Greylag Goose, juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle, Caspian Tern and others
The Greylag Goose that appeared about ten days ago is still here. Alongside the Greylag Goose, Ishigaki currently hosts a Lesser White-fronted Goose, a Greater White-fronted Goose, a Taiga Bean Goose, a Tundra Swan, and a Common Crane — quite an unlikely lineup for a southern island.
The juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle was the ninth individual of the season. A very active bird, it was catching prey in the rice paddies and mown grasslands.
Caspian Terns have also been coming in over the past few days. They usually stay for a while each year but rarely winter over. On the coast, Siberian Sand Plovers, Kentish Plovers, Little Ringed Plovers, Pacific Golden Plovers, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Common Greenshanks, and Ruddy Turnstones are present in fluctuating numbers.
I had already seen a flock of five Greylag Geese at the end of last year on Okinawa Island, but this was my first encounter with the species on Ishigaki Island.
A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle that plunged into a rice paddy. Did the hunt fail?
Scanning for prey from a good vantage point.
An individual with no fear of people — it came and perched on the wire right in front of me.
An adult female Crested Serpent Eagle. This is 'Kikki,' an individual rescued in 2009, with a red band on the right leg.
A Caspian Tern resting on a sandy beach.
It took off, but flew off somewhere without hunting.
Lesser Sand Plover in winter plumage. Numbers have dropped from their peak but birds are still present along various stretches of coastline.
Kentish Plover in winter plumage. Numbers are well down compared to the peak here too.
Little Ringed Plover in winter plumage. Still present on beaches and in rice paddies.
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