沖縄本島でリュウキュウオオコノハズク
衆院選取材で沖縄本島へ出張したついでに鳥見。沖縄4区は当確が出たのが、午後23時すぎ。急いで記事を書いて出稿してホテルへ帰ってシャワー。日付が変わって午前3時ごろにやんばるへ到着しました。
ほぼ3年ぶりのやんばるでの夜探でしたが、鉄板ポイントを2カ所巡ってリュウキュウオオコノハズク3個体に出会えました。フラッシュを忘れたので、レンタカーのヘッドライトとハンディライトでなんとか撮影もできました。午前5時前には車内で仮眠。帰りは金武と泡瀬干潟を経由してダイシャクシギやホウロクシギ、カモ、シギなどを見てきました。
I visited the usual spot where Ryukyu Scops Owls breed, and sure enough one was there. I was also able to hear the well-known descending call: "Wok, wok, wok, woh."
Shot with a handheld light. LED lights really do throw the colours off. Same individual as above.
A Ryukyu Scops Owl that had come down to the ground. The Ryukyu Scops Owl's calls are more varied than those of the Ryukyu Scops Owl [Elegant Scops Owl] or Brown Hawk-Owl; this one was calling "Mew, mew, mew." It is the same as the call recorded in January 2022.
The right eye appears to be injured. Perhaps it was clipped by a passing vehicle at some point. Shot with a rental car's headlights. Again, the colours aren't accurate. Same individual as above.
A male Grey-faced Buzzard calling as it was chased by two crows.
Oriental Pratincole in winter plumage. Looks lonely on its own.
Far Eastern Curlew adult.
Eurasian Curlew adult.
A Eurasian Curlew flying over the sea surface. Same individual as above.
A Common Sandpiper juvenile is doing its best to swallow a large caterpillar.
A Black-winged Stilt also caught a large caterpillar. It appears to be one found on taro leaves.
I counted nearly 30 snipe, but all were Common Snipe.
A juvenile Gray-tailed Tattler with a crab it had caught.
Adult female Eurasian Wigeon.
Juvenile female Northern Shoveler.
Juvenile male Northern Shoveler.
Adult male Northern Shoveler, moulting from eclipse into breeding plumage.
Female White Wagtail. A male was courting her.