All three snipe species on Ishigaki Island — Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe, and Common Snipe — are finally present at the same time. From here, Pin-tailed and Swinhoe's Snipe numbers will decline, while Common Snipe will increase.
A textbook individual — identifiable as Pin-tailed Snipe at a glance.
September has arrived, and autumn migration on Ishigaki Island is now in full swing. Eastern Yellow Wagtail numbers jumped overnight, and flocks ranging from small to large can be seen in farmland all over the island.
Among the waders, juveniles have started arriving on the heels of the adults. Flocks in fresh juvenile plumage are coming in.
An adult Eastern Yellow Wagtail of the white-supercilium type, transitioning into winter plumage.
The 7th Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp was held successfully over two days, 22 and 23 August. This time we had two women join us. Both took notes and made sketches with great enthusiasm.
The camp went ahead despite unsettled weather as a typhoon approached. The first day in particular brought occasional heavy rain, and by evening the sky had turned wild with a typhoon look about it.
We shifted the car around to dodge the driving rain and managed solid views of a dozen or so snipe, including both adults and juveniles.
Because of the prefectural governor election and unified local elections, the camp was held earlier than usual this year, and Common Snipe were not recorded.
The bonus post will cover Javan Pond Heron, an out-of-season Roseate Tern, Black-naped Tern, and more.
Arrived at the paddy field with the highest snipe count this season. The first bird I could observe was a pale-looking adult Swinhoe's Snipe.
The first Swinhoe's Snipe juveniles of the season have finally arrived. This year they came in earlier than the Pin-tailed Snipe juveniles.
The Javan Pond Heron is also settling in for a long stay.
The long-awaited juvenile Swinhoe's Snipe has appeared. Beautiful. ^^
Migrant waders are building up and the paddies on Ishigaki are getting lively.
Juveniles now make up more than half of the Long-toed Stints present, and I confirmed the first juvenile Wood Sandpiper of the season. I had already found juvenile Common Redshank about two weeks ago, but this was my first time photographing one this season.
Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Pacific Golden Plover, and Black-faced Spoonbill have also been showing up one after another.
First juvenile Wood Sandpiper of the season. Only one individual confirmed, but numbers will keep climbing from here.
With the 7th Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp a week away, I spent concentrated time looking for snipe in the usual paddies. Juveniles had not yet arrived, but both Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe adults are present.
Javan Pond Heron and Chinese Pond Heron are also staying on. Grey Herons are slowly increasing.
A Pin-tailed Snipe at relatively close range.
Two Javan Pond Herons and one Chinese Pond Heron are currently present. Encounters with Cinnamon Bittern and Purple Heron — both adults and juveniles — are becoming more frequent.
Snipe numbers are also growing steadily. On this day I found several individuals each of Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe.
Javan Pond Heron in winter plumage. Two birds have been present for the past few days.
Three Javan Pond Herons turned up. While I was watching one, two more burst out chasing each other from among the rice in a nearby paddy. As happens every year, once Javan Pond Herons have been around for a while on Ishigaki in autumn, Chinese Pond Herons follow. Two Javan Pond Herons are also currently staying on Okinawa main island.
Encounters with Cinnamon Bittern — adults and juveniles alike — are becoming more frequent. It is the season when numbers peak after the breeding period ends. Purple Heron adults and juveniles are also showing up regularly.
Pin-tailed Snipe seem to be increasing gradually. I confirmed the first juvenile Black-winged Stilt of the season.
最初に見つけたジャワアカガシラサギ。あまり警戒心のない個体でした。
I found three Pin-tailed Snipe — the first of the season!! The three were together, so they may well have come through last night.
Besides snipe, the paddies now hold Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Long-toed Stint, Wood Sandpiper, and Whiskered Tern. Migration is well and truly under way.
For moult notation, from this season I will be adopting the WRP System (Wolfe–Ryder–Pyle System).
Finally got confirmation. Pin-tailed Snipe, adult. DCA (Definitive Alternate plumage).
The Ryukyu Northern Boobook has begun breeding. The nest site changes almost every year because the nest trees rot and fall, yet breeding still succeeds and typically two or three chicks fledge.
A flock of six White-winged Terns appeared over the paddies. The weather had been a little rough, so they seemed to have taken shelter on the island. All were in summer plumage — a beautiful sight.
A Eastern Yellow Wagtail also turned up nearby. It has been a very long time since the last one. By the following day it was gone.
The sandpipers have largely moved on, which makes things feel rather quiet, but at least one Pin-tailed Snipe managed to hang on.
A male Japanese Scops Owl. I've had a long acquaintance with this individual.
Made the usual rounds of the paddies. The cast of birds had barely changed; about the only new arrival was the Whiskered Tern.
A Swinhoe's Snipe observed at just the right distance.
Temperatures rose and the paddy birds became a little more active — I had good views of bathing behavior and similar scenes.
A distant Pin-tailed Snipe.
Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe, and Common Snipe are all staying in the paddies of Ishigaki Island. Spring snipe identification gets harder than autumn — which is actually quite enjoyable. ^^
Pin-tailed Snipe spotted on a distant paddy bank. The backlight makes observation tough… ^^;
Snipe watching again today. The weather was poor and I came across a good number of snipe. Among them, I focused on photographing Pin-tailed Snipe in particular.
I was able to observe a Pin-tailed Snipe at close range. Though too close is its own problem.
Both Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe are scarce on Ishigaki Island in spring, but even so I was able to observe several individuals on this day.
A Swinhoe's Snipe that went into alert posture because I got too close.
We held the 6th Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp. This time one woman and one man joined us. Day one was tough going, but on day two we managed reasonable views of both Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe.
Spring snipe are harder to identify than autumn birds, and some individuals were left for later determination.
For the main species seen other than snipe, please see the side notes.
Past camps from the 1st onward are also available at past Ishigaki Island Snipe Camps.
Pin-tailed Snipe. The scapulars and other feathers are changing into breeding plumage.
Ahead of the 6th Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp, I went to scout the paddies around the island. Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe, and Common Snipe were all confirmed — a relief. Now there is nothing left to do but hope they stay for a few more days.
First Pin-tailed Snipe of the season!!
The Pin-tailed Snipe from the other day was still on site.
Finding a Pin-tailed Snipe at this time of year is real luck. I have no idea how much longer it will stay, but I intend to keep watching it carefully.
Pin-tailed Snipe in January is something I've never recorded before — a very rare occurrence.
I have been able to document Pin-tailed Snipe wintering on Ishigaki Island as a definite record. This is the individual confirmed last November. Construction started nearby and I was too busy with work over the year-end and New Year period to get out and check, but it was wintering at the same spot.
Pin-tailed Snipe had been observed here as late as late February 2024, but a solid wintering record had remained elusive. Having confirmed this bird from November through to late January, it now stands as a firm wintering record. I can only hope this individual stays on through to the spring Pin-tailed Snipe season in April.
This Pin-tailed Snipe left a strong impression, so I've been able to identify it individually. You can tell at a glance. ^^ First-winter plumage.
The Pin-tailed Snipe found on 19 November has now been present for a full week. Hoping it will stay through to spring. ^^
This day it was feeding along the channel edge and the bank, pulling earthworms one after another out of the mud. Food looks to be plentiful, so a long stay seems very likely.
A Pin-tailed Snipe foraging in the grassland.