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

Red Collared Doves have turned up at various spots around the island. The largest flock I saw was nine birds, roughly half male and half female.

Wintering Common Kestrels are also increasing, and a nearby water area had growing numbers of Little Grebe and Eurasian Coot — these too will be wintering on Ishigaki.

The Crested Serpent Eagles have finished breeding and are now easier to find in open habitats such as paddy fields.

A male Pale-backed Pigeon. Looking worn out after a spell of rough weather.

The first Common Greenshank and Ruff juvenile of the season arrived. Also still present: Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe, Common Snipe, Black-winged Stilt, Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Stint, and Marsh Sandpiper.

The first Common Greenshank of the season.

Autumn is well and truly here — White-winged Terns, Garganey, Ruffs and Arctic Warblers are all building up steadily and the paddies are getting lively. Snipe numbers have also jumped sharply: 40 Common Snipe against 2 Swinhoe's Snipe. I couldn't find any Pin-tailed Snipe.

White-winged Tern, juvenile. The third bird this season.

The Ruff that has been staying since last month. When it is not in the paddies, it apparently moves into the irrigation channels. Common Redshank, Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Stint, Dunlin, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, and Wood Sandpiper are all still present.

Reunited with a Ruff. Apparently when they're not in the paddies, they're in the irrigation channels.

The Ruff is still present. Red-necked Stint numbers are growing and small flocks are now being seen here and there.

Ruff juvenile. It was close, right in front of me.

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.

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 Grey-headed Swamphen staying on Ishigaki has had a Hen Harrier turning up at its paddy field for the past few days, causing havoc. Several friends have come to Ishigaki to see the Swamphen, but it has become wary and is showing poorly, so they are having a hard time.

A Pheasant-tailed Jacana is also in residence and going about its business peacefully. I had noted Garganey several times over the past two weeks or so, but this time I finally managed to get it on camera.

I also recorded my first Greater White-fronted Goose and White-faced Wagtail of the season.

The paddies are lively, with Ruff, Dunlin, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Stint, Common Snipe, and Black-winged Stilt, as well as Eastern Red-rumped Swallow, Amur Stonechat, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, and Little Bunting.

A completely unwariness Hen Harrier juvenile. It was an extremely aggressive hunter, and the upper surface of its flight feathers was stained with mud.

I have found a Grey-headed Swamphen — a first record!! There were apparently three records on the mainland in the 1970s and one on Okinawa Island in 1995, but all have been ruled as escapes, so there is no accepted record. There is therefore a strong possibility this will become the first accepted national record after further review.

A planned assignment was cancelled, so I reluctantly stopped by the paddies — and found it. At first I thought it was a Watercock, but when I put binoculars on it, question marks started spinning through my head. "Wait, a Takahē?" "No, Takahē can't fly." "Could this be a Grey-headed Swamphen!!!!!!" — and the enormity of it became real.

The genus Porphyrio has several members worldwide; they were formerly treated as subspecies, but after splitting the IOC list now recognises at least seven species. Among them, this bird struck me as closest to the Philippine Swamphen.

In the 2023 eighth edition of the Check-List of Japanese Birds it is listed as a species under consideration. I would like to take this opportunity to write up a report and have it elevated from that status.

When a bird you hadn't even considered turns up, you have no idea what you're looking at…. ^^;

Ruff have turned up at several sites, almost all juveniles. The regulars — Red-necked Stint, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Redshank, and Long-toed Stint — are present in paddies everywhere. Dunlin have started to appear as well.

The first Pacific Golden Plovers of the season arrived in small flocks of juveniles. Around the park and cattle sheds, Chestnut-cheeked Starling, Red-billed Starling, and White-shouldered Starling are also increasing.

A juvenile Ruff.

A juvenile Asian Dowitcher has arrived. It is moving around the paddies together with Common Greenshank and Black-winged Stilt.

Broad-billed Sandpipers are turning up in paddies across the area — four birds in three locations. All juveniles, naturally. I'd love to see an adult one of these days….

Multiple Ruffs have also arrived. Temminck's Stint numbers are slowly building too.

The first juvenile Eurasian Whimbrel of the season was also confirmed. The paddies are getting livelier with each passing week of autumn.

Long-billed Dowitcher, juvenile. It startled every time a farmer's light truck passed.

アカエリヒレアシシギが飛来。今季2個体目。エリマキシギは複数個所で複数羽が到着。ハリオシギは数を減らしつつも滞在中。

It was in a paddy field near the airport in an area where Red-necked Phalaropes often turn up. They apparently visit the stadium frequently too — perhaps they are easily attracted to lights.

夏羽のエリマキシギ成鳥オスが飛来しました。まさか石垣島で夏羽が残ったオスを見られるとは思ってもいませんでした。最初見つけた時は、何かわからず戸惑いました…。

田んぼにはコアオアシシギ、タカブシギ、ヒバリシギ、セイタカシギ、コチドリなどが増え出して秋の渡りが始まったことを感じさせてくれます。

昨年の石垣島の秋の渡りは大当たりで、かなりの人が訪れてフィーバーしておりました。今季はどんな鳥が飛来するか今から楽しみです。^^

The first Ruff of the season — an adult male in breeding plumage!!

