2016-04-04

Japan 160201 Lake Kussharo to the fishing village Rausu

Japan 160122-160204
Bird Photography trip

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© NF Photos 160201, Hokkaido, Japan



Early morning as usual. Departure at 6.40, before breakfast,  for a morning session at the Whooper Svans at Lake Kussharo. The setting sun last night was in front of us. Now we had the rising sun behind us. And it looked completely different. We visited both places this time too and got a close encounter of the Falcated duck (praktand) as well.



At 8.30 we were back at the hotel for breakfast and to pack our belongings. We were now heading north. Well, after being waved off by the staff before we started.


The first stop was only 3 blocks away. We visited the  Kawayu eco center foot Onsen. Our guide told us it was an Onsen for footbath. Only your feet could be cleaned in that place. I had seen it from the buss when we drove back to the hotel and was now pleased to stop there. There was the cleaning area for the feet and a little further there was two "wigams", the kind of tents the native indian´s used. But I don´t know the purpose of them. The place was almost too beautiful in the strong morning sun and the water vapor from the hot spring.



Our next stop:
and I was not prepared for it! Just because I did not expect it. Silly me! I just love Sulphur hot springs. It is so wild and speaks to me in many ways.











Now we continued to the fishing village Rausu and we stopped at the harbor for a while before going to the hotel for an early dinner. One peculiar thing in the area was the fences of the side of the mountains. Probably built to avoid snow avalanche to the buildings. And now we started to see the largest eagle in the world. But more or them tomorrow.

A Stellar´s Eagle sitting on a branch in the tree next to the fences.





And a part of the harbor. We saw a lot of icy boats and some water fowl.





The hotel was a mix of both cultures. Some of us got rooms with floor bedding, others, like me got a room with normal beds. I even had two beds. And my own toilet while others had shared ones. But for showers we all used the Onsen in the basement.


And a little reflection in the bus window.



Blakiston´s fish owl
After the early dinner we took of for the last event for the day. We were to look for the Blakiston's fish owl. According to wikipedia this is the largest living species of owl in the world. The place we were going to was Washi-no-Yado who had a family of owls in the area. They usually come to fish in the evening.  The family who ran the place told us that the owls did never notice the fact that they were fed. Higher up in the stream they let live fish out and the owl catches them in a tiny pool that was lit up so visitors can see them. The present family was the male and two young ones. The female has died last summer so now they really wanted the male to find another female. 

Well, we heard the owl for almost two hours before it finally showed up. And everyone started to shoot. But the male did not last very long. After served himself with two fishes he left and no other owl appeared.  We were standing in an old shed and it was quite cold. After 2.5 hours we went back to the hotel. 

A shower in the Onsen and uploading today´s shots. And then to bed. A very soft bed with a very thick and heavy blanket.

Tomorrow we will see the large eagle up close. 

Whooper Svans at Lake Kussharo.

Linking up with:  Our World Tuesday    Travel Photo Thursday   Wild Bird Wednesday  GOOD FENCES

Japan on NF Photo  NF Birds around the world   

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1/2:   Morgonen vid Lake Kussharo. Sedan transport norrut till Rausu. Washi-no-Yado på kvällen (uven). Natt i Rausu.
Vi inleder med mera sångsvansfotografering i Lake Kussharo innan frukost, i ett härligt morgonljus. Även praktand och östlig fläcknäbbsand fanns på plats. Efter frukost på hotellet besökte vi Io-zan Sulphur Springs, där svavlet bubblade och rök ur berget. Mäktigt att se och snyggt på bild!

Färden fortsatte sedan norrut, tills vi slutligen nådde upp till Shiretoko Peninsula och fiskebyn 
Rausu, där vi ska bo kommande två nätter. Vi inledde med ett besök i hamnen, där det fanns gott om fågel att fotografera. Över 20 örnar (havs- och jättehavsörn), strömänder, vittrutar, skiffertrutar och annat kul. Efter en tidig middag begav vi oss till Washi-no-Yado för att fotografera Blakistons fiskuv
, världens största uggla. Det blev en spännande väntan, då vi hela tiden hörde hannen ropa i närheten. Men till slut kom den mäktiga ugglan och landade i den upplysta bäcken framför oss. En fantastiskt häftig avslutning på ännu en fin dag! 

24 comments:

  1. Hello, lovely series of photos from your travels. I like the owl and the swan.
    Happy Monday, enjoy your new week ahead!

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  2. It looks so cold, not sure I could have waited for two and a half hours for the owl so well done you.

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  3. Beautiful tour of fishing village.

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  4. What a beautiful village! I also like to see and soak in hot springs--there are many areas with them here in Colorado. The owl is enormous and I also liked the sawn that had a thicker and shorter neck than the swans I see here.

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  5. Your photos are every interesting. Are those swans in a warm lake?

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  6. Swan in the waters is graceful.Good Day.

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  7. I enjoyed your post. I have lots of happy memories of showing the falcated duck to visitors in Colusa NWR.

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    1. sorry, you only have google+ responses. Loved one of your posts though :)

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  8. Wow, the largest eagle and the largest Owl. The Owl picture is awesome, but there is nothing close to it to make it possible to see how big he really is. Must have been a thrill and I am looking forward to the Stellar Eagles :) It looks cold and I feel for you, though something tells me you know how to dress for this kind of weather. Great pictures, Monica ... this had to be a mind blowing trip ... lucky you :0

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  9. The swan photo is great, like a painting ,Nette

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  10. Fantastiske bilder, spesielt det siste av svanene :-)) Og for en spennende tur! Jeg fikk lyst til å reise umiddelbart!

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  11. Interesting series of photos!

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  12. my goodness, the fog and snow is beautiful! those are some very unique fences with a good purpose!

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  13. How wonderful to get to travel. Like the fist picture best. Looks like a touch of sun but may be the mountains.

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  14. Whoah, those sulphur springs are crazy and the white swans gorgeous. So much white everywhere.

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  15. Okay ... I'm back. The fences on the mountain side are so cool and probably do just what they are meant to do. A wise move on somebody's part :)

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  16. Fantastic scenery shots of the place you visited! Gorgeous place and so interesting with the cultural mix! Love the fish hawk and swan.

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  17. What a fascinating place. The Sulphur springs were super cool. Enjoyed reading your post.

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