A Yonaguni Ryukyu Wood Pigeon that had been rescued after being attacked by a crow was released back into the wild after about 70 days in care. The tail feathers were in quite poor condition, but it managed to fly off and return to the forest.
This individual appears to have hatched this year. A Ministry of the Environment general-use ring is also fitted on the right leg.
First Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe of the season confirmed. The Pin-tailed Snipe consisted of two adults and one juvenile; the Swinhoe's Snipe were five juveniles. I expect numbers to increase steadily from here.
The 3rd Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp will be held on 30 August.
Pin-tailed Snipe, adult.
A Crested Serpent Eagle that was rescued in critical condition after a traffic accident on 21 February this year was returned to the wild after about 160 days in care. Both the Ministry of the Environment staff and the veterinarian had considered its chances of survival quite low, but it made a remarkable recovery. Truly a phoenix.
At the release site I learned that the person who first found it was someone I know well. That person's daughter named the eagle "Karii" (嘉例). "Karii" is read as "かりー" and is used as a toast — as in "ぐすーよー、かりーさびら!!" — meaning "Everyone, let's raise a glass!!" It is a word commonly used in Okinawa proper.
Given such an auspicious name, "Karii" had suffered damage to the right eye in the accident, along with fractures to the right wing and leg. Thanks to the dedicated treatment by the veterinarian and the devoted care of the rehabilitation staff at Ishigaki Yaima Village, it was finally possible to release her on 1 August. The fractures healed completely, but unfortunately she lost the sight in her right eye. Even so, she flew off in fine form.
Once set on the ground, the Crested Serpent Eagle known as Kare took off without a moment's hesitation. A blue band engraved with the number "5" for individual identification is fitted on the left leg. This is a valuable record, so please let me know if you spot it in good health.
Took two apprentice birders who live on the island out for about four hours of birdwatching. We came across juvenile Greater Sand Plover and Common Redshank — first juveniles of the season for both species. Together with Kentish Plover and Little Ringed Plover, that brings the juvenile wader tally to four species for the season.
A juvenile Greater Sand Plover. It was found in a rice paddy — possibly due to the influence of the typhoon.
Typhoon No. 3 passed through without causing major damage, but even after it reached the western side of Taiwan the wind continued to make itself felt in the Yaeyamas.
In the rice paddies, wader numbers increased considerably — Wood Sandpipers were present in flocks of several dozen wherever I went. Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, and Long-toed Stint were all up in numbers too, making for a lively scene.
A Common Greenshank still largely in summer plumage.
Typhoon No. 3 is bearing down on Ishigaki Island — the first approach of the year.
The wind had a suspicious feel to it, but I had plenty of encounters with Ruddy Kingfisher. The Oriental Pratincole fledging season appears to be in its final stages, with numbers dropping steadily.
A slow drive along the usual forest road turned up several Ruddy Kingfishers in a short time.
The Northern Boobooks have fledged. Pair formation was later than usual this year, so fledging was delayed too. I wonder whether one of the pair has changed.
Ruddy Kingfisher fledging is finished everywhere now, and the adults are catching their breath. The fledglings are still within their parents' territories but are catching prey on their own.
Cinnamon Bittern chick-rearing is also over, and juveniles are appearing in rice paddies here and there. Juvenile Purple Herons that have become independent are also starting to show up in the paddies. Chinese Pond Herons and Black-faced Spoonbills are arriving on autumn passage.
Waders are beginning to move through little by little. As autumn migration gets into full swing, numbers and species will keep increasing.
Terns are in the thick of chick-rearing. Black-naped Tern chicks that are roughly one to two weeks post-hatch are starting to be seen.
The last fledgling of the season for the Brown Hawk-Owl. There were still some remaining in the nest.
The Ruddy Kingfishers that were breeding near my home had fledged before I noticed. I confirmed three fledglings that can now fly.
Malayan Night Herons have also fledged. I confirmed two juveniles that have been out of the nest for some time. Three or so Cinnamon Bittern juveniles were in a flooded paddy. The adults' calls were audible too.
Oriental Pratincoles apparently bred at a quarry on private land — there were around 30 birds in total, adults and juveniles together. Two Little Ringed Plover juveniles as well. There is a possibility they bred on Ishigaki Island.
The Ruddy Kingfisher just a stone's throw from home fledged around three chicks again, as it did last year.
A banded Ryukyu Scops Owl whose breeding I confirmed two years ago has been relocated after two years.
This individual is a female, one of 134 birds banded on Hateruma Island for research in 2021. The sighting was also published in the newspaper on 23 September 2023.
Here's hoping I can keep observing her. ^^
Continuing to observe the Ryukyu Scops Owl chick after fledging. It was in a somewhat more visible spot than before. The female parent was nearby keeping watch.
Northern Boobooks are fledging one after another, but at a nest where the chicks are still small the male parent was standing guard close to the nest.
Black Paradise Flycatcher breeding also appears to be going well — the chick that fledged from the pair I have been watching for some time has grown considerably. The adults will probably begin a second breeding attempt, so the fledgling may end up acting as a helper.
