Site Report: Kushiro Marsh

Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis)

Ural Owl (Strix uralensis)

Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)

Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis)

A huge marsh full of cranes on the outskirts of Kushiro

2024-02-18: We woke up in the morning to visit the Otawa Bridge. We got there slightly late, and there were about 200 people camped out on the bridge. Most of the cranes were quite a distance. After a few photos at the bridge, we headed over to a spot where I had a tip about Ural owls. The owls were right there and posing for photos. We then continued to another nearby spot where cranes were being fed. Another hundreds of people in the snow. Cranes were everywhere.
2024-02-20: On the road back to the airport, we saw two Short-eared Owls flyover shortly after sunset.

Kingdom: Animals (15 records)

Phylum: Chordates (15 records)

Class: Birds (15 records)

Order: Anseriformes (3 records)
- Family: Swans, Geese, and Ducks
- Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
- Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
- Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)

Order: Cranes, Rails, and Allies (2 records)
- Family: Cranes
- White-naped Crane (Antigone vipio)
- Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis)

Order: Owls And Nightjars (2 records)
- Family: Typical Owls
- Ural Owl (Strix uralensis)
- Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

Order: Pelicans (1 record)
- Family: Grebes
- Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Order: Perching Birds (6 records)
- Family: Chickadees and Titmice
- Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
- Family: Jays and Crows
- Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
- Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
- Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)
- Family: Old World Sparrows
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
- Family: Wagtails and Pipits
- Japanese Wagtail (Motacilla grandis)

Order: Woodpeckers, Barbets, Toucans, and Honeyguides (1 record)
- Family: Piculets and Woodpeckers
- Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)