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

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 Pied Avocet is down to one bird, but it shows no wariness and has been staying for an extended period. Nearby, several Northern Lapwings and two Grey-headed Lapwings are also lingering.

A flock of Common Snipe is present at the same site. There are no Swinhoe's Snipe or Pin-tailed Snipe. Two Tundra Swans are happily wintering together on this southern island.

The Pied Avocets that arrived in a group of eleven in November have dwindled one by one, down to a single bird now.

I spent the New Year holiday in Nagoya and managed about an hour of birdwatching. I had hoped to see a Japanese Wagtail, but unfortunately that didn't happen.

Meadow Bunting — a species I almost never get to see in Okinawa.

Before heading home to Nagoya I went for one last look at the Collared Kingfisher for 2024. Temperatures have dropped and crabs — its main prey — seem to be less available; its ranging area has expanded considerably.

The Common Hoopoe was still present too, but my camera was already packed in the carry-on bag, so no photos this time.

There was also a strangely pale Chinese Pond Heron. Looking closely, the median coverts on the left wing are white. Three Chinese Pond Herons are wintering in the same area.

The last Collared Kingfisher of the year. This happy blue bird drew many birdwatchers to Ishigaki Island. Moult appears to have begun slightly, with fresh bright feathers coming in on the head. I hope it stays until the plumage is fully renewed.

It's a hectic schedule at year-end, but I happened to pass nearby during work so I stopped to check on the Common Hoopoe. It was foraging in its usual spot. There are a lot of feral cats around, so I worry about it coming to harm.

In the paddies the Pied Avocet was still present. There were also Long-toed Stints, Wood Sandpipers, Black-winged Stilts, and Common Greenshanks.

In the evening I checked for owls for the first time in a while. No Long-eared Owl or Short-eared Owl found. Ryukyu Scops Owls were fairly numerous. At this time of year moult is complete and they are in fresh winter plumage — well worth a look.

A Eurasian Hoopoe in wintering mode, searching for food at its usual spot.

The Common Hoopoe that appeared on Christmas Eve is now on its third day. It shows no wariness and isn't being pestered by birders, so I have a feeling it will stick around.

The pair of Peregrine Falcons (former subspecies Siberian Peregrine) that wintered here last year are back again, terrorising the paddies and hunting Eurasian Coots and herons relentlessly. Eurasian Coots are well down on last year's numbers, and Eurasian Teal are completely absent. The Upland Buzzard wintering in the same area alongside the falcons may be a factor.

Common Snipe have moved in all over, including a flock of 47, but they are all Common Snipe.

A Eurasian Hoopoe with little wariness. There is a fair amount of foot traffic, but no birders come, so it is never chased off and is well into wintering mode.

I went back to see the Common Hoopoe I had found while working the day before, and it was still there. It is in a residential estate, but the bird is so unwary that it may well decide to stay.

A Eurasian Hoopoe foraging at the base of a tree planted inside a housing complex.

Two Upland Buzzards found within the space of an hour. Combined with the two from Yonaguni and two from Ishigaki, that makes four individuals confirmed this season. All are juveniles.

A juvenile Upland Buzzard perched at the top of a windbreak.

About five days on Yonaguni for work. Managed a little birdwatching in the spare time. Around Yonaguni Airport: two Upland Buzzards, an Eastern Buzzard, a Hen Harrier, a Peregrine Falcon and a Common Kestrel, apparently hunting small birds in the grass along the runway.

Pale Thrushes were present in large numbers across the island — flocks of thirty or more in the best spots. A few Brown-headed Thrushes were also seen. Pale Thrushes and Brown-headed Thrushes were concentrated mainly in the northern part of the island from Sonai to Kubura, while Dusky Thrushes were conspicuous in the south from Minamimakiba to Hikawa.

Little Buntings, Eastern Yellow Wagtails, Red-throated Pipits and Daurian Redstarts were all holding on through the strong winds. At Kubura fishing port, two Black-tailed Gulls and four Black-headed Gulls were staying over.

A juvenile Upland Buzzard appeared in the distance.

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.

Two Citrine Wagtails were mixed in with a large flock of Eastern Yellow Wagtails feeding in a harvested rice paddy. The difference in character makes them stand out clearly even to the naked eye.

In flooded paddies, Black-tailed Godwits, Eurasian Whimbrels, Common Redshanks, Green Sandpipers, Common Shelducks and Eurasian Coots are wintering. Eurasian Coot numbers have been increasing. They have become a main prey item for the Upland Buzzard and Peregrine Falcon.

Citrine Wagtail, first-winter.

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.

It has been over a month since the Collared Kingfisher appeared on Ishigaki. Its daily routine has become predictable, so the encounter rate is staying at nearly 100%. It has become more wary, though, so the key is to observe without letting the Collared Kingfisher notice you.

The Tundra Swan that was on Iriomote has moved over to Ishigaki. Conversely, the Oriental Stork that was on Ishigaki has crossed over to Iriomote.

In the woodland, a Narcissus Flycatcher was found. Arctic Warblers, Japanese Bush Warblers and Manchurian Bush Warblers are also wintering.

The long-staying Collared Kingfisher. When the sun hits it, it flashes brilliantly and the contrast intensifies.

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."

The Collared Kingfisher on Ishigaki has been staying a long time. Its daily routine is settled, and it really feels like it will see the new year in. Caspian Terns and Black-headed Gulls are also visiting the beach where the Collared Kingfisher is found.

In nearby rice paddies, the first Taiga Bean Geese of the season were confirmed — a flock of six. Chinese Pond Herons, Red Collared Doves and Common Starlings are also present. It is all right on the doorstep, so there is plenty to enjoy there during the times when the Collared Kingfisher is not showing.

A Collared Kingfisher resting at its high-tide roost. Shot from behind cover because of the close distance.

Has it decided to winter here? The Collared Kingfisher is now into its third week of stay.

It appeared as if timing the moments when no one was around, then struggled to swallow a large crab whole. When a bicycle passed, it flew off somewhere with the crab still in its bill.

A Collared Kingfisher in flight, showing its beautiful wings.

I had a work trip to Yonaguni Island after a long absence, so I went birding in my spare time. I came across a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo — found it at a private house in Sonai. It looked annoyed at being pestered by a Brown-eared Bulbul. I also spotted what appeared to be a Pale Buzzard.

Across the island, Emberizas were coming in in good numbers — Rustic Bunting, Yellow Bunting, Little Bunting and others. Narcissus Flycatcher, Daurian Redstart and Grey-streaked Flycatcher were staying all over the island. One Common Pochard had dropped into Kubura Mitou.

A juvenile Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo. It seemed to be using the drainage channel running behind some houses, but was chased off by a Brown-eared Bulbul and flew away somewhere.

Ishigaki Island is getting strong northerly winds from unseasonably late Typhoon No. 22. I was out searching for the Black Bittern that had been reported the day before and the day before that, thinking "I wonder what else might turn up," when a message came in: "There's a Black Drongo here." I headed over and found a poorly-wary juvenile Black Drongo. It appeared to be preying on dragonflies and the like.

Toward evening, several acquaintances contacted me to say there was a flock of Pied Avocets. I was nearby on my way home from buying groceries at the supermarket, so I stopped in — and there was a flock of 11 Pied Avocets. In 2020 a flock of 7 visited Yonaguni Island, but this was well beyond that. The larger the flock, the more beautiful and impressive a sight it makes.

A Black Drongo perched on a branch right in front of me.