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.

I made my third trip to Yonaguni Island this month. Small passerines were the main attraction: White Wagtail, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Little Bunting, Daurian Redstart, and Brown Shrike among others.

There was a mixed flock of three subspecies of White Wagtail. This is a male leucopsis.

December was hectic with repeated work trips and preparations for Omoto526, a single-unit rental guesthouse opening very soon, so I barely managed to get out birding at all.

Instead, a Crested Serpent Eagle, a Common Kestrel and Olive-backed Pipits have started turning up in our garden. A Black-winged Kite appears morning and evening.

I'd like to take things more slowly and do some proper birdwatching next year — though who knows how that will go… ^^;

A Red-throated Pipit with a short tail. There were also several Citrine Wagtails in the same condition. Perhaps they were grabbed by the Eurasian Sparrowhawk that has been holding territory over this paddy.

A work trip to Yonaguni Island gave me a little time for birding. I had hoped for rarities like the Chestnut-winged Cuckoo and Grey-faced Buzzard from the previous year, but it didn't quite work out that way. Even so, I got to see a flock of Eurasian Siskins — a species you rarely encounter on Ishigaki — so it was an enjoyable trip.

My first Naumann's Thrush of the season turned out to be on Yonaguni 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 Minister of Defense was visiting Yonaguni Island, so off I went on another work trip. I managed a little birdwatching in between duties. ^^

Driving through the farmland, I could hear Siberian Rubythroat, Ryukyu Robin, Manchurian Bush Warbler, Japanese Bush Warbler, Arctic Warbler, and Emberiza buntings calling. The density is considerably higher than on Ishigaki Island. It was a short visit, but I enjoyed it a great deal.

A Siberian Rubythroat in the morning, moving through the undergrowth while giving its call note.

As on the previous day, Common Hoopoes were turning up all over the place — six birds at five sites over two days. I was only making brief detours while travelling for work, so there are likely quite a few more on the island than I've been finding.

I have no photos, but two Snow Geese appeared — a first record not just for Ishigaki but for all of Okinawa Prefecture. They were still being seen just before sunset, so I'm hoping they're still on the island. Getting a re-find and some photos is the goal. ^^

I also caught up with Dusky Thrush — numbers had been exceptionally low this season. Naumann's Thrush was noted at three sites, but the birds were either too wary, the conditions too poor, or I simply ran out of time during work, so I got no photos.

Daurian Redstarts on the move appear to be coming through, and I'm encountering them more frequently.

A Eurasian Hoopoe picks up a cockroach and flicks it straight into its bill. The usual way it eats.

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.

This season Ishigaki Island has a rich variety of raptors, including wintering birds. Upland Buzzards: three birds at two locations on the island. Peregrine Falcons: juveniles, subadults, and adults all seem to be present in unusually high numbers. Common Kestrels are everywhere.

The Black-winged Kites are approaching the end of the breeding season, and the juvenile Crested Serpent Eagles become more active in their foraging as the weather warms.

Black-winged Kite in the middle of breeding. The chicks will fledge soon.

The raptors that winter on Ishigaki Island are now all showing up: Upland Buzzard, Saker Falcon, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Grey-faced Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Short-eared Owl, and more.

The ducks, Eurasian Coots, and small birds that serve as prey are on edge whenever a raptor appears.

Juvenile Upland Buzzard. One appears every year, but this individual is not very wary and is easy to observe and photograph.

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle, which has been hard to find reliably this season, was out in the farmland. A Common Kestrel that has been present for several days seems to have taken a liking to the pasture and was hunting in a relaxed manner.

The Javan Pond Heron has been staying a long time, but the recent pattern is for it to leave around March, before shifting into breeding plumage.

Six Pied Avocets are staying at four sites. How long will they stick around?

Juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle. I heard its call and went looking — and there it was.

A Common Hoopoe has arrived on Ishigaki. Numbers are lower than in spring, but several have been confirmed this season too.

The first Dusky Thrush of the season also confirmed. I heard a Pale Thrush calling but could not see it. Daurian Redstarts and Amur Stonechats are increasing.

Lesser White-fronted Goose, Taiga Bean Goose, and Greater White-fronted Goose are still present. Common Starling, White-cheeked Starling, White-shouldered Starling, Asian Glossy Starling, and Japanese Waxwing are also lingering and dropping in.

A Eurasian Hoopoe in the distance.

Lesser White-fronted Goose, Siberian Pipit, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, and Caspian Tern all photographed for the first time this season in one go. Red Collared Doves continue to stay at multiple locations.

Common Snipe numbers are growing as birds settle into wintering mode. Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, and Common Redshank are also wintering in the island's paddies, though in small numbers.

Among raptors, Crested Serpent Eagle is becoming easier to find, and Common Kestrel, Grey-faced Buzzard, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, and Peregrine Falcon are all increasing.

Pale-capped Pigeon male juvenile. Spooked by raptors and not coming down into the paddies.

Confirmed the first Common Kestrel and Eurasian Teal of the season. Autumn is deepening steadily. The Javan Pond Heron has been staying on for an extended period — there were briefly two in the same paddy, but on this day only one.

Could this be a second breeding attempt for Greater Painted-snipe? Parent birds with small chicks are turning up in paddies here and there.

Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Stint, Green Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt and three snipe species are all still present, numbers fluctuating.

A juvenile male Common Kestrel with a captured Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

A quick burst of birdwatching in a spare moment. Crested Serpent Eagles are active and encounters with both adults and juveniles are frequent. Common Kestrels are wintering all over the place.

Two Black-tailed Gulls were at the fishing harbour, apparently eyeing up bait from the anglers.

Northern Lapwing flocks have appeared in various locations. The largest was over ten birds. Red-billed Starlings and Dusky Thrushes come to the compost heaps in the sugarcane fields every day.

A Crested Serpent Eagle eating a habu.

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."

The dark-morph Grey-faced Buzzard that has been wintering on Ishigaki Island for five consecutive years has become easier to observe. It may be showing itself in prominent spots because it is facing off against a neighbouring individual in an adjacent territory.

Korean Kestrels are numerous this season, with three individuals confirmed. Continental birds must be bold — none of them shows any wariness at all.

A dark-morph Grey-faced Buzzard visiting for the fifth consecutive year. After a long while, I was finally able to photograph it in sunlight.

The Pectoral Sandpiper is still going strong in the paddy fields, though it occasionally gets flushed by raptors.

First Common Starling of the season. It was following a group of Common Snipe around — apparently that's not unusual. Quite a size difference though; why does it do that? Some affinity for the similar metallic sheen of the plumage, maybe?

A flock made up mainly of Red-throated Pipits had Richard's Pipits, Pechora Pipits, and Eurasian Skylarks mixed in, but two Common Kestrels were nearby and kept scattering everything. After three hours I managed photos of just three Red-throated Pipits!!

A Buff-breasted Sandpiper juvenile still present.

Following yesterday, I found the second Pectoral Sandpiper of the season. This time conditions were good for both observation and photography.

The first Northern Lapwings of the season — a group of around ten, all juveniles. On Ishigaki Island at this time of year, Northern Lapwings are almost always juveniles.

I couldn't get photographs, but Red Collared Doves, Pechora Pipits, and Eurasian Skylarks were also seen.

The second Buff-breasted Sandpiper of the season. Like yesterday's bird, this one was also a juvenile.

今季初のチョウゲンボウを確認しました。アカハラダカやハヤブサも確認されています。

While watching the sandpipers, they were flushed by a juvenile Common Kestrel. ^^;