The Ryukyu Scops Owl fledgling had moved to a more visible position, giving me a full view of the bird.
I confirmed the first Ryukyu Scops Owl fledging of the season. It is a tree cavity that has been used for breeding year after year. The pair may be the same birds, but without banding there is no way to be certain. Only one chick fledged this season, so if it is the same pair, ageing of the parents could be a factor.
A fledgling Ryukyu Scops Owl.
On Ishigaki Island, Ruddy Kingfisher, Ryukyu Scops Owl, Northern Boobook, Black Paradise Flycatcher, Malayan Night Heron, Black-naped Tern and many other birds are right in the middle of the breeding season.
A male Ryukyu Ruddy Kingfisher singing.
The third Pheasant-tailed Jacana of the season has arrived. Multiple individuals have been confirmed on Okinawa Island as well. This bird showed the most advanced transition to summer plumage of any I have seen so far. It is not at all wary and easy to observe.
Oriental Pratincoles and Greater Painted-snipes are also appearing in the same paddy. Cinnamon Bittern was confirmed by call only.
A Pheasant-tailed Jacana flapping its wings after bathing. It appears to be moulting into adult summer plumage.
Construction has finally begun. No matter that the endangered Little Terns are incubating eggs — no consideration is given at all. Bird-deterrent tape and kites were put up only now, belatedly. There is not a shred of compassion on display. The approach does not align with the Ministry of the Environment's "Guidelines for the Conservation and Consideration of Little Tern Breeding Sites" either.
The male bringing food to the incubating female (right). It struggled to deliver the food while spooked by a raptor-shaped kite set up as a bird deterrent.
Little Terns and Kentish Plovers are breeding at a construction site where work is about to begin. Several pairs of Little Terns are incubating. Kentish Plovers range from chicks that can just barely fly to pairs still incubating.
A Little Tern on the nest.
The first fledgling of the season was a Northern Boobook. Two birds successfully fledged from the same site as last year. For Northern Boobook, the timing was quite early.
I confirmed a Ruddy Kingfisher excavating a nest hole. Individual numbers are high this season, and I have found so many nests that I have lost count. All I can do is hope each one goes well.
I also recorded Terek Sandpiper on Ishigaki Island — a species that seems to be down in numbers nationwide this year. Being late is normal for this species, but the low numbers are a concern. Nearby, a single Common Redshank was there alone. Several Grey-tailed Tattlers are staying in the area. Wandering Tattler has been recorded on Okinawa Island, so I am hopeful for Ishigaki Island too.
Brown Hawk-Owl fledgling and the mother (right).
I spotted the second Pheasant-tailed Jacana of the season while out birding with my daughter. ^^ The bird was some distance away, so I showed her on the camera monitor — she was delighted: "So cute!!" The individual from a few days ago was in transition to first-summer plumage, but this one appeared to be an adult. The video has the sound of my daughter breathing through her nose. ^^;
The Ryukyu Scops Owl on watch duty was perched in a lower tree than usual. I expect the chicks will fledge around the end of this month.
I found a new Ruddy Kingfisher nest — it looked as though they were still digging it out. In the video you can hear the male and female calling back and forth as they excavate the nest hole.
The second Pheasant-tailed Jacana of the season. It appeared to stay for only one day.
Red Collared Dove confirmed at three locations, five individuals in total — four males and one female. Greater Crested Tern numbers have grown to around 30. They will increase further, and just before they move on to the breeding grounds the count typically exceeds 100.
The Ruddy Kingfisher that had been nesting near my home had its nest tree blown down in the heavy rain. It is still early in the season, so I hope they find a good new spot.
Pink-necked Green Pigeon, male.
The June regular, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, has arrived. Birds have also come in to the Okinawa main island at the same time, but both individuals appear to be young birds. I am looking forward to adult summer-plumage birds arriving in due course.
I photographed the Ruddy Kingfisher visible from my living room for the first time in a while. Its call is distinctive enough for individual identification. It has been coming for three years running. When crows approach it chases them off, so there is probably a nest nearby.
Within a radius of a few tens of metres from my home, around three pairs of Ruddy Kingfisher have arrived. One pair's nest was destroyed in the recent heavy rain. The season is still young, so they will likely rebuild somewhere.
A Ruddy Kingfisher that has taken a liking to the top of a plastic greenhouse. This is the Ruddy Kingfisher I can see from my living room. ^^
I visited a scrubby woodland I rarely go to, and a pair of Black Paradise Flycatchers were moving about. They perched on the same branch at times, suggesting pairing is already done. I expect they will breed, and I will keep watching to see how things develop.
Ryukyu Scops Owls are incubating at several sites, but the chicks still appear to be small. Meanwhile, the pair that began breeding early already has well-grown chicks, and the female is out of the nest box. Fledging should be soon.
A recently fledged Ryukyu Minivet visited our garden. It appeared to be taking insects alongside Warbling White-eyes and Cinereous Tits.
A female Japanese Paradise Flycatcher.