Japan 160130 Red-crowned Crane day

Japan 160122-160204
Bird Photography trip

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© NF Photos 160130 Otowa Bridge

This day was all about the Red-crowned Crane or Japanese crane as it is also called. 

We hardly slept before we had to wake up. The bus left at 04,00 in the morning and it was -18 degC. Brrrrr. That is cold. But our eminent local guide provided us with warming pads. We got three types, one for shoes, to warm the toes, one for the stomach to keep that part warm and then one for each hand. To keep fingers warm. And they worked. 

First we went to the Otowa Bridge at Setsuri River, Akan Tancho no Sato. A well known place for the crane to spend the night and every crane photographer visits. So did we. When we arrived it was still dark but we could see them in the distant still sleeping, standing in the water. As the morning light started the cranes started to move around and more people was gathering on the bridge. 

Around 8 we got back to the hotel for a late breakfast. Which was very nice at that time. Even if we had coffee in the bus we were really hungry for a meal. And this time we got half a western breakfast with toast and fried egg alongside some Japanese small dishes.  

Then we went back to the bridge for a couple of images in daylight and flying birds. They were now heading for Akan Tancho no Sato where they would be fed later on. We too went there to watch the event. There was more to see at that place. They had a museum too that told a lot of the cranes and the area.

This time we were given lunch tickets so everyone was free to eat when they wanted. Just before 14,00 as that was the time for feeding. 

A while before the feeding would start the raptors flew in. It was kites, sea eagles, Giant Sea eagles and some other birds. They too wanted some lunch. And every camera went warm from clicking when the action begun. Cranes and raptors all wanted the fish. Seeing the big eagles diving right into the cranes was cool and a bit scary at the same time. But they were all used to it. 

From there we went to another area with cranes, Tsurui Ito Tancho Crane Sanctuary. It was very different from the first center. Much nicer nature and some other birds as well. We spent about an hour there and then left for the last spot this day. A place where the cranes was passing in the light if the setting sun on the way back to the bridge for the night. 

And then we went back to the hotel for dinner and another session in the Onsen. And because of the "warmers" none of us had been too cold during the day. 

Tomorrow we will head north. 

Linking up with Bird D´Pot      WATW     Sky Watch Friday ( last image)

Japan on NF Photo  NF Birds around the world   

Labels:    Resor, travel, trip, journey, Sverige, Sweden, sky, photo, photography, Monica Johansson, NatureFootstep, nfphoto, NF_photo, nature, natur, fågelskådning, birding, resa, travel, photo, bird, fågel, Japan,  Akan Tancho no Sato, Grus japonensis, Hokkaido, japan, Japanese crane, japanska trana, Otowa Bridge, Red-crowned Crane, Setsuri River, Tsurui Ito Tancho Crane Sanctuary,
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30/1: Otowa Bridge innan frukost, trancentrat Akan Tancho no Sato, samt kvällen vid Tsurui Ito

Tancho Crane Sanctuary. Natt i Tsurui.

30 januari

Heldag med fotografering av de underbart vackra japanska tranorna! Vi inledde morgonen vid Otowa Bridge över Setsuri River. Det är en klassisk lokal för fotografering, där tranorna står i den ångande floden, omgivna av en vacker rimfrost på träden. Vi fick en morgon med fina förhållanden och runt friska -20 grader. Ett par adulta jättehavsörnar passerade förbi, vilket inte direkt gjorde morgonen mindre angenäm. Under dagen flyttade vi oss till trancentrat Akan Tancho no Sato, för många timmars jättefin tranfotografering! Vackra svartvita japanska tranor blev den huvudsakliga fotomodellen, med oerhört bra fotolägen på tranor som dansar, trumpetar och födosöker! Den stora showen började dock klockan två, då man utfodrar med fisk. Som på beställning dök flera havsörnar, bruna glador och en adult jättehavsörn upp och stal fisken för tranorna. Makalöst bra fotolägen på örnarna, så minneskorten fylldes snabbt!

På eftermiddagen förflyttade vi oss till Tsurui Ito Tancho Crane Sanctuary, för mera tranor. Kvällen avslutades nära Tsurui på en plats där tranorna passerade på väg mot sin övernattningsplats med den vackert rödfärgade kvällshimmeln i bakgrunden. Idag har det verkligen varit en magiskt bra dag, men mängder av fina bilder tagna!