A bit of spring in the air..........

A hint of spring at last...............


Several species that are absent in Hokkaido in winter have reappeared: Skylark, Oriental Turtle Dove, Mandarin Duck and Great Cormorant. It must be spring then.

Another typical spring sight is Whooper Swans resting in the fields.............

A small skein of White-fronted Geese was also in the air but sadly didn't land.

Also in the same fields north of Yakumo were lots of crows including quite a few Rooks (which are still a bit scarce in Hokkaido). They are extremely shy and fly off even when the car slows down.

The smaller one is another scarce corvid, a Daurian Jackdaw.

There were still a few White-tailed Eagle around too............and they were jumpy as well.

At Onuma there lots of Grey Herons newly arrived................

At Yakumo they were already on nests (the eagles had been in the same trees only a couple of weeks ago).

Great Egrets were also around..............

At Onuma there were some very skittish Smew and a few Pintail..................