変なジョウビタキ、ムジセッカ、アオジ
石垣島にも越冬組の小鳥が増えてきました。
そんな中、見つけた変なジョウビタキ。最初はオスの幼鳥が第1回冬羽に変わりつつあるのかと思いましたが、そうでもないようで、メスタイプの変な羽衣の個体という可能性も指摘されています。いずれにせよ興味深いジョウビタキでした。
川沿いの茂みにはムジセッカがそれなりの数でやってきているようでした。写真はなかなか撮れないですね。
シベリアアオジはサトウキビ畑に結構な数が潜んでいました。アオジっぽい個体も混じっていました。
I thought the area around the throat might be partway through changing to adult male plumage, but it looks as though feathers have been lost, exposing the black area beneath. Even so, the whitish feathering from above the eye toward the cheek area looks like a male's.
That said, when Daurian Redstarts transition from juvenile to first-winter plumage, male individuals apparently develop vivid orange feathers. This individual shows some orange in places, but is otherwise brown.
The hindcrown and hindneck are a pale brownish buff, more like a female. A genuinely puzzling and intriguing individual.
A Pale-legged Leaf Warbler — I could hear several calling. One came up into view.
A female Black-faced Bunting. I could hear many calls coming from the sugarcane field, and after waiting a short while it came in very close.
The small birds fell silent when the rain started, but were active again once it stopped.
