リュウキュウキビタキのさえずり(動画あり)
この時期、公園や林道などあちこちから聞こえてくるリュウキュウキビタキの鳴き声ですが、その美しい姿を見る機会は非常に少ないです。
今朝は、リュウキュウキビタキを撮影するため、公園内の林道をいくつか歩き足で探しました。結構な密度でさえずりは聞こえるのですが、やはり茂みの奥や谷の底などからで姿はおがめず。
あきらめかけたころ、車道と林道の間の比較的奥行きが薄い茂みからはっきりとリュウキュウキビタキのさえずりが聞こえてきました。これはいけるんじゃないかと探すも見つからず。念のため、裏の県道に出て探すと浅い水路にかかる木の枝でリュウキュウキビタキのオスを発見!! やっと今季初撮影に漕ぎ着けました…。^^;
林道ではサクラランが数カ所で花をつけていました。これから夏までかわいらしいサクラランの開花を楽しむことができます。
A male Ryukyu Flycatcher in second-year summer plumage. As it is in its third calendar year, it is presumably taking part in breeding. The pale leg colour and plumage made me wonder at first whether it might be a first-year bird, comparing it with mainland Narcissus Flycatcher, but it appears to be second-year.
The back looks like this — somewhat browner compared to an adult.
A singing Ryukyu Flycatcher. The song is considerably more leisurely than that of the mainland Narcissus Flycatcher.
It was moving from branch to branch over a drainage channel.
This individual is not particularly wary. I get the impression that Ryukyu Flycatchers vary greatly between individuals — some are very wary and others are not.
It was in view for only about ten minutes, but it showed a good variety of poses.
A close-up shot. This is a male Ryukyu Flycatcher in second-year summer plumage. The yellow supercilium and wing-covert edges are washed buff, and the flight feathers are browner than in adults. The legs are dark grey rather than the jet black of adults.
Wax plant blooming low and easy to observe. It is coming into peak flower now, a pleasure to watch.