crows

When I first arrived in Kyoto Rooks weren't supposed to be wintering in this part of Japan so it came as quite a surprise to find large numbers at Ogura. I have seen as many as 2000 flying from hill roosts out onto the fields at dawn but numbers vary from year to year and are usually much smaller. In any case it's the Daurian Jackdaws that may be with them which will be of more interest to most visiting birders. Daurians occur at Ogura almost every year and when they do they are easy to find because of the limited area. They seem to be annual in Shiga east of Lake Biwa but the area is vast and finding Rook flocks there is more a matter of luck.
Large-billed and Carrion Crows are both common in Kyoto and throughout the region.
Jay is common on the surrounding hills and in forests throughout the region, an easy place to see them in Kyoto is Takaragaiike.
Two species that don't quite make it into Kansai are Azure-winged Magpie and Spotted Nutcracker, though the latter can wander into Shiga in winter. The nearest place I regularly see Azure-winged is along the Ishikawa coast.

The glaring-eyed japonicus Jay can be found in the hills around Kyoto but is more numerous in winter, this one at Takaragaiike, Kyoto, 24 November 2012. It's likely this will be split from the continental forms including brandtii found in Hokkaido.

Brandtii, he race found in Hokkaido, is an altogether softer, more gentle looking bird.

Nutcracker does wander into the mountains of northern Kansai, just. I've never seen one there, but I have been looking in the wrong direction when one came by! These birds are in Akita, August 2013.

Daurian Jackdaws in northern Shiga, December 2013.

Rook at Ogura, 8 January 2011.

Adult Rook, the bill shape may be distinctive but the darker base is perhaps odd to European eyes. Shiga, December 2013.

Immature Rook, they can look very much like Carrion Crow. Shiga, December 2013.

Immature Rook in moult, Tsushima, 30 April 2012.

Carrion Crow on the Katsura River, Kyoto city, 1 March 2012.

Carrion Crow on the Katsura River, 6 February 2009.

Large-billed Crow on the Katsura River, Kyoto city, 7 October 2010.

Large-billed Crow on Mishima, Yamaguchi, 4 May 2009. This bill is bordering on the ridiculous.

Subspecies Osai on Ishikagi, April 2014. An awful shot but with limited time there are bigger fish to fry down there.

Subspecies connectens in Okinawa, August 2011.

Northern Raven is a Hokkaido winter speciality. Probably the best place to see them has always been the Shiretoko Peninsular but apparently more birds are stopping off in central Hokkaido nowadays due to an increase in food courtesy of hunters. The Peninsular is still likely to be the best place to try despite the lower numbers.

This Northern Raven dropped down to the river mouth very briefly in Rausu before heading back into the hills. 29 December 2012.

waxwings & tits

Japanese Waxwing is irregular in Kyoto, some winters they can arrive in large flocks and disperse into smaller parties as berry supplies are exhausted. In other years they are totally absent. In waxwing years there is usually a small number of Bohemian amongst them. Where they may fetch up is unpredictable but the botanical gardens area is fairly reliable as there are a number of good berry trees in the area. The shots below are of two flocks that were faithful to some excellent berry bushes in the respective winters of 2011 and 2013 but in both locations the bushes were removed the following spring. I suspect the residents didn't appreciate the impressive mess that can be made by a few hundred waxings with a large supply of purple berries.

This flock of Japanese Waxwings remained in this location for over a week to my knowledge. Spot the lone Bohemian in the line up! 9 February 2013.

A flock near the botanical gardens 6 January 2011. In this case the size difference between these first winter  Japanese and Bohemian seems extreme.

Adult Japanese and Bohemian in the foreground, looking much closer in size.

First winter Japanese, near Kyoto city 9 February 2013.

Spread wings of adult (bottom) and first winter (Top), the first winters have a white dash towards the tip of the outer web of the primaries whereas the adults have a broad white tip to the inner web and a small spot on the tip of the outer web that can be red or white but is often a compromise pink.

All the breeding Honshu tits occur in Kansai but Willow is only a winter visitor to the hills immediately surrounding Kyoto, though it does breed quite commonly at higher elevations in the region. Eastern Great, Varied and Coal can all be found in the city parks as well as the surrounding hills, all are common but the former two are conspicuously so.
Chinese Penduline Tit used to be regular in the reedbeds along the Uji/Yodo River but I haven't seen any for several years. If this is only due to the massive reduction in suitable habitat they might still be expected in the area but I suspect they aren't wintering here as frquently as they were a few years ago.

Eastern Great Tit in the botanical gardens, Kyoto city 10 January 2014.

Eastern Great Tit along the Katsura River in Arashiyama, Kyoto city 17 January 2011.

Southern Great Tit on Iriomote, Yaeyama Islands. 3 April 2013.

Coal Tit in the botanical gardens, Kyoto city. 15 March 2013.

Coal Tit in the hills west of Kyoto city, 30 March 2013.

 

Juvenile Coal Tit on Mt.Misen, Nara. 28 June 2013.

Varied Tit in the botanical gardens, Kyoto city. 15 March 2012.

Varied Tit near Kyoto city. 30 March 2013.

Marsh Tit is restricted to Hokkaido in Japan so that's one fewer identification problem to worry about in Kansai. This bird near Abashiri, 19 August 2012.

Willow Tit near Ashyu Forest. 19 July 2009.

Willow Tit on Mt.Misen, Nara. 28 June 2013.