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.
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.
Four Red Collared Doves at two sites; Arctic Warblers in thickets here and there; Yellow Bittern again doing well as it did last year, seen frequently. The starling flock, in order of abundance: White-shouldered Starling, White-cheeked Starling, Common Starling, Common Myna. Until a few days ago Red-billed Starling and Rosy Starling were with them, but the group seems to have split up. Six Asian Glossy Starlings are mixed in as well.
Geese and ducks are gradually increasing. In addition to the more numerous Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler, and Eurasian Wigeon, Falcated Duck, Ferruginous Duck, Garganey, Greater White-fronted Goose, and Lesser White-fronted Goose have also been recorded.
Eurasian Coot, first noted at the end of October, keeps increasing. Wader numbers in the paddies are declining — Black-winged Stilt, Temminck's Stint, Common Snipe, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Green Sandpiper, and Common Sandpiper.
First confirmed juvenile Cream-coloured Dove.
On the way home from work I found a pre-roost gathering of about 50 Grey Wagtails and 20 Eastern Yellow Wagtails, and while checking for anything mixed in I spotted one Forest Wagtail. They normally live along forest tracks, so finding a Forest Wagtail in a sugarcane field was a real surprise.
The following day it was again mixed in with the Grey Wagtail flock at the same spot, so it is presumably spending its days somewhere on a nearby forest track. One White Wagtail was in the same flock. It would be nice if it overwintered together with the Grey Wagtails.
Two Red Collared Doves are staying, but they look unsettled — a Black-winged Kite, Hen Harrier, and Eurasian Sparrowhawk come by every day. For some reason a Brown Shrike was moving around with the Red Collared Doves and Oriental Turtle Doves — perhaps because it too is wary of the raptors.
A rare experience — encountering a White-browed Wagtail in a sugarcane field. It appears to roost together with other wagtails.
Red Collared Dove numbers have been slow to build this season, but several have finally come in — around six individuals confirmed so far.
Black-winged Kites have recently been appearing in groups: two adults and one juvenile. On this day two were careening over the paddy fields and scattering all the small birds.
Crested Serpent Eagle juveniles are down in number this year, but encounters with adults are gradually increasing. The calls carry clearly from my house as well.
Small birds are also visiting the farmland. Red-throated Pipit, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, and Brambling confirmed — the Brambling was my first photograph of the species this season.
Two male Cream-coloured Doves. A female had also been present a few days earlier.
The Grey-headed Swamphen had become difficult to see for a while, but from this day it started showing well again. It may be because the Hen Harrier, which had been causing the poor appearance rate, was no longer around.
I had been kept waiting 40 minutes for a work appointment, so in frustration I stopped by the paddies — and there was the Swamphen, walking along the farm track.
I contacted several acquaintances who had come to Ishigaki specifically to see it, and we all got to watch it together. Hearing them say "I can see it!! The trip was worth it!!" made me happy too. ^^
A Purple Swamphen walking along a farm track toward me.
The Grey-headed Swamphen staying on Ishigaki has had a Hen Harrier turning up at its paddy field for the past few days, causing havoc. Several friends have come to Ishigaki to see the Swamphen, but it has become wary and is showing poorly, so they are having a hard time.
A Pheasant-tailed Jacana is also in residence and going about its business peacefully. I had noted Garganey several times over the past two weeks or so, but this time I finally managed to get it on camera.
I also recorded my first Greater White-fronted Goose and White-faced Wagtail of the season.
The paddies are lively, with Ruff, Dunlin, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Stint, Common Snipe, and Black-winged Stilt, as well as Eastern Red-rumped Swallow, Amur Stonechat, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, and Little Bunting.
A completely unwariness Hen Harrier juvenile. It was an extremely aggressive hunter, and the upper surface of its flight feathers was stained with mud.
Day 4 of the Grey-headed Swamphen's stay on Ishigaki. The video is from day 3. Every day it follows the same routine — eating rice and drinking water — and takes the same flight path when it moves. Lately it has stopped being startled by people out for a walk.
A Western Swamphen that had gradually been coming closer.
The Grey-headed Swamphen is now into its second day. On this day I was able to photograph it in good conditions. It shows almost no wariness toward cars, motorbikes, or bicycles, so it has the feel of a bird that will stay a long time.
If a Grey-headed Swamphen — a species not in any field guide — were to winter on Ishigaki, it would surely become a huge draw. Please take care not to cause any inconvenience to the local farmers.
A Western Swamphen photographed at about 30 metres. It has an air of quiet intensity about it.
Small birds are building in number. Red-throated Pipit and Eastern Yellow Wagtail can be seen everywhere.
