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

The Ruddy Kingfishers appear to be progressing well through the breeding season — I can watch them nest-building and courtship-feeding.

A Black-faced Spoonbill has been staying for several days. Chinese Pond Herons in breeding plumage are scattered across various paddies, with several individuals present.

In paddies with open water, Ruff, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper and Whiskered Tern were resting.

A Ryukyu Ruddy Kingfisher near my home. It appears to be test-digging trial nest holes in several spots.

The Black Drongo that appeared near my home has been drifting slowly eastward and is now into its fourth day of stay. It is an unwary individual, always perched on the roadside wires. This season has been a bumper year for Black Drongo on Ishigaki Island — on peak days nearly 20 birds were recorded in a single day.

A small flock of Oriental Pratincoles had moved into the paddies. They were working the same area as the Whiskered Terns, but while the terns drifted low and picked insects off the rice plants, the pratincoles were up high, hawking incoming insects.

Black-faced Spoonbill, Eurasian Spoonbill and Chinese Pond Heron have also been dropping into the paddies one after another.

A Black Drongo near home, now on its fourth day of the stay.

On Ishigaki Island, juvenile Black-winged Kites and Crested Serpent Eagles have been showing themselves and delighting birdwatchers. Common Kestrels, Grey-faced Buzzards, and Eurasian Sparrowhawks are wintering. Upland Buzzards, Peregrine Falcons, and Eastern Marsh Harriers are also present.

A Javan Pond Heron and a Chinese Pond Heron are wintering companionably in the same rice paddy. They have been here since last year and made it safely through the new year. A few breeding-plumage feathers are beginning to show.

A Black-winged Kite observed at eye level at one of my regular spots. It's perching on its favourite branch as usual, eyes gleaming red.

Shorebird numbers are up overall, but snipe numbers have been dropping. This day I found a paddy field holding about five snipe. Two were Pin-tailed Snipe, so I tried to get a shot of the tail feathers on the more approachable of the two. The other bird spent almost all its time hidden behind vegetation and I couldn't photograph it.

Pin-tailed Snipe having a stretch.

Confirmed the first Pin-tailed Snipe of the season. Spring passage Pin-tailed Snipe on Ishigaki are a rare find. Swinhoe's Snipe are also present, cycling in and out, while Common Snipe remain the most numerous.

Among the curlews, a Far Eastern Curlew arrived after the Eurasian Whimbrel. It may be the individual some university students spotted at sea just after leaving Ishigaki port on the Yonaguni ferry a few days ago. The seabirding on that route this spring was apparently quite good — though the sea was rough, so you need to steel yourself before boarding. ^^;

I got to see the Eurasian Bittern that has been wintering since last year, for the first time in a while. As usual, it showed no wariness at all. The several Chinese Pond Herons present were starting to come into breeding plumage.

The first Pin-tailed Snipe of the season.

Ruddy Kingfishers are becoming more numerous. On Ishigaki they can be seen through October.

While searching for Ruddy Kingfishers I came across some noisy Ishigaki Tits. One was carrying food, so I watched from a distance and saw it disappear into a tree hollow — evidently nesting. I confirmed breeding at two locations.

The paddies are lively too, with Chinese Pond Herons in breeding plumage and Eastern Cattle Egrets adding to the bustle.

A male Ryukyu Kingfisher. I haven't examined it closely yet, but it appears to be the same individual as last year.

Confirmed the first Swinhoe's Snipe of the season — two birds on a paddy bund. Several Common Snipe as well.

Six Pied Avocets arrived, which I believe is a record count for a flock here. The paddies also hold Common Redshank, Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper, Oriental Pratincole, and Grey-headed Lapwing — a scarce species on Ishigaki.

A small group of four pond herons — Javan Pond Heron and Chinese Pond Heron combined — is also lingering.

In the farmland on the western side of the island, Daurian Redstarts have arrived in large numbers. Apparently the situation is similar on Iriomote.

The first Swinhoe's Snipe of the season. It's good to finally meet one again.

One Javan Pond Heron and three Chinese Pond Herons are staying on — all four are always together.

Oriental Pratincoles are increasing. On this day, nine were resting in the paddies, taking a break from the rain.

A Siberian Yellow Wagtail was on a paddy bund. The distance and the grass obscuring the bird made observation difficult; getting a few photos was the best I could manage. A Siberian Pipit was nearby.

The wintering Common Snipe have all but disappeared, though migrants are trickling through. Swinhoe's Snipe should be arriving soon.

Four Garganey turned up. If there's a duck that says spring on Ishigaki, it's the Garganey.

A Javan Pond Heron in winter plumage. Probably a first-winter individual.

The Chinese Pond Herons that have been wintering since last year — about four of them. One individual appears to be a Javan Pond Heron. When the tractors started turning over the paddies, they joined the Eastern Cattle Egrets and took part in the attendant feeding.

Purple Herons can be found as young birds from last year as well as adults. The adults are in nuptial colour and looking particularly fine.

Wader numbers in the paddies have dropped considerably; just scattered Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Green Sandpiper, and Black-winged Stilt. The wintering Common Snipe seem to have headed north, and almost none remain. Looking forward to the arrival of passage birds.

Chinese Pond Heron, winter plumage.

