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

The Grey-headed Swamphen is now into its second day. On this day I was able to photograph it in good conditions. It shows almost no wariness toward cars, motorbikes, or bicycles, so it has the feel of a bird that will stay a long time.

If a Grey-headed Swamphen — a species not in any field guide — were to winter on Ishigaki, it would surely become a huge draw. Please take care not to cause any inconvenience to the local farmers.

A Western Swamphen photographed at about 30 metres. It has an air of quiet intensity about it.

Small birds are building in number. Red-throated Pipit and Eastern Yellow Wagtail can be seen everywhere.

Red-throated Pipit numbers are steadily increasing.

I have found a Grey-headed Swamphen — a first record!! There were apparently three records on the mainland in the 1970s and one on Okinawa Island in 1995, but all have been ruled as escapes, so there is no accepted record. There is therefore a strong possibility this will become the first accepted national record after further review.

A planned assignment was cancelled, so I reluctantly stopped by the paddies — and found it. At first I thought it was a Watercock, but when I put binoculars on it, question marks started spinning through my head. "Wait, a Takahē?" "No, Takahē can't fly." "Could this be a Grey-headed Swamphen!!!!!!" — and the enormity of it became real.

The genus Porphyrio has several members worldwide; they were formerly treated as subspecies, but after splitting the IOC list now recognises at least seven species. Among them, this bird struck me as closest to the Philippine Swamphen.

In the 2023 eighth edition of the Check-List of Japanese Birds it is listed as a species under consideration. I would like to take this opportunity to write up a report and have it elevated from that status.

When a bird you hadn't even considered turns up, you have no idea what you're looking at…. ^^;

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.

Grey-faced Buzzard, adult male.

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.

Pied Avocet, juvenile.

Pin-tailed Snipe have thinned out considerably. Common Snipe are increasing in their place. In terms of numbers, Swinhoe's Snipe are still the most abundant. As usual I concentrated on searching for Pin-tailed Snipe, but found mostly Swinhoe's Snipe.

An individual identifiable as a Swinhoe's Snipe by the face alone.

Ruff have turned up at several sites, almost all juveniles. The regulars — Red-necked Stint, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Redshank, and Long-toed Stint — are present in paddies everywhere. Dunlin have started to appear as well.

The first Pacific Golden Plovers of the season arrived in small flocks of juveniles. Around the park and cattle sheds, Chestnut-cheeked Starling, Red-billed Starling, and White-shouldered Starling are also increasing.

A juvenile Ruff.

Two juvenile Pectoral Sandpipers arrived — beautiful birds in crisp fresh plumage. While I was watching them, a Black-winged Kite showed up earlier than usual. It didn't hunt and disappeared quickly. ^^;

The first Red Collared Doves of the season — three birds — arrived, but they seemed on edge because of the raptor and were hard to observe.

A juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

Chinese Sparrowhawk migration exploded for the first time in a while. A flock of nearly 300 birds formed a kettle overhead, and when the morning sun caught them glittering, cheers went up from the onlookers.

On this day, more than 900 birds were confirmed passing over the migratory bird observation post at Banna Park. Ishigaki Island has some of the best spots in Okinawa Prefecture for watching Chinese Sparrowhawk.

The day's largest kettle of Chinese Sparrowhawks — close to 300 birds.

Found a mixed flock of about ten birds — Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe. Scanning for Pin-tailed Snipe first, I turned up only two. Most were Swinhoe's Snipe, with two Common Snipe.

From there I settled in to try to photograph tail feathers, keeping an eye on my surroundings so as not to get in the way of the farmers working nearby, while staying focused on the snipe through the viewfinder and binoculars. It is more tiring than you might expect, but when you manage a clean tail-feather shot, it makes for a very satisfying day out. ^^

Pin-tailed Snipe, juvenile. A typical individual — no room for doubt.

Confirmed the first Dunlin of the season. In the paddies there were Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilt, among others. On the coast there were also good numbers of Pacific Golden Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Grey-tailed Tattler and Greater Sand Plover. Whiskered Tern could be seen in flocks of a few birds up to around twenty at various points across the island.

First Dunlin of the season. It was a juvenile.

Flocks of Eastern Red-rumped Swallow, Tahiti Swallow and Barn Swallow were flying over the paddies. Eastern Yellow Wagtail numbers are also building — the larger flocks look as though they could hold several hundred birds.

Red-rumped Swallow, adult.

Decided to go wait at a feeding site and get some Black-winged Kite shots for a change. One appeared right on schedule and hovered right in front of me, searching for prey. It usually comes as a pair, but on this day there was only one.

Black-winged Kite has increased considerably on Ishigaki Island and now visits the main paddies reliably morning and evening. They are wary, so picking a spot and waiting them out is the standard approach.

Black-winged Kite, adult. Sex unknown.

Confirmed the first Common Kestrel and Eurasian Teal of the season. Autumn is deepening steadily. The Javan Pond Heron has been staying on for an extended period — there were briefly two in the same paddy, but on this day only one.

Could this be a second breeding attempt for Greater Painted-snipe? Parent birds with small chicks are turning up in paddies here and there.

Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Stint, Green Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt and three snipe species are all still present, numbers fluctuating.

A juvenile male Common Kestrel with a captured Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Did a quick loop around the neighbourhood before heading to my child's school sports day. Observed five Ruddy Kingfisher and three Common Emerald Dove. Ruddy Kingfisher is reasonably numerous and can be seen without too much trouble. The Common Emerald Doves were carrying nesting material repeatedly. As on Miyako Island, it seems some individuals breed at this time of year too. Perhaps they breed twice a year?

The Ruddy Kingfisher near my home. It will be departing soon, so I've been checking every morning to confirm it's still around, hoping to record the last sighting of the season. There is one more bird nearby.

In the same area, the Javan Pond Heron count is up to two birds and the Broad-billed Sandpiper to three, much to the delight of visiting birdwatchers from outside the prefecture.

The Javan Pond Heron count in the same paddy field has gone up to two.

All three snipe species of Ishigaki Island at once. Got carried away and shot Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe to my heart's content. I've also accumulated quite a good set of tail-feather shots. I'm rather proud of this one. ^^

Pin-tailed Snipe, juvenile, in flight.

A juvenile Asian Dowitcher has arrived. It is moving around the paddies together with Common Greenshank and Black-winged Stilt.

Broad-billed Sandpipers are turning up in paddies across the area — four birds in three locations. All juveniles, naturally. I'd love to see an adult one of these days….

Multiple Ruffs have also arrived. Temminck's Stint numbers are slowly building too.

The first juvenile Eurasian Whimbrel of the season was also confirmed. The paddies are getting livelier with each passing week of autumn.

Long-billed Dowitcher, juvenile. It startled every time a farmer's light truck passed.

The Javan Pond Heron staying since late August was still feeding with no sign of wariness.

Cinnamon Bitterns are dispersing — this year's fledglings are turning up all over the place. Many individuals are crossing roads, and I have witnessed two traffic casualties in the past month.

One White-winged Tern was mixed in with a flock of Whiskered Terns.

A Javan Pond Heron with zero wariness. It has now been staying for over a week.

Heading north for work, I found Brown Shrikes had increased. Numbers in the south should follow. The Eastern Yellow Wagtails are all of the white-browed type so far — the yellow-browed birds should be along any time now….

Brown Shrike, first-winter plumage.