GUIDED BIRDWATCHING TOUR
We'll drive you around Ishigaki Island to wherever the birds are showing best that day. Observation is mostly from inside the vehicle, and we keep it to a maximum of 3 guests so everyone can take their time.
石垣島のアカショウビンも9月に入ると見る機会も減ってきました。この日は、林道で成鳥1羽と幼鳥1羽を確認しました。
Ruddy Kingfisher, adult female. The bill has darkened and the plumage is growing duller as it transitions into winter feathering.
Same individual as above. There is a louse fly on its back — a parasite you often find on Ruddy Kingfishers.
近年の石垣島のパターンとして8月中旬にジャワアカガシラサギが現れ、9月に入ってアカガシラサギがやってきます。今季はこれまでジャワアカガシラサギは3個体出ていますが、アカガシラサギは何個体を見ることができるのか楽しみです。
A Black-winged Kite appeared, putting this Chinese Pond Heron on alert — it puffed up the feathers from its head down to its neck. The proportions look completely off. It is most definitely not clowning around. ^^;
This is the same Chinese Pond Heron in its normal state. It looks like a completely different bird.
やっと石垣島でもタシギを確認することができました。これでジシギ3種そろい踏み。^^
Common Snipe, juvenile. I found it while scanning for Chinese Pond Heron with binoculars. At first only the head was visible, but it had a strong snipe feel to it, so I waited — and it came out.
A different individual — Common Snipe, juvenile.
Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile (right) and Common Snipe juvenile (left).
Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.
Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile, perhaps?
Pin-tailed Snipe, juvenile.
今季初となるアカエリヒレアシシギが石垣島にも到着しました。田んぼの稲の間を歩きながら小さな巻貝を食っているようでした。水深がないのでアカエリヒレアシシギ特有の水面をくるくる回る可愛らしい動作は見られず…。^^;
Red-necked Phalarope, adult. Plumage is almost fully moulted into winter.
Red-necked Phalarope preening, photographed from behind.
Just a trace of brown remains around the breast. I'd love to see one in summer plumage someday.
今季初のソリハシセイタカシギを確認しました。セイタカシギの群れと一緒に行動していました。一度は農作業の車がドアを閉める音に驚いていなくなりましたが、再び戻ってきました。
今季3羽目のオグロシギや増えてきたキアシシギ幼鳥、アカアシシギ、ウズラシギ、ハマシギ、コアオアシシギなどものんびり過ごしていました。田んぼでは、シギとチドリの入れ替わりが激しく、個体数も日によって増減がありますが、そこそこの種類がそこそこの数で見られます。
Pied Avocet, female. Possibly first-winter plumage.
The Pied Avocet was associating with the Black-winged Stilts.
Black-tailed Godwit, female. Transitioning from breeding to non-breeding plumage.
Grey-tailed Tattler moulting from juvenile to first-winter plumage.
Common Greenshank in winter plumage.
Swinhoe's Snipe (foreground) and Common Redshank.
Pectoral Sandpiper, adult. Moulting from summer to winter plumage.
Dunlin moulting from juvenile to first-winter plumage.