While Haidee and I had just intended to wander along the well-trodden paths, Rick was having nothing of it, and before long we were tramping through untracked snow on our snowshoes.
We continued on a round-about route to the northeast, trying to stay off the paths as much as possible.
By the time we had made it to the Nature Center, it wasn’t quite time for a break, so we pushed on into the forest proper. We were on hardpacked trails for a while that did not require the use of snowshoes. Then we decided to break our own trail into the woods to see if we could spot any owls. This was the area, so said the guidebook, so we had our eyes peeled.
Alas, no owls were spotted. We did see a black woodpecker, as well as a couple of great spotted woodpeckers. With no luck in this area, we made our way back to the Nature Center to have some lunch and warm up.
With renewed energy, we took another quick look at an area where Rick had spotted owls previously, but to no avail. Back to the trailhead it was, via a vague route through the woods.
We were following our noses back to the Memorial Tower (or the “Tower of Mordor” as I like to call it). So we were happy to see it emerge in front of us as we finally exited the woods.
Thus ended out great owl hunt. No owls seen, but a great workout in the winter wonderland that is Nopporo Forest Park.
2 thoughts on “Nopporo Forest Park Snowshoe Birdwatching”
Hi Rob, I am currrbtly living in Niseko and am an avid bird / wildlife watcher and hobby photographer. It has been really hard finding locations and areas in Japan where wildlife frequent and which I have access too as I don’t have a car! I am planning a two day trip to Nopporo park in the hope of seeing a Ural Owl and otherwise wild critters in the park, is the path usually quite tracked out and would gumboots be sufficient or would hiring snowshoes be my best bet ? Is early January too early for wildlife to be roaming about ? I have been told they come out a lot more in Niseko once spring arrives so it’s going to be a long wait for me ! Lol any help is appreciated ! Thank you Priscilla
Hi Priscilla, Nopporo Forest Park is usually just fine for walking if you stay to the beaten tracks – and there is plenty to see from the trails, so really there’s not much need to wander into the deeper snow. Gumboots would be fine. Early January is fine also – it is a great park all year round.