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.
Adult White-browed Crake. It seemed quite wary.
The White-browed Crake gets harassed by the Eastern Yellow Wagtail and dashes into the grass when startled.
White-browed Crake fleeing from an Eastern Yellow Wagtail.
Juvenile Oriental Stork. It was banded on both legs with the tag "J0701".
It was foraging, but everything it caught was small — hardly enough for an Oriental Stork.
Adult Pied Avocet.
First-winter Pied Avocet.
A new individual juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle. It was foraging by taking advantage of ongoing rice-harvesting work.
This is Crested Serpent Eagle juvenile No. 7.
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.
Adult Eurasian Spoonbill. It was gulping down large numbers of small gastropods.
Adult Purple Heron swallowing a swamp eel.
First-winter Taiwan Wagtail.
First-winter (Yellow-browed) Eastern Yellow Wagtail.
Adult winter (Yellow-browed) Eastern Yellow Wagtail.
Adult male Black-winged Stilt. I saw several flocks of a dozen or so birds.
A Bean Goose still on site. It seems to be growing less wary.
The season's first male Gadwall. Transitioning from juvenile plumage to first-cycle breeding plumage.
Male Eurasian Teal. Transitioning from juvenile plumage to first-cycle breeding plumage.
Male Eurasian Teal. Transitioning from eclipse to breeding plumage.
Eurasian Wigeon, male. It has changed into breeding plumage.
Black-headed Gull, first-winter.
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