活発な留鳥と春らしい渡りの始まり
3月上旬の石垣島は、カンムリワシの活動が繁殖のために澎湃としいます。天気がいいと、ディスプレイ飛行などを見ることもできます。ズグロミゾゴイも繁殖期に入りつつあり、婚姻色で少しずつ色づいて来ています。
アトリやシマアジ、タカブシギ、アオアシシギの北帰行組も到着しています。
A Crested Serpent Eagle calmly lying in wait for prey in its usual territory.
A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle in the same area as the adult above. Every time the adult spots it, it gets an earful… ^^;
A Crested Serpent Eagle that holds territory in Banna Park. Most individuals here are used to people and have an easygoing temperament, but this one is a wary adult.
An adult Malayan Night Heron. Nuptial coloration is beginning to show.
A Malayan Night Heron hatched last year, in the process of moulting from juvenile to adult plumage.
A different individual from the one above. Moult progress differs noticeably.
A Chinese Pond Heron that has been lingering since last autumn. Still fully in winter plumage. About three birds are staying in the same paddy field, and none of them has advanced in moult.
Seven Bramblings arrived. The males had already changed into their beautiful summer plumage.
Hard to tell with the females, but are they also in summer plumage?
Four Garganey arrived at the paddy field. When Garganey appear, spring really feels close.
Wood Sandpipers heading north are starting to move through. Still only small flocks.
Common Greenshanks on passage are still few, but numbers are definitely picking up.
Wintering Common Snipe. Several birds are lingering in a small wetland.
As spring approaches, do they fill with energy and start fighting more?