Red-throated Pipit numbers are steadily increasing.
I have found a Grey-headed Swamphen — a first record!! There were apparently three records on the mainland in the 1970s and one on Okinawa Island in 1995, but all have been ruled as escapes, so there is no accepted record. There is therefore a strong possibility this will become the first accepted national record after further review.
A planned assignment was cancelled, so I reluctantly stopped by the paddies — and found it. At first I thought it was a Watercock, but when I put binoculars on it, question marks started spinning through my head. "Wait, a Takahē?" "No, Takahē can't fly." "Could this be a Grey-headed Swamphen!!!!!!" — and the enormity of it became real.
The genus Porphyrio has several members worldwide; they were formerly treated as subspecies, but after splitting the IOC list now recognises at least seven species. Among them, this bird struck me as closest to the Philippine Swamphen.
In the 2023 eighth edition of the Check-List of Japanese Birds it is listed as a species under consideration. I would like to take this opportunity to write up a report and have it elevated from that status.
When a bird you hadn't even considered turns up, you have no idea what you're looking at…. ^^;
Grey-faced Buzzard migration is at its peak. On this day, more than 3,000 birds passed through — what I believe is an all-time record. I was on Kuroshima for work, so after returning to Ishigaki I rushed over to the usual migration watchpoint. Even on the way there, Grey-faced Buzzards were boiling up from all directions. Apparently there was also a kettle of more than 1,000 birds.
After I arrived, Grey-faced Buzzards continued to pour in from everywhere and form kettles. Among them I could pick out dark-morph individuals — the so-called black Grey-faced Buzzard.
A considerable number came down into the woodlands without completing the crossing, so tomorrow morning's roost departure should be spectacular.
Grey-faced Buzzard, adult male.
The first Pied Avocet, Spotted Redshank, Eurasian Wigeon, and Northern Shoveler of the season have arrived. I had been hearing Japanese Leaf Warbler by call for several days, but this time I finally managed a photograph.
Pin-tailed Snipe numbers have dropped; today I could only squeeze out a single bird. Swinhoe's Snipe are past their peak but still well represented. Common Snipe are increasing.
Pied Avocet, juvenile.
Pin-tailed Snipe have thinned out considerably. Common Snipe are increasing in their place. In terms of numbers, Swinhoe's Snipe are still the most abundant. As usual I concentrated on searching for Pin-tailed Snipe, but found mostly Swinhoe's Snipe.
An individual identifiable as a Swinhoe's Snipe by the face alone.
Ruff have turned up at several sites, almost all juveniles. The regulars — Red-necked Stint, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Redshank, and Long-toed Stint — are present in paddies everywhere. Dunlin have started to appear as well.
The first Pacific Golden Plovers of the season arrived in small flocks of juveniles. Around the park and cattle sheds, Chestnut-cheeked Starling, Red-billed Starling, and White-shouldered Starling are also increasing.
A juvenile Ruff.
Two juvenile Pectoral Sandpipers arrived — beautiful birds in crisp fresh plumage. While I was watching them, a Black-winged Kite showed up earlier than usual. It didn't hunt and disappeared quickly. ^^;
The first Red Collared Doves of the season — three birds — arrived, but they seemed on edge because of the raptor and were hard to observe.
A juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper.
Chinese Sparrowhawk migration exploded for the first time in a while. A flock of nearly 300 birds formed a kettle overhead, and when the morning sun caught them glittering, cheers went up from the onlookers.
On this day, more than 900 birds were confirmed passing over the migratory bird observation post at Banna Park. Ishigaki Island has some of the best spots in Okinawa Prefecture for watching Chinese Sparrowhawk.
The day's largest kettle of Chinese Sparrowhawks — close to 300 birds.
Found a mixed flock of about ten birds — Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe. Scanning for Pin-tailed Snipe first, I turned up only two. Most were Swinhoe's Snipe, with two Common Snipe.
From there I settled in to try to photograph tail feathers, keeping an eye on my surroundings so as not to get in the way of the farmers working nearby, while staying focused on the snipe through the viewfinder and binoculars. It is more tiring than you might expect, but when you manage a clean tail-feather shot, it makes for a very satisfying day out. ^^
Pin-tailed Snipe, juvenile. A typical individual — no room for doubt.
Confirmed the first Dunlin of the season. In the paddies there were Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilt, among others. On the coast there were also good numbers of Pacific Golden Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Grey-tailed Tattler and Greater Sand Plover. Whiskered Tern could be seen in flocks of a few birds up to around twenty at various points across the island.
First Dunlin of the season. It was a juvenile.