A daily journal.
Mainly introducing wild birds of Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, through photos.

3日分の鳥見成果。今季初のチュウジシギ、ブロンズトキ、キリアイ、サルハマシギなど

多忙につき、4月16日までの3日分のバードウオッチングの成果の一部をまとめてご紹介します。今季初となるチュウジシギをやっと確認。後日、追記します。

情報もらっても見に行っていない鳥もいますので、そのあたりは割愛します…。^^; 以下の写真の通り、田んぼや海岸には日替わりで渡り鳥たちがやってきています。この時季の石垣島は、とっても楽しいですよ。

後日追記

ブロンズトキは毎日のようにハヤブサに追われて落ち着きません。群れの数も19羽から16羽に減りました。食われたか逸れたかしたのでしょう。滞在場所も以前とは違う場所になりました。

海岸にはシギやチドリが日替わりで出たり入ったりを繰り返しています。メダイチドリやキョウジョシギ、トウネンあたりがレギュラーメンバーでその合間にサルハマシギやミユビシギ、オバシギなどが渡ってきます。キリアイも珍しく近くで見ることができました。夏羽のハシブトアジサシも河口で飛び回っています。

Glossy Ibis

The flock of Glossy Ibises has been relentlessly chased by a Peregrine Falcon for the past several days. This individual was struck on the neck but managed to survive.

Glossy Ibis

Immediately after the attack, a Glossy Ibis regurgitates a Golden Apple Snail it had eaten — apparently in shock.

Broad-billed Sandpiper

A Broad-billed Sandpiper I was able to photograph at unusually close range.

Broad-billed Sandpiper

A Broad-billed Sandpiper that caught what looks like a ragworm? at the river mouth.

Broad-billed Sandpiper

It is in the middle of moulting from winter plumage into breeding plumage.

Curlew Sandpiper

A Curlew Sandpiper also transitioning into breeding plumage. Full red breeding plumage is striking, but a bird still holding worn winter plumage makes you imagine the hardships of the long journey — which is something in itself.

Curlew Sandpiper

This Curlew Sandpiper seemed a little more wary than the other sandpipers sharing the same spot.

Sanderling

A Sanderling still in full winter plumage. The worn state of the feathers tells of the rigours of a long journey.

Great Knot

Three Great Knots that dropped onto the shore while I was watching Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Sanderlings. They looked utterly exhausted, as if they had just arrived after a long journey.

Lesser Sand Plover

A Lesser Sand Plover showing some breeding plumage coming through.

Ruddy Turnstone

A Ruddy Turnstone still very much in winter plumage.

Pacific Golden Plover

This adult Pacific Golden Plover also still very much in winter plumage.

Lesser Crested Tern

A Large-billed Tern in breeding plumage appeared at the river mouth.

Lesser Crested Tern

The Large-billed Tern was catching prey with impressive flying skill.

Lesser Crested Tern

A Large-billed Tern working the river mouth with Taketomi Island in the background.

Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stints have been turning up in greater numbers.

There were many large Costal Ghost Crabs along the shore.

Wood Sandpiper

A Wood Sandpiper in the rice paddies. Still very much in winter plumage.

Long-toed Stint

Adult Long-toed Stint. Moulting from winter into breeding plumage.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

First-winter Pectoral Sandpiper moulting into first-summer plumage.

Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper moulting from winter into breeding plumage.

Swinhoe's Snipe

First Swinhoe's Snipe of the season.

Swinhoe's Snipe

Another Swinhoe's Snipe. They seem to have come in all at once.

Swinhoe's Snipe

Looking for Pin-tailed Snipe, but Swinhoe's Snipe again. ^^;

Common Snipe

A shy Common Snipe.

Swinhoe's Snipe

Another Swinhoe's Snipe.

Common Snipe / Swinhoe's Snipe

Common Snipe (right) and Swinhoe's Snipe.

Greater Painted-snipe

A female Greater Painted-snipe. She was keeping watch over the male building a nest behind her.

Greater Painted-snipe

The male, nest-building and just barely visible behind a screen of grass, was being watched over by a female showing softly out of focus in the foreground.

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilts are gradually increasing in numbers.

Eurasian Spoonbill

A Eurasian Spoonbill has also arrived. It appears to be moving around the island day by day.

Black-faced Spoonbill

Black-faced Spoonbill, adult. The breeding plumes are coming in.

Black-faced Spoonbill

Five birds were in a small stream.

Malayan Night Heron

A Malayan Night Heron in the green.

Japanese Night Heron

A wary Japanese Night Heron has been staying along the forest road for several days now. At 1200mm, this is as close as this individual will allow.

Yellow Bittern

Ryukyu Striated Heron, male. No nuptial coloration yet.

Mandarin Duck

The Mandarin Duck male is still present.

Eastern Spot-billed Duck

A Eastern Spot-billed Duck with its right leg missing partway down.

Great Egret

A Great Egret with nuptial coloration on the face and elongated breeding plumes.

Great Egret

A Medium Egret still in winter plumage, bill still yellow.

Red-throated Pipit

A Red-throated Pipit in the process of transitioning to summer plumage.

Red-throated Pipit

The same individual as above, from the back.

Brambling

An adult male Brambling moulting into its beautiful summer plumage.

Brambling

Another adult male Brambling, also nearly in full summer plumage.

Brambling

Adult female Brambling.

Brambling

An individual moulting from first-winter into first-summer plumage.

Categories: 野鳥