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

I went birdwatching on the side while on a work trip to cover the Yonaguni Town Council election. ^^

I confirmed multiple migrating Chinese Sparrowhawk, and Common Kestrel had also arrived to overwinter. Migrating Oriental Dollarbird and Grey-streaked Flycatcher were also present, along with good numbers of overwintering Brown Shrike, Arctic Warbler, and Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

In recent years the rice paddies on Yonaguni Island have decreased, so waders and plovers are sparse — just small numbers of Black-winged Stilt, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Common Sandpiper, and Red-necked Stint.

Common Emerald Dove, having finished breeding, formed small flocks and I watched them feeding on several occasions.

Chinese Sparrowhawk, juvenile. I also picked out several adults soaring.

A Black-headed Bunting turned up after a long absence. It was very likely the same individual I briefly glimpsed in the same paddy field about a week ago. It was mixed in with a flock of several hundred Eurasian Tree Sparrows.

A Forest Wagtail appeared on the usual forest road — the sixth individual this season. Arriving this late in the year, there is a good chance it will winter here. Last year one wintered at the same spot. Once they settle into wintering mode, though, they tend to stay deep inside the forest and become harder to observe.

Arctic Warblers have been showing up since early October. Birds fresh in from migration are often in small flocks, but now they have spread across the island and each is holding a small territory. Many individuals will stay through to spring. Come April, they form flocks again in preparation for the northward journey, and some begin to sing.

Brambling have also appeared. They joined up with Eurasian Tree Sparrow flocks and were feeding on second-crop rice grain in the paddies.

White-shouldered Starlings — a few birds — were mixed into a flock of several tens of White-cheeked Starlings, along with around 20 Common Starlings. The wintering White-shouldered Starling population on the island is sizeable in its own right, and flocks of several tens are regularly seen in parks and the like.

At this time of year, snipe are mostly Common Snipe, but among a flock of ten-odd I found just two Swinhoe's Snipe. I expect them to disappear once the second-crop rice harvest gets under way. Other waders lingering in the paddies include Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, and Long-toed Stint.

Ducks are increasing too — I recorded my first Mallard of the season on Ishigaki. Mallard used to be quite scarce on Ishigaki and Okinawa, but the numbers being seen seem to grow a little more each year.

A Black-headed Bunting standing out prominently among a flock of Eurasian Tree Sparrows. It was constantly harassing them….

Following last week's visit when I was able to see a Willow Warbler, I was on Yonaguni-jima again for work. I made sure to fit in some birding between assignments. ^^

Nothing as noteworthy as last time, but it was striking to find small groups of Black Paradise Flycatchers all over the place. I was of course hoping for Indian Paradise Flycatcher too, but unfortunately didn't come across any likely candidates…

Discovered a flock of Japanese Paradise Flycatchers beside the park car park.

The wintering ducks of Ishigaki Island are all assembled. Six Greylag Geese, Taiga Bean Geese, and Greater Bean Geese have arrived; in the rice paddies the most numerous ducks are Eastern Spot-billed Ducks, Northern Shovelers, and Eurasian Wigeons, while a large flock of Tufted Ducks is on the reservoir. Mallards, Eurasian Teals, Northern Pintails, Gadwalls, and Falcated Ducks are also present. This season I am seeing Mallard × Eastern Spot-billed Duck hybrids frequently.

Update, 3 March 2024

The six Greylag Geese that were on Ishigaki Island until around the end of January were on Kume Island as of late February. I hear a Smew is also there; since the Greylag Geese on Ishigaki sometimes used the same reservoir as a Smew, that bird too may have moved from Ishigaki.

The Grey-lag Geese have been here since last year — a long stay. All five are present.

Tufted Duck, Mallard, and Northern Pintail recorded for the first time this season. Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Wigeon, and Eurasian Teal are staying, though scattered. Lesser White-fronted Goose, Taiga Bean Goose, and Greater White-fronted Goose are also lingering.

Male Tufted Duck.

I finally photographed the Crested Serpent Eagle near home that I had kept missing. It appears regularly in the field right in front of the house. There were 42 Mallards at the dam — quite an unusual number for Ishigaki Island.

A Crested Serpent Eagle I often spotted from my living room. It's always being hassled by a Common Kestrel.

The Ruddy Shelduck that have been present since last year fluctuate between three and five birds. Two Tundra Swans are also on a long stay.

One Mallard was among a flock of Eastern Spot-billed Ducks — an unusual sighting for Ishigaki Island. A flock of 42 was at the dam.

It has become considerably less wary than when it first arrived.

A Red Collared Dove arrived, male and female, and were feeding on unharvested rice alongside Oriental Turtle Doves.

The first Amur Stonechat of the season confirmed in the paddy field area. In strong winds it appeared to be foraging, moving from branch to branch.

Geese and ducks are increasing. Garganey in particular seem numerous this season — they are being recorded all over the paddies. A Mallard also arrived, which is unusual for Okinawa. The two Lesser White-fronted Geese have now been here two weeks, joining up with Taiga Bean Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese to form a group of 26.

Adult male Eurasian Collared Dove. Going back and forth between the power lines and the paddies.

シギの春の渡りのヒバリシギの群れが到着しました。春、秋ともに沖縄や八重山で渡りの初陣を飾るのはヒバリシギです。

ヒバリシギを見ていると10羽近い数のホオジロハクセキレイの群れも舞い降りてきました。こちらも北上組と思われます。全てオス個体でした。

越冬していたコガモやハシビロガモもほとんど姿を消し、残りはわずかです。石垣島など沖縄では数少ないマガモも1羽だけいました。

石垣島で繁殖するカルガモはこの時季、増えてきました。繁殖組と通過組がいます。

ツグミの仲間も渡りが始まり、民家の屋根に渡る決意を固めた数羽が群れていたりします。

Adult winter-plumage Long-toed Stint. A small number winter here, but this flock of eight was on migration.

