At the river mouth

Oncorhynchus Keta jumping out from surface at the river mouth

Chum salmon,Oncorhynchus Keta,was migrating into river from sea. Some individuals jumped out from surface in Shari river ,Shiretoko world heritage,Hokkaido,Japan. This picture is not so artistic,but I got some satisfaction when I could took the picture of jumping.

In the ordinary dich

Pungitius sp.

After my survey I traveled around Akita pref., northern part of Japan,searching for ninespine stickleback, Pungitius sp.. By several hours search,I could find them in the narrow ditch. Japan is the northern limit of their distribution. In the south part of Japan, their habitat was dependent on spring cold water and the populations of Kinki region were already extinct because of the disappearance of it. In the high elevation area of north Japan,the water is cold even in summer and they would have been able to live such ordinary concrete dich. This species strongly impress me the vulnerability of distribution edge populations.

Narrow concrete 

Seafrogs camera housing for E-M1

 

 

I bought Seafrogs camera housing for E-M1 this summer. It’s waterproof is reliable. But, l have some complaints.

1. Very light compared to it’s size. For stabilizing underwater photographing, weights should be attached.

2. Hot Shue is too narrow for attaching Inon S2000 strobe.

3. M.zuiko 12-40 f2.8 lens is available for default use. It can be used zoom without any options. But only 20-40mm Focal length can be used because of kerare.

4. M.zuiko 12-40 f2.8 lens Manual Focus 
Clutch is unconsciously changed to MF mode during setting camera to housing. And deeply disappointed in the water.

Nevertheless, I should get use to it because it’s low price has much enough merit.

Mudskippers in Tokyo bay

Periophthalmus  modestus

In some limited mudflat along the Tokyo bay, 

Mudskipper,Periophthalmus modestus,still sustain their lives. In autumn they exclusively eat small creatures or rest in the small pools on the mudflat. Maybe next month,they will go their nest under the mud and wait next spring coming.

Like a stone

 Cottus Kazika

The four spine sculpin,Cottus Kazika,is the biggest freshwater sculpin in Japan. This species sometimes reaches 30cm. The big one doesn’t move even if diver closes to 15cm near him. He looks like a stone on the riverbed and he also believes him a stone.
 

The habitat of Cottus Kazika

Chiyoboinari

Over 15 Freshwater fish restaurants are placed along the 700m road that leads to Chiyoboinari shrine in Gifu pref,Japan. Here,we can eats catfishes,carp and eels ... and so on. I think here is one of the most dense freshwater fish restaurant area in the world.

Female always knows

Early September was too late for observing spawning behavior of pink salmon,Oncorhynchus gorbuscha ,in Shiretoko world heritage,Japan .

Almost all of females had finished spawning . They were guarding their spawning reds and attacked approaching males.

Females always know what they should do.