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.
年末年始を名古屋で過ごし、ほんの1時間ほど鳥見。セグロセキレイを見たかったのですが、残念ながらかないませんでした…。
Meadow Bunting — a species I almost never get to see in Okinawa.
Eurasian Skylark is also scarce in Okinawa.
Bull-headed Shrike is quite rare too.
I counted around 30 snipe, but every one of them was a Common Snipe.
I was surprised by how completely unafraid the Eastern Buzzard was. Every individual I see in Okinawa is highly wary.
実家の名古屋へ帰省する前に2024年のナンヨウショウビン見納めをしてきました。気温が下がり、餌となるカニが減ってきているのか、行動範囲がかなり拡大しています。
ヤツガシラも引き続き滞在中でしたが、カメラはすでにキャリーバッグの中なので写真は割愛です。
妙に白いアカガシラサギもいました。よくみると左側の雨覆が白い。同じエリアにはアカガシラサギが3羽越冬しています。
The last Collared Kingfisher of the year. This happy blue bird drew many birdwatchers to Ishigaki Island. Moult appears to have begun slightly, with fresh bright feathers coming in on the head. I hope it stays until the plumage is fully renewed.
A Chinese Pond Heron with only the left wing coverts white. Hard to tell whether the feathers have dropped out, are dishevelled, or this is partial albinism.
年末でスケジュールがかつかつですが、仕事中に近くを通りかかったので、ヤツガシラの動静確認。いつもの場所で採餌していました。野良猫が多いので被害が心配ですね。
田んぼではソリハシセイタカシギも滞在中。ヒバリシギやタカブシギ、セイタカシギ、アオアシシギなどもいました。
夜は久しぶりにフクロウ類を確認。トラフズクもコミミズクも見つからず。リュウキュウコノハズクはそこそこいました。この時季は換羽も終わり、美しい冬羽に代わっていますのでお勧めですね。
A Eurasian Hoopoe in wintering mode, searching for food at its usual spot.
A Pied Avocet also continuing a long stay.
An adult Ryukyu Scops Owl in beautiful fresh plumage after completing its moult.
Same individual as above. It caught an insect that had been attracted by a car's lights and flew off somewhere.
クリスマスイブに現れたヤツガシラは滞在3日目。警戒心もなく鳥屋に追われることもないので長居しそうな気がします。
昨年も越冬したハヤブサ(旧亜種シベリアハヤブサ)のペアは今年も田んぼの暴君としてオオバンやサギを狩りまくっています。オオバンは昨年より大幅減、コガモは全くいません。ハヤブサと同じ場所で越冬中のオオノスリの影響かもしれませんね。
タシギは47羽の群れをはじめ、あちこちに新しく入りましたが、全てタシギです。
A Eurasian Hoopoe with little wariness. There is a fair amount of foot traffic, but no birders come, so it is never chased off and is well into wintering mode.
The prey item the Hoopoe was eating here was, again, cockroaches.
An adult male Peregrine Falcon with a large Intermediate Egret it had caught.
Just as it had nearly finished eating, a passing vehicle startled it into flight and the prey disintegrated in the air….
A flock of 47 Common Snipe. All of them Common Snipe, even with that many. At this time of year, any newly arriving snipe are all Common Snipe.
前日、仕事中に見つけたヤツガシラを見に行くとまだいました。団地内にいますが、警戒心のない個体なので滞在しているのかもしれません。
A Eurasian Hoopoe foraging at the base of a tree planted inside a housing complex.
When residents passed by it fled up into the tree, but after a while it came back down and resumed its hearty feeding.