- Trip Details
DIY Tours can be tailored to your own interests and are self-guided/driven, based on supplied detailed information and site details. The durations below are just sample recommendations, with associated prices, based on 2 people sharing.
10 Birding Days
Ground Price: from £2000 (US$2850, €2350)
Spring arrives late on Hokkaido and in the mountains of Honshu, as the deep snow peels back to reveal a green and lush landscape.
Hokkaido has reedbeds and fields alive with birdsong. Red-crowned Cranes have separated from their winter flocks to breed, and Lanceolated and Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warblers are vocal. On posts and in the air, the croaking of Latham’s Snipes can be heard, and the scrub holds Sakhalin Grasshopper Warbler and Siberian Rubythroat.
In the woods, Sakhalin Leaf Warbler and Eastern Crowned Warbler sing, alongside Narcissus and Blue-and-White Flycatchers. Offshore, Rhinoceros Auklets are joined by Horned Puffins.
On Honshu, Marsh Grassbird and Japanese Reed Bunting sing from the reeds, and the woods have Japanese Leaf Warbler, Japanese Thrush, Siberian Blue Robin and Yellow Bunting.
Miyakejima is home to Owston's Tit, Izu Thrush, Japanese Robin, Styan’s Grasshopper and Ijima’s Leaf Warblers and offshore are large numbers of Streaked Shearwaters alongside other seabirds.
It is also a good time to visit the Ryukyu Islands, to search for the endemics.
