A daily record.
Featuring photos of wild birds and nature, mainly from Okinawa Main Island and Ishigaki Island

I managed to find a Pin-tailed Snipe that has moulted into winter plumage!! I picked it out from among 40 snipe together with Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe. I had been searching with the belief that "there should still be Pin-tailed Snipe around," and the fact that the bird I finally found was an adult that had already finished moulting its scapulars and tertials into winter plumage made the moment even better!! A genuinely rare Pin-tailed Snipe in winter plumage.

Among the snipe still present, Swinhoe's Snipe numbered a few individuals; the rest were all Common Snipe.

Behold!! The splendid appearance of this adult Pin-tailed Snipe cloaked in winter plumage!!

While I was watching Chinese Sparrowhawk migration, a Himalayan Swiftlet appeared!! Dark, slender and very sharp-looking.

Several hundred Chinese Sparrowhawks moved through. The largest single group was a few dozen birds. Migration should continue for a while, but I'm keeping an eye on the typhoon track.

I also had my first Eurasian Coots of the season and juvenile Pacific Golden Plovers. A flock of around 100 Ashy Minivets and the calls of Arctic Warblers were in the air too — it feels like autumn is deepening.

A Himalayan Swiftlet appeared. It was flying around together with swallows at high speed.

The snipe that built up from late August are thinning out now. At peak times there were nearly 40 in a single paddy field; now there are just a handful. I managed to find one Pin-tailed Snipe. Common Snipe hadn't increased much, but I'd expect the majority to be Common Snipe once October comes.

Pin-tailed Snipe, juvenile. Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile, in the background.

The second wave of snipe is peaking. That said, most birds are Swinhoe's Snipe and Pin-tailed Snipe — the Common Snipe peak is still ahead. The busier paddies hold around 30 snipe per field, mostly Swinhoe's Snipe. Next most numerous are Pin-tailed Snipe; Common Snipe seem to number only two or three.

Swinhoe's Snipe, adult.

The second wave of Pin-tailed Snipe — which has been on the low side this season — appears to have arrived. It feels slightly earlier than usual, so it may simply be that migration has been running late. Worth watching how things develop.

Since late August I have been visiting the same paddy field day after day to identify individual snipe, keep continuous records, and sort out tricky birds. Some individuals stay for a long time; others disappear within a day. Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe alike tend to stick to almost exactly the same spot once they settle in.

New birds have joined the resident Pin-tailed Snipe, and the snipe scene in the paddies is a little livelier.

Pin-tailed Snipe (rear) and Swinhoe's Snipe. Both juveniles.

Almost every evening I am picking up snipe in the same paddy field. Some individuals have been staying a long time, and I can still find new arrivals. Swinhoe's Snipe continues to make up the majority, but Pin-tailed Snipe were there too. A few new Common Snipe had also come in.

A Pin-tailed Snipe juvenile appeared right in front of me.

On this day, a large flock of Barn Swallows moved into the paddy field where I have been watching snipe every day — prime viewing conditions.

When Barn Swallows spot snipe feeding in the paddies they sometimes dive-bomb them for no apparent reason. The snipe then raise their tail feathers in alarm, which actually makes them much easier to observe.

The bird in the foreground is a Pin-tailed Snipe juvenile.

Will this season end with Pin-tailed Snipe numbers never really picking up…? Even today, out of a flock of around 20 birds, finding just 2 Pin-tailed Snipe was the best I could manage.

Pin-tailed Snipe, juvenile.

The large Swinhoe's Snipe I found yesterday — I caught up with it again. I also managed to photograph the tail feathers. I had been hoping for something a little more irregular, but it was unmistakably Swinhoe's Snipe, which was reassuring. ^^

A Swinhoe's Snipe with an impressive build.

We held the 3rd Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp, which has earned quite a following. The participant came from Aichi Prefecture. As it happens, every participant from the 1st through the 3rd camps has been from Aichi. ^^;

This time an unavoidable work commitment cut things short, so we only had about three hours of snipe watching — but we spent that time poring over roughly 20 snipe in paddy fields in a single area with intense focus.

