recent years, it has become more common to see it illustrated in products sold in souvenir shops.

They are very small, about 10 to 14 cm long, and very nimble. Just when I thought it was perched on that branch, the next moment it was on another branch... Your dynamic visual acuity will be tested for sure.

The long-tailed tit becomes even more fluffy in winter. It is said that they sometimes come to replenish water where the tree sap has frozen. You'll be very lucky if you see it hovering!

Extra edition: When you're looking for birds, you often come across them...?

When you walk through the forest looking for small birds, you will almost always encounter Ezo squirrels.

Several of them live in the forests of Lake Akan, and they jump between the trees, listening to what's going on in the trees and stuffing their mouths with nuts.

If you listen carefully, you might hear the sound of gnawing on nuts...?

The nature of Lake Akan is so quiet that you can hear the breathing and movements of the wild lives.

Please explore the presence of animals while feeling your five senses become sharper.