迷わないハリオシギと迷うチュウジシギが仲良く餌取りしていました。

ことし何羽目かのエリマキシギやオジロトウネン、海岸ではオオメダイチドリやチュウシャクシギ、キアシシギ、キョウジョシギ、ムナグロ、トウネン、ハマシギなどが滞在中。

Pin-tailed Snipe in transition from juvenile to first-winter plumage.

今季初のヨシゴイ確認。畔の枯れたススキの中にいました。エリマキシギはアメリカウズラシギを探していたら発見。クロハラアジサシ、ハジロクロハラアジサシは島内に滞在中。

今季初のオグロシギも確認。こちらは数日前から滞在していましたが、やっと見に行きました。^^;

チュウシャクシギは今季初の幼鳥が到着。浜で成鳥と餌場を巡り戦っていました。

My first Yellow Bittern of the season, tucked away in such a hard-to-see spot… It was a juvenile.

今や田んぼか畑で夕方になればふつうに見られるカタグロトビですが、最近はさらに出会いが多くなっています。この日は、職場から自宅に帰る20分の間に3羽確認しました。わが家のベランダからも夕方や朝方、獲物を探しながら移動するカタグロトビが見られます。

ベニバトは島内複数箇所で10羽が先週から滞在中。成鳥、幼鳥が混じった群れで、イネ科の草の種子についています。

ハリオシギもまだまだ見られます。今年こそ、越冬個体の長期観察を実現したいですね。

今季初のミユビシギとコガモも確認しました。石垣島では生息環境を選ぶミユビシギの飛来は少ないです。

夏羽を少し残したダイゼンも確認。こちらも当地では少なく、夏羽を残した個体はさらに少ないので得した気分です。^^

田んぼや海岸には越冬組のほか通過組が日替わりで入ってにぎやかです。

Black-winged Kite, a species reliably seen at most of the main paddies on Ishigaki Island. Evening is the recommended time to look for them.

今季4羽目となるジャワアカガシラサギが登場しました。沖縄本島でも毎年のように記録され、石垣島では10年ほどまえから飛来する数がかなり増えています。ジャワアカガシラサギは例年、8月末ごろから確認され、その後、アカガシラサギが到着するパターンが定着しつつあります。

きょうはジャワアカガシラサギ2羽とアカガシラサギ1羽を確認しました。

数日前から滞在中のエリマキシギにやっと出会えました。エリマキシギも毎年、白露のころに飛来します。今回も例に漏れず幼鳥でした。

A Javan Pond Heron that caught two tadpoles.

今季初となるコガモが飛来していました。雨の中、ひっそっりと奥まった田んぼにいました。

エリマキシギは今季、幼鳥は何羽も入っているのですが、きょうは今季初の第1回冬羽を確認しました。

クロハラアジサシは南下組がどんどん数を増やしていますが日々、入れ替わりは激しそうです。

ツバメチドリも入れ替わりが激しく、最大100羽ほどでしたが、現在は十数羽です。

ハリオシギはまだまだ残っていて数カ所では越冬しそうな雰囲気。チュウジシギは減って、タシギがかなりの数を占めています。

トウネンは、数羽の群れはあちこちで見ますが、今年は大きな群れが確認できません。心配ですね。

ほかにはソリハシセイタカシギやセイタカシギ、アカアシシギ、タカブシギ、キアシシギ、アオアシシギ、コアオアシシ、ヒバリシギなど石垣島らしいシギがたくさん滞在しています。

First Eurasian Teal of the season. An adult female, but it was quite far off….

ツバメチドリの群れに混じって今季初となるオオチドリが1羽。渡ってきたばかりのようで疲れた様子でした。

ツバメチドリは増減を繰り返し、最高で100羽近くの群れになっていましたが、きょうは20羽ほどでした。ハジロクロハラアジサシも2カ所で3羽が滞在中で、ビュンビュンと田んぼや畑の上を飛び回っていました。

エリマキシギやコアオアシシギ、アオアシシギ、セイタカシギ、ヒバリシギなど種類は少ないですが日替わりでいろいろなのが入って面白い田んぼです。

Greater Sand Plover resting on a field bank. Adult winter plumage.

今季初のエリマキシギを確認。幼鳥のメスでした。

チュウジシギは一昨日、今季初を確認 しましたが、今日は4個体ほど確認することができました。同じ田んぼにツバメチドリ4羽もいたのですが、とりあえずチュウジシギの写真をおさえているとカラスに驚いてはるかかなたに飛び去ってしまい再発見できませんでした。

ほかにもアカアシシギやアオアシシギ、セイタカシギ、クサシギ、ヒバリシギ、タマシギ、ムナグロ、コチドリなどを確認。賑やかな田んぼとなっていました。

2日前のベニバトとジャワアカガシラサギは再発見できませんでしたが、短時間でシギがこれだけ見られれば満足ですね。^^

Common Snipe adult. In moult to non-breeding plumage.