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

Third visit to Yonaguni this month

I made my third trip to Yonaguni Island this month. Small passerines were the main attraction: White Wagtail, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Little Bunting, Daurian Redstart, and Brown Shrike among others.

White Wagtail

There was a mixed flock of three subspecies of White Wagtail. This is a male leucopsis.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

A few ocularis were also mixed in.

White Wagtail

Just this one yarrellii.

Red-throated Pipit

A Red-throated Pipit against the backdrop of the Kuroshio Current.

Red-throated Pipit

There were fewer Red-throated Pipits than on the previous visit.

Little Bunting

A flock of around 30 Little Buntings confirmed.

Daurian Redstart

Just one Daurian Redstart. It was in the same grassland as the Little Buntings.

Isabelline Shrike

An Brown Shrike with Tindabana — one of Yonaguni Island's most iconic scenic spots — in the background.

Isabelline Shrike

There were plenty of Brown Shrikes around the pastures and hayfields.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

A Eurasian Sparrowhawk was chasing White Wagtails around.

Grey-faced Buzzard

A few Grey-faced Buzzards as well. Some were riding thermals, circling as they gained altitude. Nearly time for the northward migration.

Common Kestrel

A Common Kestrel, showing no wariness, appeared to have caught a Patanga japonica — Japan's largest grasshopper. As Patanga japonica overwinter as adults, it was already a large individual to prey on.

Northern Lapwing

Three Northern Lapwings at a materials yard. They were still there the next day, but by the third day they had moved on.

Common Snipe

Two Common Snipe are staying in the waterway at Hikawa.

Eurasian Teal

A pair of Eurasian Teal was in the same waterway as the Common Snipe.

Categories: 野鳥