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

I spent the New Year holidays in Nagoya, so I squeezed in three hours of birdwatching. There were several bunting species in the same area and it was fun listening to their calls. A short outing, but very satisfying — experiences you simply can't have on Ishigaki Island. ^^ I also got to see Eurasian Skylark and Bull-headed Shrike, both rarely encountered on the island.

There was a Common Starling in the same paddy field, which surprised me. Five birds were mixed in with a flock of White-cheeked Starlings. Northern Lapwing and Grey-headed Lapwing were there too. Grey-headed Lapwings are always around in that area, but it was my first time seeing Northern Lapwing there.

I was listening for Emberiza calls when a Reed Bunting appeared right in front of me. You don't get to see these on Ishigaki.

1月14日に名古屋から再び福岡入り。せっかくなので諫早名物のナベコウを見てやろうと義母の車を借りて高速道路をひた走り。2時間半ほどかかりました。遠かった…。^^;

広大な諫早干拓なのに事前の情報ゼロで訪れたので、探せど探せどナベコウは見つからず。あきらめかけた時、上空の高いところを黒っぽい怪鳥が飛んでいます。双眼鏡でのぞいてみると念願のナベコウでした。写真を数枚撮り、降り立った地点を確認の上、現場に現場に駆けつけるも見つけられず…。大きく目立つ鳥ですが、水路に降りてしまうと意外と見つけにくいようです。

干拓内では、マナヅルやコチョウゲンボウ、ハイイロチュウヒ、オオジュリン、ミヤマガラスのほか、石垣島でもおなじみのタヒバリやタゲリ、タシギ、ヘラサギ、クロツラヘラサギなどがいました。

A Black Stork in the distance.