Visitor Center Report

While walking along the Ishikari River, I suddenly heard a rustling sound.
I had just stumbled on Haliaeetus albicilla taking flight.
Even when seen up close, the bird has a massive and majestic aura.
It skimmed the river’s surface and then suddenly gained altitude and disappeared deep into the gorge.
Photo: Haliaeetus albicilla at Sounkyo Feb. 20

During a walk on snowshoes, I found marks on a tree that were made by a climbing Ursus arctos yesonesis.
My first thought was that they must have been made last fall, but then I remembered that I passed this same place only a few days ago… (The marks were not there then.)
The heavy snowfall of the past few days made it impossible to find clear tracks. However, I did find places of slightly depressed snow in the area that could have been Ursus arctos yesonesis tracks.
Did an Ursus arctos yesonesis wake from hibernation early? Or perhaps it never hibernated at all.
Looking at the width between the claws, it does not appear that the bear was a big one.
Nonetheless, people who plan to go snowshoeing in the mountains should be cautious.
At any rate, young male Ursus arctos yesonesis generally awaken from hibernation in March.
(Pregnant females end their hibernation around early May.)
It’s about time to start carrying noisemakers.
Sap was seeping from the claw marks.
Photo: Marks made by a climbing Ursus arctos yesonesis Feb. 20

Although finding the tracks of Martes zibellina brachyura is not hard, seeing the actual animal is another story.
They are active throughout the year and do not hibernate. However, they do not seem to prefer any particular time of the day, as they can come out at either day and night.
Having said that, however, it does appear that they come out more often at night. (It is very rare to see them during the daytime.)
Having a body measuring about 50 cm in length and weighing about 1.0 kg, they move extremely quickly and are easily alarmed.
Although they have an adorable face, they can be quite naughty. And they’re even known to prey on Lepus timidus ainu that are larger than themselves from time to time.
Photo: Martes zibellina brachyura Feb. 18

An atmospheric optical phenomenon called a “halo” appeared today.
A halo is a ring of light that appears around the sun when it is covered by a thin cloud.
It is caused by the refraction of light by ice crystals in the atmosphere.
Halos are often seen when poor weather is on the way. Although it was pretty close to perfectly clear this morning, the sky gradually became cloudier through the day.
Photo: Halo Feb. 15

The photo shows a view of the Daisetsuzan peaks taken from Kamikawa’s popular sightseeing spot “Daisetsu Kogen Asahigaoka.”
The sky is a magnificently deep blue and the peaks present a striking profile in the clear and sunny weather.
The sky was so lovely that I adjusted my usual vantage point to include as much of it as possible in the photo.
Photo: The Daisetsuzan peaks taken from Daisetsu Kogen Asahigaoka Feb. 13