Site Report: Kushiro Marsh, Japan

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

Map of Site Report: Kushiro Marsh, Japan

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
- Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
- Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
- Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

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

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

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
- Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
- Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
- 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)