Individual numbers this season have been as high as usual, but Pin-tailed Snipe were frustratingly scarce. On the other hand, we got to observe some very interesting Swinhoe's Snipe, so as snipe camps go it was a great success. ^^

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

I went out to scout for the 3rd Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp. That said, these are rice paddies I check every day, so I already have a fair idea of who's around.

First records for the season: juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, and Dunlin. All three are season firsts as juveniles.

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile. A dark individual — or rather, one with a strong brownish tone. Every now and then you get a Swinhoe's Snipe like this.

There was a Pin-tailed Snipe in the finest condition I've seen this season. Among the Swinhoe's Snipe, one individual had notably narrow outer tail feathers — an interesting bird.

The juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper is a first for the season.

Pin-tailed Snipe, juvenile. A very beautiful bird — I wanted to see it in full, but it was extremely wary and didn't move at all.

Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe have been building in numbers since around mid-August. Pin-tailed Snipe are noticeably scarce this season. The 3rd Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp is scheduled for August 30th, so I'm wondering whether numbers will pick up before then.

Pin-tailed Snipe juvenile.

Pin-tailed Snipe numbers are gradually building. The first Ruff of the season has also arrived. Oriental Pratincoles appear to be on the move, fledglings included. First juvenile Long-toed Stint of the season also confirmed.

Spotted a Pin-tailed Snipe adult in the distance.

First Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe of the season confirmed. The Pin-tailed Snipe consisted of two adults and one juvenile; the Swinhoe's Snipe were five juveniles. I expect numbers to increase steadily from here.

The 3rd Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp will be held on 30 August.

Pin-tailed Snipe, adult.

Last spring, 29 May was the final record of Pin-tailed Snipe. This season, this sighting looks set to be the last as well.

This spring, waders in general were very scarce, with almost no encounters with Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe or Common Snipe. I am looking forward to the autumn snipe migration, which gets under way from mid-August.

And, following last year, I would like to hold the "3rd Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp" again around late August this autumn. Please do join us. You can also see reports from the 1st camp (autumn) and the 2nd camp (spring).

The rice had grown tall enough that I couldn't see the whole bird, but I found a Swinhoe's Snipe.

First records this season of Black-tailed Godwit, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Striated Heron. Unless the weather turns rough, large waders like the Black-tailed Godwit don't come down to Ishigaki. Striated Heron is scarce on the island, so finding one felt like a bonus.

The Black-tailed Godwit is still very much in winter plumage.

The Northern Boobook that fledged three chicks last year has returned to the same nest tree this season. It looks like breeding is starting a little earlier than usual, so fledging could happen by late June.

Ruddy Kingfishers have increased in number and are turning up all over the place.

Young Crested Serpent Eagle no. 16 is now being seen reliably along Route 16.

Sandpipers and plovers are thin on the ground this season, but there are at least a few Pin-tailed Snipe, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper about.

The Brown Hawk-Owl is back for this season. This is a male.

We held the long-awaited 2nd Ishigaki Snipe Camp. Following on from the first session last autumn, two fellow enthusiasts joined us — one from off-island, one local. ^^

As described in the bonus post, a male Citrine Wagtail in gorgeous summer plumage also put in an appearance, making for a very enjoyable camp.

In spring, Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe numbers are lower, but there's a good chance of meeting the regulars — Ruddy Kingfisher, Common Hoopoe, Chinese Blackbird and other migrants — as well as waders and plovers coming into summer plumage, and the possibility of an unexpected rarity. I plan to keep running the camp twice a year, spring and autumn, so please do join us.

A typical Pin-tailed Snipe on Ishigaki Island in spring.

A pre-camp scout for the 2nd Ishigaki Snipe Camp. Up until the day before I'd found nothing but Common Snipe and was getting anxious, but on the eve of the camp a good number of Swinhoe's Snipe and Pin-tailed Snipe arrived. The birds were at just the right distance — not too close, not too far — perfect for relaxed observation. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Five Swinhoe's Snipes and one Pin-tailed Snipe.