PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-800-721-9986
 or 302/529-1876; Fax: 302/529-1085

 

  Birding & Nature Tours 
 in Japan

in 2009 & 2010

There have been Focus On Nature Tours in Japan for over 18 years, with birding & nature tours in the winter and in the spring.

In 2009, FONT will conduct its annual Winter Birding Tour on the Japanese islands of Honshu &, Hokkaido, including, as in the past, 
a day of pelagic birding onboard a ferry. Highlights, as in the past 
are to be the cranes, sea-eagles, and fish-owl.

In 2009, in the spring, there will be a tour, both interesting and enjoyable, scheduled for breeding and migrant birds, including a visit to very small island in the Sea of Japan which is a tremendous bird-migrant trap. 

There's still, as of now, availability on the upcoming FONT Birding & Nature Tours scheduled for in Winter '09 (in January), Spring '09 (in May), & in Summer '09 (in July, with a Total Solar Eclipse). 
       
Itineraries and other information regarding the tours follow.


Lesser Sand Plover

Highlights from some previous Japan Birding & Nature Tours 

FONT has conducted the most Japan birding & nature tours - 30 - during the last 18 years. 
During the spring tours, and those on the southern islands (Nansei Shoto), the leader will have sound recordings of all the birds, that could be used as needed. 

Itineraries in 2009 & 2010 with prices (click on the underlined tour numbers/dates):

Winter
(Tour JA-1c)
Jan 29 - 
Feb 6, '09
Honshu & 
Hokkaido 

for 
Japanese Cranes
Steller's Sea Eagles
Blakiston's Fish Owl
& more, including
a pelagic trip
for alcids &
albatrosses  

tour filled

Spring
(Tour JA-3)
May 7-24, '09

Spring Birding in Japan
  Honshu, Kyushu & 
Nansei Shoto
(Okinawa & Amami),
and Hegura Island
with its big 
bird migration

some space
still available

Summer
(Tour JA-3)
Jul 12-26, '09

Birding in Southern Japan
  Kyushu & 
Nansei Shoto
(Okinawa & Amami),
with a solar eclipse

tour filled

Winter
(Tour JA-1a)
Jan 11-23, '10
Honshu, Hokkaido, 
Kyushu

for cranes,
eagles,
& more
(Tour JA-1a&b)
Jan 11-27, 10
Honshu, Hokkaido,
Kyushu, Amami

for endemics
& specialities
Fall
(Tour JA-4)
Oct 18 - 
Nov 1, '10
mostly 
Hokkaido 

for 
cranes,
eagles,
migrants,
& the Blakiston's Fish Owl,
with a pelagic trip
for albatrosses
& more  

Previous Japan
Tour Highlights
 
LISTS OF BIRDS
DURING PREVIOUS FONT JAPAN TOURS
(with photos):
Throughout Japan
On Honshu

On Hegura Island
(Spring Tours)

On Amami Island
(Spring & Winter)

Throughout
Japan 
during 
Spring Tours
Narratives relating to previous FONT Tours:

 A Tour with
Blakiston's Fish Owl, Eagles, Cranes,
Mandarins, & More
(in Jan 2008)
A Spring Tour on 
5 Islands: 
Honshu, Kyushu, Okinawa, Amami, 
and Hegura, 
a little island 
that's a big magnet for birds
(in May 2007)
PHOTO GALLERY:

Photographs 
of Japanese Culture & Scenery
(during our 
Dec '04 Tour) 
  

Rare Birds during 
Japan Tours

Cranes 
of Japan

Shorebirds
of Japan

Butterflies
of Japan 

Mammals
of Japan

 

 

Mountains on Honshu: Fuji (above left) & Asama (above right).
By Mt. Asama, we see many birds during our spring tours.



Two small birds in Japan: the Little Grebe (above) in breeding plumage
and Eurasian Kingfisher (below) photographed in Japan in January 2004.
(Both photos by Paul West of New York, NY © - all rights reserved.)



In the city of Tokyo, there are no House Sparrows. 
Rather, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (below) is common. 
(photo by Paul West © - all rights reserved.)

  

   
The Hokkaido coast in winter, with Steller's Sea-Eagles.

   
The Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, where a bird we see in winter
is the Red-flanked Bluetail (below).



Photo credits: Lesser Sand Plover (or Mongolian Plover) by Koji Tagi; 
Stellers Sea-Eagle by Allan Beach; 
Little Grebe, Eurasian Kingfisher, Red-flanked Bluetail, Eurasian Tree Sparrow by Paul West; 
other photos by Armas Hill - © all rights reserved by the photographers.