タグ: Izu Is.

Apr. 8, 2018 Tokyo—Hachijo-jima (Izu Is)

We on boarded the Tachibana-Maru (Tokai Kisen Co.).
The outward journey:Apr. 7-8
We departed fromTokyo (Takeshiba Terminal) at 22:30 pm and arrived at Hachijo-jima at 9:00 am (Next day)
(arrived ten minutes late because of bad sea condition).

The homeward journey:Apr. 8
We departed from Hachijo-jima at 9:20 am (Early departure because of bad sea condition) and arrived at Tokyo (Takeshiba Terminal) at 20:00 pm (arrived ten minutes late because of bat sea condition).
Weather : cloudy-sunny
Temperature : around 12 ℃
Wind speed : >15 m/s
Wave height : 2-4m

It is the best season for observing Short-tailed Albatrosses (mainly adult birds) and flocks of Tristram’s Storm-petrels.In this trip, we could see several target birds from Miyake-jima to entrance of Tokyo Bay! Adult Short-tailed Albatrosses are so beautiful.Flying Tristram’s Storm-Petrels througth the waves are cool! (but too far to take a photo…) 
I’d like to recommend this ferry trip to you.

Bird list

• Black-footed Albatross 13
• Laysan Albatross 1
• Short-tailed Albatross 8
• Streaked Shearwater ++
• Blackish Shearwater sp. (Sooty or Short-tail?) 2?
• Tristram’s Storm-petrel 5
• Storm-petrel sp. 1
• Japanese Cormorant
• Grey Heron
• Great Egret
• Phalarope sp. 2
• Black-tailed Gull
• Long-tailed Jaeger 2
• Skua sp. 1
• Japanese Murrelet 11
• Murrelet sp.
• Blue Rock Thrush
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Aug. 3, 2017 Tokyo—Hachijo-jima (Izu Is)

We on boarded the Tachibana-Maru (Tokai Kisen Co.).

The outward journey:Aug. 2-3
We departed Tokyo (Takeshiba Terminal) at 22:30 pm and arrived at Hachijo-jima at 8:50 am (Next day).

The homeward journey:Aug. 3
We departed Hachijo-jima at 9:20 am (Early departure because of bad sea condition) and arrived at Tokyo (Takeshiba Terminal) at 19:40 pm.
Weather : cloudy
Temperature : around 25 ℃
Wind speed : around 5-6 m/s

Typhoon No.5 had appeared in the south of Japan. We expected that coming rare seabirds by the typhoon. However, the course of the typhoon was not ideal…we couldn’t see rare birds. The significant result was that Bryan’s Shearwater was observed at off Hachijo-jima ! And we felt happy that there was a flock of Storm-petrels !

Bird list

• Black-footed Albatross 6
• Laysan Albatross 12
• Providence Petrel 3
• Bonin Petrel 9
• Streaked Shearwater +++
• Flesh-footed Shearwater 1
• Bryan’s Shearwater 1
• Bulwer’s Petrel 32
• Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel 50±
• Leach’s Storm-petrel　10±
• Brown Booby 3
• Japanese Cormorant

Apr. 16, 2017 Tokyo — Hachijo-jima

We on boarded the Tachibana-Maru (Tokai Kisen Co.).
The outward journey:Apr. 15-16
We departed Tokyo (Takeshiba Terminal) at 22:30 pm and arrived at Hachijo-jima at 8:50 am (Next day).

The homeward journey:Apr. 16
We departed Hachijo-jima at 9:40 am and arrived at Tokyo (Takeshiba Terminal) at 19:40 pm.
Weather : fine
Temperature : around 19 ℃
Wind speed : around 4-5 m/s

Between Octorber and June is breeding season of Short-tailed Albatross.
In this season, the number of adults increases.
As expected, we were happy that we were able to observe some adults of Short-tailed Albatross 🙂
We was also happy to unexpected encounter with Caspian Tern at Hachijo-jima !

Bird list

• Black-footed Albatross
• Laysan Albatross
• Short-tailed Albatross
• Streaked Shearwater
• Short-tailed Shearwater
• Flesh-footed Shearwater
• Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
• Pacific Swift
• Black-tailed Gull
• Caspian Tern
• Japanese Murrelet