The Black Drongo arrived again this season to coincide with Golden Week. On Ishigaki Island it usually turns up around this time in spring. It perched on branch tips and caught dragonflies and horseflies in the air.
I also observed Ruddy Kingfisher, Crested Serpent Eagle, and Chinese Pond Heron, among others.
A Black Drongo perched at the tip of a thin branch, waiting for prey.
Crested Serpent Eagles are active early in the breeding season. On fine days you can see them displaying high overhead or hear them calling back and forth. The young birds have to keep a low profile so they don't get picked on by the agitated adults.
Overwintering Eastern Marsh Harriers and Grey-faced Buzzards are still present, but they should be heading north before long.
A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle hatched last year. It has been holding territory in this area since around the end of the year. Sometimes chased off by adults, but it always comes back — a bold individual. ^^
As late March arrives, I am seeing Crested Serpent Eagle pairs more often. This is an active season for them, and road casualties also increase. More and more Purple Herons are beginning to show breeding plumage.
Spring migration is slowly getting underway. Waders are gradually increasing, and I also encountered a large flock of Eastern Yellow Wagtails apparently on the move.
A pair of Crested Serpent Eagles. The male is on the left. The area where this pair lives is surrounded by farmland, so traffic accidents seem unlikely to be a concern.
In early March on Ishigaki, Crested Serpent Eagle activity is surging with breeding season. On fine days it is possible to watch display flights. Malayan Night Herons are also moving into breeding condition and gradually taking on their nuptial colours.
Bramblings, Garganey, Wood Sandpipers, and Common Greenshanks heading north on their return migration have also arrived.
A Crested Serpent Eagle calmly lying in wait for prey in its usual territory.
While I was eating my packed lunch in the park, a juvenile Malayan Night Heron wandered up to me. It had not been fed by people — it just happened to approach. Even so, the lack of wariness in a juvenile Malayan Night Heron is worrying.
About three Chinese Pond Herons were wintering in the paddies. They seem to be foraging in a variety of habitats — dropping into drainage channels and disappearing into the grass.
I caught up for the first time in a while with "Hayate," the juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle released in November last year. It had moved more than 10 km south in a straight line from the release point. The area is close to town and has heavy traffic, so I worry it may be hit by a vehicle.
A juvenile Malayan Night Heron. Born last year, it is in the process of molting into adult plumage.
Both of the Upland Buzzards that have been present since late last year are juveniles, so they are not particularly wary and there are many chances to observe them. When they are not on the farmland they are usually perched in a favourite tree at the foot of the hills.
Both juvenile and adult Crested Serpent Eagles have been easy to see. I worry about the juveniles — when cold days continue, prey becomes harder to catch and the young birds start to look listless.
An Upland Buzzard perched on a branch beside a channel, targeting a Eurasian Coot. It dive-bombed into the channel shortly afterwards but failed to make a catch.
The juvenile Black-winged Kite seems to have finally become independent recently. Black-winged Kites on Ishigaki breed multiple times a year, so the population keeps growing. The Peregrine Falcon pair that wintered here last year has returned to the same spot again this year. An Upland Buzzard is also in the same area, keeping the Eurasian Coots and herons on edge. A nearby juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle looked startled as the two Peregrines chased it around.
The two Tundra Swans are still present. Around ten Northern Lapwings — all juveniles — have arrived. The rice paddies are busy with Marsh Sandpipers, Common Greenshanks, Common Redshanks, Wood Sandpipers, Northern Shovelers and Eurasian Teals. The first Tufted Duck of the season was also confirmed.
A Black-winged Kite juvenile with zero wariness. Given the location and timing, it may be the individual that was being fed in mid-air by a parent bird previously.
Three Pied Avocets have been staying for several days. Single birds have also been found elsewhere, so they may have dispersed from the flock of eleven that arrived in November.
The first Black-tailed Godwit of the season has turned up. Also wintering in the paddies: Common Greenshanks, Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpipers, Dunlins, Common Snipes, Black-winged Stilts, Common Redshanks and Wood Sandpipers.
Three Pied Avocets delighting visitors to the island.
A Crested Serpent Eagle that was rescued after a traffic accident on 21 October has been successfully released. It is an individual that has been continuously monitored with a territory around Uradabaru for about ten years — a female affectionately known as "Point" for a mark on her right eye. Breeding has also been confirmed for the past several years.
At the time of rescue, a black leg ring engraved with "6" was fitted for individual identification. If you spot her, please let me know and I will report it to the relevant authorities.
Poised and clearly ready to fly.
While watching the Oriental Stork, a Black Bittern flew into view, so I searched for where it had landed — and a Baillon's Crake appeared. ^^; It was a wary individual that ducked straight into the grass at the slightest disturbance. The habitat looks good, so it might stick around.
The Oriental Stork was a ringed individual. ID number "J0701", apparently hatched on 31 March this year in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture. It had also been observed in Minamisatsuma City, Kagoshima Prefecture, a week earlier. It stayed on Ishigaki for several days before crossing to Iriomote.
Two Pied Avocets are still present. Whether they are part of the flock of eleven that arrived on 6 November is unknown.
Encounters with juvenile Crested Serpent Eagles have been increasing. On this day I found the previously recorded "No. 7" and a new individual. With the second-crop rice harvest now underway, it is becoming a good season to watch Crested Serpent Eagles. This season's sugarcane harvest is scheduled to start around 6 December.
First Gadwall and Eastern White Wagtail of the season confirmed.
Adult White-browed Crake. It seemed quite wary.
