Japan is on!

 It was off. It was on and then off again. And today it's definitely on as we've booked the cruise! Woohoo!! So 22nd June we are off and sailing south from Tokyo to Okinawa and Taiwan. Of course i'm hoping for Short-tailed Albatross but what else is out there? With 2 full days at sea on each leg of the cruise i'm hopeful of some goodies but i'm thinking that next year, mid May should be a better time, so with that in mind..... 

Mount Fuji (12,389 feet high)

I'm off to Mount Fuji (Copper Pheasant & Japanese Accentor) for a few days and then taking the ferry over to Miyake-Jima (Owston's Tit, Izu Thrush, Izu Robin, Ijima's Leaf-Warbler & Styan's Grasshopper Warbler. Nice!) before boarding the cruise ship. And afterwards there's a short flight to Hokkaido for Sakhalin Leaf Warbler, Japanese Robin, Middendorff's & Sakhalin Grasshopper Warblers, and maybe a little pelagic too! Oh and would be rude not to have a look at Blakiston's Fish-Owl as well. And i'm planning this around the itinerary for next year's tour..... More info to follow. 

Man, I just can't wait! But i've got to tell the wife about the new Japan field guide i've just ordered......!!!