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.
名蔵ダムから自宅に帰るまでにコノハズクの巣立ちビナを十数羽見ました。そのなかで一番観察しやすく愛想のよいヒナを撮影してきました。動画もあります。
石垣島と西表島は日本でダントツのコノハズクの生息密度だと思います。^^
It was calling out persistently, begging the parent bird for food. The other chick was perched a short distance away.
大浜海岸や白水の水田地帯を回ってバードウオッチングしてきました。カンムリワシやコチドリ、タカブシギ、クサシギ、イソシギ、セイタカシギなどが多く見られました。サギの群れはいなくなっていました。
海岸では、アオアシシギ、キアシシギ、キョウジョシギが多くいました。アジサシの仲間はいませんでした。
A Crested Serpent Eagle targeting prey in the rice paddies.
At Ohama Beach, a Whimbrel. I was able to observe it closer than the other day.
Lots of Little Ringed Plovers had come into the rice paddies as well. There were snipe too, but they were far off.
オオアジサシ8羽がエビ養殖場でエビをとっていました。1羽が捕ると他のオオアジサシが大騒ぎで追いかけまわします。
着いた時間が逆光で少し撮りにくかったです。^^;
The Greater Crested Tern is now in winter plumage, with the front of the crown white.
This individual still appears to be in summer plumage.
When it spots prey, a sharp banking turn and steep dive.
The other birds are chasing after the lead Greater Crested Tern, which has a shrimp in its bill.
It would have been nicer with a blue sky… ^^;
林道にはボロボロのアカショウビンがちらほら。カンムリワシはいつもの場所です。今日もキンバトは同じ場所で餌拾い。
田んぼにはアマサギの群れが入っていました。一つの田んぼに30羽ほどいました。夏羽と冬羽が混在しています。
Today I saw three Ruddy Kingfishers.
A Crested Serpent Eagle waits in ambush for prey on its favourite branch.
The Eastern Cattle Egret seems to be feeling the heat too, holding its bill open. Heat haze is rising and the photos come out blurry… ^^;
石垣島にもムナグロが渡ってきました。大浜海岸で6羽が休んでいました。他は、キョウジョシギやシロチドリ、アオアシシギ、キアシシギなど。
ツメナガセキレイも今季初観察。
In intense heat with heat shimmer rising, a Pacific Golden Plover was preening.
Peering through binoculars, I could see a Greater Sand Plover scurrying back and forth along the sandy beach.
Two Common Greenshanks were chasing small fish around. The one on the right was still in summer plumage; the one on the left had almost fully moulted into winter plumage.