小学生の野鳥観察会の取材をしたついでに鳥見。

カンムリワシ、サシバ、ウミネコの飛翔と愛想のいいアカガシラサギやタイワンハクセキレイ、沖縄では珍しいマガモ、越冬シマアカモズ、アカハラなど見られました。^^

An adult female Grey-faced Buzzard flying over farmland.

沖縄への飛来が少ないマガモがいました。昨年の12月上旬にも見ているのですが、写真が撮れたとのは今冬初。美しいオスでした。

数日前から滞在のコハクチョウも相変わらず同じ田んぼでのんびりと採餌。警戒心がないので散歩する人たちのアイドル的存在になっています^^

水路にはコガモやヒドリガモ、ハシビロガモなどがたくさん休んでいました。

Mallard, adult male breeding plumage.

レンカクは10月26日 より滞在中。警戒心のあまりない個体です。

クロツラヘラサギも散発的に渡ってきます。

今季初のオオバンを3羽確認しました。全国的に増えていますが、最近は沖縄でも越夏個体がいます。

先日の目を負傷している個体 とは別のマガンが田んぼに入りました。警戒心は多少あります。

カモ類はマガモ、ハシビロガモ、ヒドリガモが増えてきました。

How much longer will the Pheasant-tailed Jacana stay?

刈谷市の友人宅に遊びに行った帰り、Google Mapsで息子を遊ばせる場所を探してみると池のあるよさげな公園を発見。池の周りの遊歩道を散歩しながらドングリなどを集めていました。横目で池を見てカモはいるけど少ないなーなどと思っていると黒白のツートンカラーのあいつが目の前を横切っていくではありませんか!! 慌てて駐車場の車からカメラを取り撮影。ミコアイサが3羽も池に浮かんでいました。

遊歩道をさらに進むと6羽のミコアイサが休んでいて驚きました。同じ池のマガモやカンムリカイツブリ、コガモ、オシドリなどもランニングの人とか犬の散歩してる人とかいるのに平気なのね…。^^;

遊歩道にいたアオジにいたっては手が届きそうな距離までやってきました。

別の川ではコハクチョウが27羽いました。足環付きと首にGPSらしきものをぶら下げた個体がいましたが、距離があって詳細は不明。

河川敷にはエナガやホオジロ科、ツグミ、シロハラなどもおり、意外と賑やかでした。

Smew, adult male.

三角池に珍しくマガモが入っていました。昨年11月、 具志干潟で見た個体 だろうか? 具志干潟でのマガモの記録は11月のが初めてだそうです。

クロツラヘラサギは20羽ほどが休んでいた。2羽のクロツラヘラサギは互いに羽繕いをしていた。

Female Mallard.

今年も具志干潟にオニアジサシがやってきました。現地に到着して双眼鏡で対岸を確認すると2羽のオニアジサシが休んでいました。距離にして450メートルほど離れているのでのんびりと観察していると上空からもう1羽オニアジサシが降ってきて合わせて3羽となりました!!

ズグロカモメも12羽ほど渡ってきていました。干潟手前で3羽のズグロカモメがシオマネキの仲間を走ったり、急降下したりして捕まえていました。

クロハラアジサシもかなりの数が滞在、ダイシャクシギやサギ、ミサゴなどやってきて賑やかな干潟でしたが途中、ハヤブサがやってくるとアジサシたちやカモが一斉に舞い上がりさらに賑やかになっていました。ハヤブサは獲物を捕る気がなかったのかそのまま空港の方へ消えて行きました。

マヒワの20羽ほどの群れは、西の方からやってきて干潟の上を通過し、東の公園の方へ消えて行きました。きょうは時間がなく探せなかったけど、明日会えるだろうか。

Two Caspian Terns far away on the opposite shore. Many White-winged Terns were resting around them.

鹿児島出張がありましたので、急きょ有給を入れて1泊延泊し探鳥旅行をしてきました。下調べも全くない状態でしたのでとりあえず、20年間カラフトワシが越冬に来ていたという薩摩川内高江に行ってきました。カラフトワシは残念ながら2012年以降飛来しないということなのですが、探鳥には良さそうなので…。^^

薩摩川内高江ではノビタキやホオアカ、ビンズイ、モズ、チョウゲンボウなどがいました。ふらっと立ち寄った川内原子力発電所展示館の池にはオシドリ十数羽群れていました。また、ヨシガモや遠くて何かわからないカモも浮かんでいました。

翌日は、日の出とともに、出水市ツル観察センターに行ってまいりました。ツル観察センターが位置する西干拓と「東西干拓橋」を越えたところの東干拓があるのですが、多くのツルは東干拓にいました。ほとんどがナベヅルですが、クロヅルとカナダヅルを1羽ずつ確認できました。

西干拓ではニュウナイスズメの30羽ぐらいの群れとミヤマガラス数十羽の群れに驚かされました。いるところにはいるもんだねー。^^; タゲリやカワラヒワ、セキレイ類なども多く見られました。

カモも見たことないぐらいたくさんいました。ヒドリガモとかオナガガモとかマガモとか。

Since cranes were the target, I started with Hooded Cranes at sunrise.