Javan Pond Heron, Cinnamon Bittern, White-breasted Waterhen nesting and more (video)
The Javan Pond Heron that arrived in July has been staying long-term and numbers have been building.
In the same rice field, Greater Painted-snipe and Common Moorhen are incubating eggs. They appear to breed multiple times a year. White-breasted Waterhens are at all sorts of different breeding stages simultaneously — newly hatched chicks alongside large, well-grown ones. They too may be raising several broods a year.
Three Javan Pond Herons are staying in the same rice field. They have also been recorded in other areas, and there seem to be a fair number on the island. On the Okinawa main island, arrivals have been confirmed in the north, central, and south. Their range appears to be expanding steadily eastward in recent years.
Ryukyu Striated Heron, male.
Two female Greater Painted-snipes were feeding in close proximity. No exclusion behaviour was observed.
A male Greater Painted-snipe incubating.
A Common Moorhen incubating in the same rice field as the Greater Painted-snipe above.
A chick of White-breasted Waterhen. Probably only a few days since hatching.
The parent bird, with no wariness at all, came right up in front of me with three chicks in tow.
