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.
The Chinese Sparrowhawk migration, which had paused because of the typhoon, has picked up in earnest. About 500 birds were counted in total today, but with a south wind blowing the Chinese Sparrowhawks were far away... ^^;
Tomorrow's forecast is for an explosion!!
Chinese Sparrowhawk, adult female.
Chinese Sparrowhawk, juvenile.
The largest kettle of the day — around 200 birds.
I had heard that juveniles were out, but the timing was bad and I hadn't been able to find one, until I finally met one. The pure white feathers of the juvenile are beautiful. ^^
There were few typhoons this year, so I hope I can see plenty of juveniles.
Painusima Ishigaki Airport is close by and you can hear the roar of planes taking off and landing, yet they are nesting here.
With Typhoon No. 16 passing through, the Chinese Sparrowhawk migration is taking a break. In the wind, the Barn Swallows in the rice fields and the Oriental Pratincoles in the sugarcane fields are sitting still.
A Barn Swallow on its southward migration.
The Oriental Pratincoles were in a flock of around 20.
It was a hot day with no wind, and the Common Hoopoe was still there. They usually stay one or two days, but this individual seems to be staying longer. ^^
The Eurasian Hoopoe seemed to be feeling the heat too, foraging in the shade as much as possible.
When a car passed, it was startled and perched in a tree.
I met a Ruddy Kingfisher, which I had thought I'd seen for the last time on the 22nd of last month. ^^
It's nice to see a Ruddy Kingfisher at this time of year.
A Ruddy Kingfisher hatched this year. It had apparently just eaten a slug or something — there was mucus around the base of its bill. ^^;
The darkening at the base of the bill is proof it was born this year.