A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle rescued on 28 October has been released. With no fractures or other serious injuries, it was returned to the wild in under a month. Ishigaki is a small island — please drive at a safe speed.
A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle found by a local resident after being concussed in a traffic accident, and named "Hayate."
I finally got photos of the Pechora Pipits whose calls I had been picking up from the grassland for the past few days.
Red-throated Pipits have arrived in large numbers, so picking out the Pechora Pipits took some patience — but when I waited by the call, a bird popped up onto a rice-paddy berm right after the rain stopped. Finding a bird exactly as planned is a special kind of satisfaction. ^^
Chinese Sparrowhawk migration has been under way since early September, but bad weather has continued thanks to the typhoon and a lot of birds are lingering on Ishigaki-jima. At peak times three or so were perched on the power lines together. Once the weather clears they should push through all at once.
Grey-streaked Flycatchers on migration and wintering Arctic Warblers are also increasing. A large flock of around 500 Chestnut-cheeked Starlings was moving through parks in the town centre.
Buff-bellied Pipit, first-winter.
Chinese Sparrowhawk migration is under way. The weather has been unsettled but it should pick up in earnest from here. Two Eurasian Teal — my first of the season — had arrived.
Chinese Sparrowhawk, adult female.
We went birdwatching as a family in the evening. We only had a short window before our dinner reservation, but we managed to see the first Common Hoopoe of the season and a few other species. The kids were delighted by a juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle calling loudly. ^^
Common Hoopoe turned up at two locations, three birds in total. They have already been recorded on Iriomote Island as well. I wonder if it will be a bumper year like the Hoopoes last spring.
I also had my first White-shouldered Starling of the season and got a look at the juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle. I spotted an Asian Koel on a wire but could not get a shot. The following day an Asian Koel was seen on wires in the same area. Numbers are increasing year by year — could it be settling here year-round rather than just in spring?
A tired-looking Eurasian Hoopoe. Freshly arrived on migration, perhaps.
A Crested Serpent Eagle that was rescued after a traffic accident on June 20th was returned to the wild after 70 days. Its weight had plateaued at 680 grams, but it was in good spirits and flew off strongly the moment it was released. The tail feathers had fallen out, which seemed likely to affect its flight somewhat, but it should adapt in time.
A yellow identification band was fitted to the right leg for tracking purposes, and it was assigned the number "4". It is an adult male, and was named Kanki (神起) by the person who rescued it.
A Crested Serpent Eagle released into the wild, beating its wings powerfully. A band is visible on the right leg.
Red Collared Doves turned up at two locations, four birds in total. Grey Wagtail is also a first for the season. From here on, migrants with a distinctly autumnal feel will keep arriving on Ishigaki one after another.
Painted Snipe were at two locations — two males and two females. In this paddy it was one male and two females.
A Crested Serpent Eagle that was rescued in critical condition after a traffic accident on 21 February this year was returned to the wild after about 160 days in care. Both the Ministry of the Environment staff and the veterinarian had considered its chances of survival quite low, but it made a remarkable recovery. Truly a phoenix.
At the release site I learned that the person who first found it was someone I know well. That person's daughter named the eagle "Karii" (嘉例). "Karii" is read as "かりー" and is used as a toast — as in "ぐすーよー、かりーさびら!!" — meaning "Everyone, let's raise a glass!!" It is a word commonly used in Okinawa proper.
Given such an auspicious name, "Karii" had suffered damage to the right eye in the accident, along with fractures to the right wing and leg. Thanks to the dedicated treatment by the veterinarian and the devoted care of the rehabilitation staff at Ishigaki Yaima Village, it was finally possible to release her on 1 August. The fractures healed completely, but unfortunately she lost the sight in her right eye. Even so, she flew off in fine form.
Once set on the ground, the Crested Serpent Eagle known as Kare took off without a moment's hesitation. A blue band engraved with the number "5" for individual identification is fitted on the left leg. This is a valuable record, so please let me know if you spot it in good health.
Typhoon No. 3 passed through without causing major damage, but even after it reached the western side of Taiwan the wind continued to make itself felt in the Yaeyamas.
In the rice paddies, wader numbers increased considerably — Wood Sandpipers were present in flocks of several dozen wherever I went. Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, and Long-toed Stint were all up in numbers too, making for a lively scene.
A Common Greenshank still largely in summer plumage.
Since the Lesser Whistling Duck on Ishigaki Island was relocated, it has been seen continuously. When anglers arrive it gets spooked and moves away, hiding in the grass. There seem to be a lot of anglers at weekends.
I covered the release of a juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle that had been taken into care after being found weak. It was banded with a red leg ring engraved with the number "6" on its left leg. The person who handled its rehabilitation named it "Mirai" (Future). With staff and press looking on, it flew off strongly.
A Ryukyu Duck sitting on aquatic vegetation on the far bank.
I confirmed incubation beginning at a fifth Ryukyu Scops Owl site. The Ruddy Kingfisher female near my home has not been seen much lately, so she may also be incubating.
The rescued Crested Serpent Eagle, Mitchan, keeps getting driven off by the territorial male in this area, but comes back undeterred and keeps searching for food. I hope she builds up her strength properly this summer, gets through the winter, and grows into a fine adult.
The Lesser Whistling Duck is still present. Its reactions to passing vehicles and crows have settled down and its daily routine has become predictable, so a long stay looks likely. If it summers over, it will be a treat for many birders.
A male Ryukyu Scops Owl keeping watch over the nest. This is the third consecutive year breeding at the same site.