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.
今年は、シマアカモズの飛来が多く、あちこちで目にします。
ツメナガセキレイも越冬組が増えてきました。たまにキセキレイが混ざっています。ハクセキレイの飛来はまだ。
5 EPT, so probably an Isabelline Shrike. Juvenile.
Another Isabelline Shrike in the same field as the one above. Also a juvenile.
Citrine Wagtail.
Grey Wagtail.
田んぼにハマシギが3羽入っていました。ウズラシギやコアオアシシギなども。
Dunlin juvenile → first-winter. The other day someone told me that streaking on the breast is a key feature of juvenile Dunlin — that tip came in handy. ^^
This one is a Dunlin adult, plumage nearly full winter.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper adult, late summer plumage.
Marsh Sandpiper adult winter plumage.
米須海岸に久しぶりに行ってきました。時間帯が悪く、あまり鳥はいませんでしたが、アオアシシギ、タカブシギ、トウネン、キョウジョシギ、ヒバリシギ、シロチドリ、メダイチドリ、ムナグロなどがいました。
ツメナガセキレイの10羽ほどの群れも海岸にいました。何してるんだろう?
帰りに寄った漫湖干潟では、ねぐら入りするカラムクドリの20羽ほどの群れが見られました。
An adult Common Greenshank in winter plumage.
Wood Sandpiper.
Red-necked Stint juvenile → first-winter?
Red-necked Stint juvenile → first-winter?
Ruddy Turnstone juvenile.
Long-toed Stint juvenile.
Hard to tell whether the Kentish Plovers are increasing or not….
Lesser Sand Plover, a few birds.
Pacific Golden Plover, a flock of around 20. By evening they had flown off to the hinterland.
About 10 Eastern Yellow Wagtails were moving eastward along the coast.
A roost flock of White-shouldered Starlings at the Manko tidal flat.
今朝は、アカハラダカの渡りを拝みに嘉津宇岳に行ってまいりました。沖縄自動車道を降りて国道58号線を北上していると名護市本部半島の嘉津宇岳には雨雲がかかっておりました。名護岳の方は、晴天でそちらへ向かいたい気持ちもあったのですが、友人と現地で落ち合う約束をしている上に私は遅刻気味だったので名護岳を眺めながら嘉津宇岳を目指しました。
嘉津宇岳に午前7時20分ごろ到着すると駐車場にはすでに車が20台以上。うーん。出遅れた…。友人はすでに到着していて状況を聞くとまだ飛んでいないとのこと。沖縄本島北部のアカハラダカの渡る時間は午前8時半ごろがピークなので間に合いました。^^;
そして到着後、1時間ほどするとアカハラダカの群れがどこからともなく湧いてきてあれよあれよと言うまに1200羽以上が越冬地を目指して嘉津宇岳の上空を南下していきました。
最大の群れは200羽余りでしたでしょうか。上昇気流に乗ってタカ柱をつくると高度をぐんぐん上げて雲の中へ消え渡って行ってしましました。
An adult male Chinese Sparrowhawk. The wings gleaming in the morning sun looked both beautiful and powerful.
This is an adult female. Male and female Chinese Sparrowhawks can be told apart by eye colour.
A juvenile Chinese Sparrowhawk. It is gripping a Ryukyu large brown cicada in its foot. The crop is bulging, so it seems to have eaten well — but perhaps it is carrying the leftover as provisions for the long journey ahead.
A male Chinese Sparrowhawk that flew directly overhead.
A juvenile Chinese Sparrowhawk.
An adult male Chinese Sparrowhawk.
An adult female Chinese Sparrowhawk.
The largest flock of the day. The sight of more than 200 Chinese Sparrowhawks spiralling upward in a great hawkwatch column was breathtaking.
The flock caught a thermal and climbed steadily, moving south on migration.
Once they had risen to an altitude of several hundred metres, they caught the north wind and headed south all at once.
We were blessed with clear skies, and the wind shifted from westerly to northerly — perfect conditions for watching the raptor migration. ^^
田んぼにコシャクシギが1羽で滞在しています。秋のコシャクシギはなかなか見る機会がなかったので嬉しい1羽。
水路でエリマキシギとツーショットで撮ったアメリカウズラシギの写真は、手違いで消してしまった…。^^;
A charming Little Whimbrel.
A bee was hassling the Little Whimbrel. Perhaps there is a nest nearby?
It kept coming closer and closer toward us. Cars passing and people walking didn't seem to bother it at all.
The Little Whimbrel was moving back and forth between the grassland and the paddy fields where the rice had grown tall. Once it stepped into the paddies, the rice stalks were higher than the bird, making it nearly impossible to find. ^^;
It was busy foraging, and its bill was muddy.