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

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo and Pale Buzzard Show Up!!

I had a work trip to Yonaguni Island after a long absence, so I went birding in my spare time. I came across a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo — found it at a private house in Sonai. It looked annoyed at being pestered by a Brown-eared Bulbul. I also spotted what appeared to be a Pale Buzzard.

Across the island, Emberizas were coming in in good numbers — Rustic Bunting, Yellow Bunting, Little Bunting and others. Narcissus Flycatcher, Daurian Redstart and Grey-streaked Flycatcher were staying all over the island. One Common Pochard had dropped into Kubura Mitou.

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo

A juvenile Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo. It seemed to be using the drainage channel running behind some houses, but was chased off by a Brown-eared Bulbul and flew away somewhere.

Common Myna

Common Mynas were everywhere.

Light-vented Bulbul

Large flocks of Light-vented Bulbuls along the coast. A migration movement, perhaps?

Narcissus Flycatcher

A first-winter female Narcissus Flycatcher. About three individuals present.

Narcissus Flycatcher

From this angle it's easy to see this is a Narcissus Flycatcher rather than a Ryukyu Flycatcher.

Rustic Bunting

A Rustic Bunting foraging on the road. It looked to have just arrived on migration — even with cars and motorbikes passing, it didn't flush, just kept desperately pecking at seeds of some kind.

Rustic Bunting

Also Rustic Buntings. Several small groups were noted.

Jankowski's Bunting

Three Yellow Buntings found in the southern part of the island. Scarce on Okinawa.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher

Multiple Grey-streaked Flycatchers as well. November, but migration appears to be still ongoing.

Water Pipit

At Agari-zaki, a Buff-bellied Pipit among a flock of Eastern Yellow Wagtails.

Water Pipit

A noticeably slender-looking Buff-bellied Pipit. Perhaps it burned through all its fat reserves on migration.

Daurian Redstart

Daurian Redstarts were present in good numbers — I could hear their calls throughout.

Northern Lapwing

A small group of Northern Lapwings resting in a field. They looked tired.

Eastern Buzzard

An adult Eastern Buzzard. Several Common Buzzards also present. Other raptors noted: Grey-faced Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Osprey, and Peregrine Falcon.

Common Pochard

A lone Tufted Duck at Kubura Mitou.

Categories: 野鳥