I recorded the first Eastern Yellow Wagtail of the season — the macronyx type. Apparently there were many in the north of the island, so they should be moving down to the south by tomorrow.
Western Yellow Wagtail (supercilium white), adult. Already in winter plumage.
Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe have been building in numbers since around mid-August. Pin-tailed Snipe are noticeably scarce this season. The 3rd Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp is scheduled for August 30th, so I'm wondering whether numbers will pick up before then.
Pin-tailed Snipe juvenile.
A Crested Serpent Eagle that was rescued after a traffic accident on June 20th was returned to the wild after 70 days. Its weight had plateaued at 680 grams, but it was in good spirits and flew off strongly the moment it was released. The tail feathers had fallen out, which seemed likely to affect its flight somewhat, but it should adapt in time.
A yellow identification band was fitted to the right leg for tracking purposes, and it was assigned the number "4". It is an adult male, and was named Kanki (神起) by the person who rescued it.
A Crested Serpent Eagle released into the wild, beating its wings powerfully. A band is visible on the right leg.
Red Collared Doves turned up at two locations, four birds in total. Grey Wagtail is also a first for the season. From here on, migrants with a distinctly autumnal feel will keep arriving on Ishigaki one after another.
Painted Snipe were at two locations — two males and two females. In this paddy it was one male and two females.
First record of a juvenile Marsh Sandpiper this season. Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, and Red-necked Stint all appear to be passing through Ishigaki in a steady stream, with the cast turning over continuously.
The first Marsh Sandpiper juvenile of the season. Already in first-winter plumage.
The Ruff is still present. Red-necked Stint numbers are growing and small flocks are now being seen here and there.
Ruff juvenile. It was close, right in front of me.
Ishigaki had a rough day under the influence of a tropical depression. When the rain eased I did the rounds of the paddies and found the first Broad-billed Sandpiper of the season had arrived — encountered in a puddle in a sugarcane field. Out on the grassland I also picked up first records of Curlew Sandpiper and Grey Plover. Bad weather does have a way of pushing birds into unexpected places.
Found a Broad-billed Sandpiper in a puddle in a sugarcane field. Was able to observe it right in front of me.
First juveniles of the season confirmed for Wood Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper. Red-necked Stint and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper also first records of the season. The Greater Painted-snipe chicks are still moving with the adults but have grown large enough that they are barely distinguishable from them.
First Wood Sandpiper juveniles of the season. It seems they arrived all at once.
Cinnamon Bittern, Malayan Night Heron, and Purple Heron — all of which breed on Ishigaki Island — can be seen as juveniles here and there. The Grey Heron, a winter visitor, was recorded for the first time this season.
Juvenile Ryukyu Least Bittern.
First Dunlin and Pacific Golden Plover of the season confirmed. The Dunlin was a single bird; the Pacific Golden Plovers were a flock of nearly ten.
Dunlin with winter plumage beginning to show in patches.
Pin-tailed Snipe numbers are gradually building. The first Ruff of the season has also arrived. Oriental Pratincoles appear to be on the move, fledglings included. First juvenile Long-toed Stint of the season also confirmed.
Spotted a Pin-tailed Snipe adult in the distance.
A Yonaguni Ryukyu Wood Pigeon that had been rescued after being attacked by a crow was released back into the wild after about 70 days in care. The tail feathers were in quite poor condition, but it managed to fly off and return to the forest.
This individual appears to have hatched this year. A Ministry of the Environment general-use ring is also fitted on the right leg.
First Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe of the season confirmed. The Pin-tailed Snipe consisted of two adults and one juvenile; the Swinhoe's Snipe were five juveniles. I expect numbers to increase steadily from here.
The 3rd Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp will be held on 30 August.
Pin-tailed Snipe, adult.
A Crested Serpent Eagle that was rescued in critical condition after a traffic accident on 21 February this year was returned to the wild after about 160 days in care. Both the Ministry of the Environment staff and the veterinarian had considered its chances of survival quite low, but it made a remarkable recovery. Truly a phoenix.