A few Chinese Pond Herons are wintering on Ishigaki Island. One individual is particularly unwary and has been useful for individual identification — it doesn't flee at all, which is almost worrying.

Common Redshank, Common Greenshank and Temminck's Stint are all wintering birds. Little Ringed Plovers have suddenly increased in number; I've confirmed several flocks of around 20 birds. Spring migration is under way.

A Chinese Pond Heron so tame it looked like it could perch on your hand. Winter plumage, but just a little summer plumage is starting to come in.

A Eurasian Bittern that has been staying since last year. There are several individuals, but one of them shows no wariness at all and can be watched closely. It has been appearing reliably of late, and its behaviour — so utterly unlike the other herons — is a real pleasure to observe. ^^

A Eurasian Bittern appeared right in front of me. It noticed me but showed no alarm.

Wishing everyone a happy new year.

The new year got off to a rough start — the entire family came down with COVID-19 right at the beginning of the holidays. We couldn't go anywhere, and I spent the time in bed until the 8th. ^^

My first birding of the year was on the 9th. Overwintering since last year: Common Crane, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Shelduck, Tundra Swan, Korean Kestrel, Grey-faced Buzzard, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, thrushes, wagtails, Amur Stonechat, Chinese Pond Heron, and four species of starling.

For New Year's, you can't leave out a juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle — the bird celebrated in the Okinawan song "Washi nu Tui-bushi."

A Tundra Swan arrived for the first time in about two years. Last time it stayed until spring — I wonder how long this one will stick around. It shows almost no wariness, so it would be great if it settles in for a long stay.

Crested Serpent Eagles are becoming more active ahead of the breeding season. I've been hearing them calling back and forth and often seeing them soaring over their territories.

Chinese Pond Herons are overwintering at several locations. Once they step into the grass they blend right in and become very hard to spot.

Eurasian Coots increased sharply after November began. Two years ago they were frequently attacked by Upland Buzzard. This season an Eastern Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, and Peregrine Falcon are all present, so it looks like it will be a tense winter for the coots.

For waders, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Long-toed Stint, Common Snipe, and Wood Sandpiper are all staying on.

I recorded my first Gadwall of the season. Tufted Duck and Eurasian Wigeon numbers are also building up at the dam.

Tundra Swan for the first time in two years. It doesn't seem particularly wary.

Juvenile Pacific Golden Plovers have finally been confirmed. The fact that juveniles haven't arrived until now makes me worry that breeding may not have gone well.

There were two Chinese Pond Herons, one Javan Pond Heron, and a Yellow Bittern. Oriental Pratincole and Whiskered Tern are also still present.

Long-legged Buttonquail, first-winter plumage.

トウネンの群れにヨーロッパトウネンが入っていました。タマシギは繁殖期が終わってもペアで行動。2回目の繁殖あるのかな?

Little Stint in late summer plumage.

時間がなくてなかなか観察できませんが、きょうもジシギポイントでハリオシギとチュウジシギの識別。

ほとんどチュウジシギですが、その中に2〜3羽のハリオシギがまじっている感じです。

夕方にはアカガシラサギを確認。ゴイサギも暗くなるとカエルなどを狙いに田んぼにやってきます。

Juvenile Pin-tailed Snipe.

アカガシラサギの冬羽が滞在中。夏羽の個体もいるのですが、写真は撮れず。

スコールの後にリュウキュウヒクイナのペアが農道に出てきました。

タマシギは最近、ペアで行動しているのを見ます。2回目の繁殖でしょうか?

Javan Pond Heron in non-breeding plumage. A bird in breeding plumage was present in the same area.

昨年、集団営巣したエリア にことしもツバメチドリが帰ってきました。40つがい80羽ほどが確認されています。すでにペアリングは済んでいるようでしたが、産卵、抱卵はこれからのようです。

雨の降る田んぼではアカガシラサギやリュウキュウヨシゴイなどが活発です。ジャワアカガシラサギもまだ滞在中です。

春の渡りもほぼ終わったので数は少ないですが、海岸にはオオメダイチドリやメダイチドリ、ソリハシシギ、アカアシシギなどが滞在しています。そんな中、なぜかマガンが1羽だけいました。ほとんどワンタッチでどこかへ飛んでいってしまいました。

Oriental Pratincoles have returned to breed again this year.

移動時間に田んぼに寄り道。警戒心が強くてじっくり見る機会がないリュウキュウヒクイナのペアを近くで観察できました。畔を2羽で歩いていました。繁殖に備えて巣作りする場所でも探しているのでしょうか。

今季、石垣島や八重山、沖縄本島、南西諸島に非常に飛来数が多いアカガシラサギはどこの田んぼにいっても渡り途中の個体がいる状態です。

クロツラヘラサギは5羽が飛来。群れの中で1羽だけが美しい夏羽に変わっていました。

Male Okinawa Rail.

冬羽から夏羽に変わりつつあるジャワアカガシラサギを確認。 昨年から同所にいる同じ個体 なのかは不明。同じ田んぼにアカガシラサギも飛来。こちらも冬羽から夏羽に変わりつつある個体で換羽の状態は似たようなステージでした。

ズグロミゾゴイも繁殖期を迎えつつあり、雑木林の中ではペアが寄り添っていました。

Javan Pond Heron moulting into summer plumage.