春の渡り始まる
野鳥の世界では春の渡りが始まったようです。田んぼにはコホオアカの群れ。牧草地ではシマアカモズがいっきに増えて多いところでは同じエリアに5羽ほどいました。
今春初のクロハラアジサシも確認。単独での飛来。
サシバも北上が始まっているようで数羽のタカ柱ができたりしていました。
ムナグロも北上組が到着したようで、渡りの途中、休憩に立ち寄ったと思われる群れがサトウキビ畑で休んでいました。
Little Bunting transitioning into summer plumage.
There were around 20 Little Buntings in the same rice paddy.
Pecking at fallen rice grains or something similar.
The numbers of Brown Shrikes on Ishigaki Island have increased considerably, with northward-migrating birds apparently joining the overwintering ones.
The first Whiskered Tern of this spring — still in full winter plumage.
They were flying over the rice paddies catching aquatic insects brought to the surface by the puddling.
A juvenile Grey-faced Buzzard keeping an eye on the sky above. Other individuals may be passing through at high altitude.
A flock of Pacific Golden-Plovers that appeared to have just arrived on migration. They all looked exhausted.
Pacific Golden-Plover, first-winter.
Many of the Little Ringed Plovers wintering here have already moulted into breeding plumage.
The Common Greenshank is still in full winter plumage.
The Crested Serpent Eagle is becoming more active as the breeding season gets under way.