Pterodroma hypoleuca were observed in the Northwest Pacific (12°-46°N, 128°E-172°W) during several cruises on the R. V. Tansei Maru and R. V. Hakuho Maru between 1974 and 1983.
(1) Although a few P. hypoleuca remain in the vicinity of the breeding islands (Ogasawara, Volcano and western Hawaiian islands) and in the Northwest Pacific throughout the year, the majority move to northern areas such as the waters off Sanriku and east of Honshu in May and June for feeding. They are widely distributed in these areas until July and the beginning of August, but disappear from the northern areas by the end of August or the beginning of September. Birds returning to the breeding areas were found in the vicinity of the Izu Islands after October.
(2) P. hypoleuca were not observed in the area north of 40°N. It appears that the northward movement is influenced by surface water temperatures until July. After August northward movement ceases and birds begin to return to their breeding islands.
(3) During their migration between the breeding islands and the northern areas P. hypoleuca were found to be solitary. But flocks consisting of two or more birds were frequently found, feeding or resting, in northern areas. P. hypoleuca usually gather in a single species flock, however mixed flocks have been observed with P. externa cervicalis, P. nigripennis, Bulweria bulwerii and Puffnus pacificus.
(4) P. hypoleuca occurred in areas where surface water temperatures ranged from 16°C to 29°C; they were particularly abundant in areas of 18°C, between 20°C and 23°C, and between 26°C and 27°C.

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Observations were made on the Japanese Crane Grus japonensis at Taiki in the southern part of Tokachi District, Hokkaido, for 14 years from 1969 to 1982. Cranes were first recorded at Taiki in 1953 and have been observed between late March and late December every year since 1965. During the breeding season they occur at shallow lakes and marshes along the Pacific coast, such as Lakes Kimonto, Oikamanai and Horokayanto, as well as at Toberi Marsh at the mouth of the Toberi River, although some individuals were occasionally seen to the south of the river in fall and winter. Taiki is currently the southernmost and westernmost breeding area of the Japanese Crane.
Every year eggs were laid in mid-April, approximately 2 weeks after the birds arrived. Chicks were observed in late May. At Lake Kimonto, in spite of its small area (ca. 3km²), 2 or 3 pairs bred every year from 1973 to 1982. At Lake Oikamanai one pair was observed breeding in 1979 and 1980. At Lake Horokayanto one pair laid 2 eggs in 1981, but this nest was abandoned because of flooding in late April. Since then no cranes have bred at this site. At Toberi Marsh, (ca, 4km²), one pair has bred every year since 1971. Thus 3 to 4 pairs breed at Taiki each year.
During the study period the greatest numbers of cranes observed were 15 in June 1980 (8 adults and 7 chicks) and 12 in July-August 1976 (6 adults, 1 subadult and 5 chicks), October 1980 (8 adults and 4 chicks), and December 1982 (9 adults and 3 chicks).

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Great Spotted Woodpeckers were captured in winter in the Tomakomai Experiment Forest of Hokkaido University and their iris color was examined.
Except for one case (irides grey), all individuals had either brown or wine red irides. Individuals with brown irides predominated (94.6% of males, 96.0% of females) when they were captured for the first time, but when recaptured one year later they had wine red irides. Thus iris color appears to change from brown to wine red with age; no change of iris color occurred amongest birds with wine red iris when first caught.
A model of process of iris color change is given and it is suggested that iris color could be used for ageing woodpeckers (Table 3).

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(1) During the breeding seasons of 1979-81 the food remains of a pair of Brown Hawk Owls Ninox scutulata were collected every day from June 1 to August 31, at Jokoji Temple, Kanzakicho, Saga Pref.
(2) The food remains collected included insects (40 families, 123 species), lizards (1 family, 1 species), birds (5 families, 5 species), and mammals (1 family, 1 species).
(3) The food remains were overwhelmingly of insects. The total numbers of insects were 1, 456 (1979), 2, 120 (1980) and 2, 392 (1981). Food remains increased slightly with the number of nestlings.
(4) Ninety-three to ninty-six percent of the food remains of insects were comprised of just seven families. They were Lasiocampidae, Noctuidae, Sphingidae, Scarabaeidae, Buprestidae, Cerambycidae and Cicadidae. Seasonal changes of food items appeared to be directly related to seasonal changes in the abundance of the prey.
(5) Birds were captured especially during the early part of the breeding season. They were considered to provide a good source of protein when insect food was insufficient

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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