EPIC JAPAN - SOUTHERN ISLANDS CRUISE

This unique tour visits Japan in the springtime when hordes of migrants are passing through the various islands and headlands and summer breeding species are arriving and setting up territories. In fact, this is a tour like no other! The first part of our epic tour will see us birding on the main island of Honshu where we will visit the marshes near Imbanuma & Omigawa for Green Pheasant, Japanese Marsh Warbler, Japanese Reed Bunting before we head to Mount Fuji. Amidst this stunning landscape we will be primarily looking for Japanese Leaf Warbler and Japanese Yellow Bunting. However, breeding species here include Red-flanked Bluetail, Northern Hawk Cuckoo, Japanese, Brown-headed & Siberian Thrushes, Blue-and-white & Narcissus Flycatchers, Siberian Blue Robin and Eastern-crowned Leaf Warbler amongst many others. We will then have an overnight ferry crossing to the island of Miyake-Jima where species such as Japanese Woodpigeon, Owston's Tit, Ijima's Leaf Warbler, Styan's Grasshopper Warbler, Izu Thrush and Izu Robin can be found. The return crossing gives us our first opportunity to see Laysan & Black-footed Albatross, and Short-tailed & Streaked Shearwaters. 

Following an overnight stop in Tokyo we will board the cruise ship the following day, and have two full days at sea as we head south to Taiwan. We are, of course, hoping for Short-tailed Albatross, whilst other possibilities include Bonin & Bulwer's Petrels, Short-tailed, Wedge-tailed & Streaked Shearwaters, possibly Bannerman's Shearwater, Tristram's, Matsudaira's, Band-rumped and Swinhoe's Storm-Petrels, Red-footed & Brown Boobies, White-tailed & Red-tailed Tropicbirds and Black Noddy amongst others. We have two shore excursions around Taiwan, where we hope to catch up with a good selection of endemics such as Mikado & Swinhoe's Pheasants, Taiwan Barbet, Collared Bush-Robin, Taiwan Fulvetta, Taiwan Yuhina, Taiwan Barwing and White-eared Sibia. As we sail north we will look forward to a great stop on Ishigaki Island where Ryukyu Green-Pigeon, Ryukyu Serpent-Eagle, Japanese Paradise-Flycatcher, Ryukyu Minivet, Ryukyu Flycatcher and Iriomote & Ishigaki Tit are present. The next day we visit Okinawa and drive north to an area that holds Okinawa Rail, Okinawa Woodpecker and Okinawa Robin - we will need a good deal of luck to catch up with all 3 species! There's a further two more days seawatching from the cruise ship to find some rare seabirds in waters that have rarely been explored by birders - so who knows what is lurking behind those waves? 

Once back in Tokyo, there's the option of 5 days on the northern island of Hokkaido. There's another short boat trip that will give us chances of Laysan & Black-footed Albatross, Spectacled Guillemot, Ancient & Japanese Murrelets, Rhinoceros Auklet and Tufted Puffin, as well as other pelagic species in the right weather conditions. The marshes and wetlands of Hokkaido are home to breeding Red-crowned Cranes, Latham's Snipe, Lanceolated Warbler, Middendorff's & Sakhalin Grasshopper Warblers and others. We should find Hazel Grouse, Japanese and sometimes Red-faced Cormorants, Brunnich's Guillemot, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Sakhalin Leaf Warbler, Japanese Robin, White's Thrush and more. Oh and as a grand finale, how about Blakiston's Fish-Owl? And as if that wasn't enough we can also spend 2 night's on Amami Island, where we hope to see Amami Woodcock, Ryukyu Scops-Owl, Amami Thrush, Amami Woodpecker & Lidth’s Jay. And there's further chances of Northern Boobook, Ruddy Kingfisher, Ryukyu Robin, Ryukyu Green-Pigeon, Japanese Woodpigeon, Ryukyu Minivet & Japanese Paradise-flycatcher! What a tour!!

So often we birders leave our loved ones or 'significant other' behind whilst we fly off to chase our dream birds and we get to experience many different countries our partners would tell us they would love to visit also but without the early mornings or strains of keeping up with us and our group whilst birding. This tour is the perfect excuse for all  non-birding partners to join us on our travels whilst we enjoy our birding and they can take advantage of the amenities of this fabulous cruise ship. There is no charge for non-birding partners to join this cruise - only the cost of the cabin which can be arranged through our dedicated group contact at Princess Cruises. A non-birding Zoothera representative will also be onboard to assist with any non-birding activities and enquiries.

For a chance to see these amazing birds from the comfort of a fully working cruise ship, please register your interest with the Zoothera office.