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

One of the reasons I switched from Canon, which I used for many years, to SONY is the superb autofocus, but so far I had only tried it on Crested Serpent Eagle and Common Tern, so I tested it on the fast-moving Barn Swallow too. My conclusion: combined with the 200-600mm zoom lens, it is an easy shot. ^^

At this time of year, large flocks of adult and juvenile Barn Swallows heading south on their autumn migration appear over the farmland. Tahiti Swallow, Red-bellied Swallow (アカハラツバメ) and Eastern Red-rumped Swallow sometimes mingle with them.

I recorded my first Common Kestrel of the season. For some reason it was a juvenile. Every year my first record is an adult, so why this time?

The Eastern Yellow Wagtail I first recorded yesterday increased all at once today, and large flocks could be seen in the rice paddies and fields. Adults and juveniles were mixed together.

The Great Egret (チュウダイサギ), which I first recorded a few days ago but forgot to photograph, is still staying in the same place.

The Javan Pond Heron was again foraging energetically in the paddy today. It has hardly moved from the same area.

While watching the Javan Pond Heron, I heard an Eastern Yellow Wagtail calling. Two birds dropped into the paddy, and when I searched with binoculars, they were my first Eastern Yellow Wagtails of the season.

While looking for snipe I often see Greater Painted-snipe too, but they are always far away. ^^;

After the typhoon I searched the paddies hoping for something, and there it was: an adult Broad-billed Sandpiper!! Most Broad-billed Sandpipers on autumn migration are juveniles, so this was a welcome encounter. ^^ Strictly speaking, unless it spreads its wings I can't tell whether it is moulting from first summer plumage to second winter plumage or is in full adult plumage...

But it was far. A small bird of about 17 cm, 70 meters away, so every shot is heavily cropped. I'd like to shoot it from close next time.

I also recorded my first Sharp-tailed Sandpiper of the season, and yesterday's Black-tailed Godwit had increased to two. The large numbers of shorebirds that dropped into the paddies yesterday because of the typhoon had dropped off considerably. I find myself thinking there is no need to rush, but they seem to have left the island promptly.

After the typhoon passed, the paddies held several times the usual number of birds.

I went around the paddies for about an hour from 6 p.m. The biggest increase was Black-winged Stilt at 170, followed by Wood Sandpiper at 150, Common Redshank at 50, Common Greenshank at 40 and Red-necked Stint at about 20. Long-toed Stints were numerous too, but they are so small that I gave up after counting to 50... ^^; I've posted them so many times that I'll skip the photos.

Among them, the one bird was my first Black-tailed Godwit of the season. They pass through Ishigaki Island regularly in spring and autumn, but not in large numbers. There was also just one Marsh Sandpiper. They should increase before long, juveniles included.

If a typhoon brings such a sudden increase, I suppose that in fine weather many flocks of shorebirds pass through without stopping at Ishigaki Island.