At the release site I learned that the person who first found it was someone I know well. That person's daughter named the eagle "Karii" (嘉例). "Karii" is read as "かりー" and is used as a toast — as in "ぐすーよー、かりーさびら!!" — meaning "Everyone, let's raise a glass!!" It is a word commonly used in Okinawa proper.
Given such an auspicious name, "Karii" had suffered damage to the right eye in the accident, along with fractures to the right wing and leg. Thanks to the dedicated treatment by the veterinarian and the devoted care of the rehabilitation staff at Ishigaki Yaima Village, it was finally possible to release her on 1 August. The fractures healed completely, but unfortunately she lost the sight in her right eye. Even so, she flew off in fine form.
Once set on the ground, the Crested Serpent Eagle known as Kare took off without a moment's hesitation. A blue band engraved with the number "5" for individual identification is fitted on the left leg. This is a valuable record, so please let me know if you spot it in good health.
Took two apprentice birders who live on the island out for about four hours of birdwatching. We came across juvenile Greater Sand Plover and Common Redshank — first juveniles of the season for both species. Together with Kentish Plover and Little Ringed Plover, that brings the juvenile wader tally to four species for the season.
A juvenile Greater Sand Plover. It was found in a rice paddy — possibly due to the influence of the typhoon.
Typhoon No. 3 passed through without causing major damage, but even after it reached the western side of Taiwan the wind continued to make itself felt in the Yaeyamas.
In the rice paddies, wader numbers increased considerably — Wood Sandpipers were present in flocks of several dozen wherever I went. Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, and Long-toed Stint were all up in numbers too, making for a lively scene.
A Common Greenshank still largely in summer plumage.
Typhoon No. 3 is bearing down on Ishigaki Island — the first approach of the year.
The wind had a suspicious feel to it, but I had plenty of encounters with Ruddy Kingfisher. The Oriental Pratincole fledging season appears to be in its final stages, with numbers dropping steadily.
A slow drive along the usual forest road turned up several Ruddy Kingfishers in a short time.
The Northern Boobooks have fledged. Pair formation was later than usual this year, so fledging was delayed too. I wonder whether one of the pair has changed.
Ruddy Kingfisher fledging is finished everywhere now, and the adults are catching their breath. The fledglings are still within their parents' territories but are catching prey on their own.
Cinnamon Bittern chick-rearing is also over, and juveniles are appearing in rice paddies here and there. Juvenile Purple Herons that have become independent are also starting to show up in the paddies. Chinese Pond Herons and Black-faced Spoonbills are arriving on autumn passage.
Waders are beginning to move through little by little. As autumn migration gets into full swing, numbers and species will keep increasing.
Terns are in the thick of chick-rearing. Black-naped Tern chicks that are roughly one to two weeks post-hatch are starting to be seen.
The last fledgling of the season for the Brown Hawk-Owl. There were still some remaining in the nest.
The Ruddy Kingfishers that were breeding near my home had fledged before I noticed. I confirmed three fledglings that can now fly.
Malayan Night Herons have also fledged. I confirmed two juveniles that have been out of the nest for some time. Three or so Cinnamon Bittern juveniles were in a flooded paddy. The adults' calls were audible too.
Oriental Pratincoles apparently bred at a quarry on private land — there were around 30 birds in total, adults and juveniles together. Two Little Ringed Plover juveniles as well. There is a possibility they bred on Ishigaki Island.
The Ruddy Kingfisher just a stone's throw from home fledged around three chicks again, as it did last year.
A banded Ryukyu Scops Owl whose breeding I confirmed two years ago has been relocated after two years.
This individual is a female, one of 134 birds banded on Hateruma Island for research in 2021. The sighting was also published in the newspaper on 23 September 2023.
Here's hoping I can keep observing her. ^^