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

Baillon's Crake, Oriental Stork, Pied Avocet, Black-faced Spoonbill, juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle and more

While watching the Oriental Stork, a Black Bittern flew into view, so I searched for where it had landed — and a Baillon's Crake appeared. ^^; It was a wary individual that ducked straight into the grass at the slightest disturbance. The habitat looks good, so it might stick around.

The Oriental Stork was a ringed individual. ID number "J0701", apparently hatched on 31 March this year in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture. It had also been observed in Minamisatsuma City, Kagoshima Prefecture, a week earlier. It stayed on Ishigaki for several days before crossing to Iriomote.

Two Pied Avocets are still present. Whether they are part of the flock of eleven that arrived on 6 November is unknown.

Encounters with juvenile Crested Serpent Eagles have been increasing. On this day I found the previously recorded "No. 7" and a new individual. With the second-crop rice harvest now underway, it is becoming a good season to watch Crested Serpent Eagles. This season's sugarcane harvest is scheduled to start around 6 December.

First Gadwall and Eastern White Wagtail of the season confirmed.

Baillon's Crake

Adult White-browed Crake. It seemed quite wary.

Baillon's Crake

The White-browed Crake gets harassed by the Eastern Yellow Wagtail and dashes into the grass when startled.

Baillon's Crake

White-browed Crake fleeing from an Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Oriental Stork

Juvenile Oriental Stork. It was banded on both legs with the tag "J0701".

Oriental Stork

It was foraging, but everything it caught was small — hardly enough for an Oriental Stork.

Pied Avocet

Adult Pied Avocet.

Pied Avocet

First-winter Pied Avocet.

Crested Serpent Eagle

A new individual juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle. It was foraging by taking advantage of ongoing rice-harvesting work.

Crested Serpent Eagle

This is Crested Serpent Eagle juvenile No. 7.

Crested Serpent Eagle

Same individual as above. What it caught was a small Teleogryllus emma cricket. Hard to imagine filling its stomach on that. I hope it makes it through the winter safely.

Black-faced Spoonbill

Adult Eurasian Spoonbill. It was gulping down large numbers of small gastropods.

Purple Heron

Adult Purple Heron swallowing a swamp eel.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

First-winter Taiwan Wagtail.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

First-winter (Yellow-browed) Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Adult winter (Yellow-browed) Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Black-winged Stilt

Adult male Black-winged Stilt. I saw several flocks of a dozen or so birds.

Tundra Bean Goose

A Bean Goose still on site. It seems to be growing less wary.

Gadwall

The season's first male Gadwall. Transitioning from juvenile plumage to first-cycle breeding plumage.

Eurasian Teal

Male Eurasian Teal. Transitioning from juvenile plumage to first-cycle breeding plumage.

Eurasian Teal

Male Eurasian Teal. Transitioning from eclipse to breeding plumage.

Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon, male. It has changed into breeding plumage.

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull, first-winter.

Categories: 野鳥