A daily record.
Featuring photos of wild birds and nature, mainly from Okinawa Main Island and Ishigaki Island

The first Pied Avocet, Spotted Redshank, Eurasian Wigeon, and Northern Shoveler of the season have arrived. I had been hearing Japanese Leaf Warbler by call for several days, but this time I finally managed a photograph.

Pin-tailed Snipe numbers have dropped; today I could only squeeze out a single bird. Swinhoe's Snipe are past their peak but still well represented. Common Snipe are increasing.

Grey-faced Buzzard migration is at its peak. On this day, more than 3,000 birds passed through — what I believe is an all-time record. I was on Kuroshima for work, so after returning to Ishigaki I rushed over to the usual migration watchpoint. Even on the way there, Grey-faced Buzzards were boiling up from all directions. Apparently there was also a kettle of more than 1,000 birds.

After I arrived, Grey-faced Buzzards continued to pour in from everywhere and form kettles. Among them I could pick out dark-morph individuals — the so-called black Grey-faced Buzzard.

A considerable number came down into the woodlands without completing the crossing, so tomorrow morning's roost departure should be spectacular.