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

A Black Stork has arrived on Ishigaki. One came in last year too, and they turn up occasionally before that, but they are always quite wary and surprisingly difficult to photograph. This individual, however, could be observed fairly close-up and at leisure — for a Black Stork, anyway.

The Tufted Duck is my first of the season. A juvenile had already been confirmed last month, but this was my first sighting. On the coast there were Grey Plovers, Siberian Sand Plovers, Kentish Plovers, Red-necked Stints, and Sanderlings. Two Caspian Terns were flying distantly. I expect Caspian Tern numbers will increase a little more toward year's end.

Black Stork, juvenile. My wife saw one last year but I missed it. This individual was not especially wary for a Black Stork, and we were able to photograph and observe it at close range.

Since around mid-November, Rosy Starlings have been appearing at two locations. Today I went to see the one closer to home.

It seems to be touring the farmland day by day, mixing with flocks of Common Starlings and Red-billed Starlings. On this occasion it had joined a flock of about ten White-cheeked Starlings. I was on the move between work assignments, so I had only about fifteen minutes to observe.

On the coast, Ruddy Turnstones, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Siberian Sand Plovers, Pacific Golden Plovers, and Red-necked Stints were present. Again, about fifteen minutes of observation. Lately I've been too busy to get out properly.

Rosy Starling, juvenile. Molting from juvenile into first-winter plumage.

Following the previous two adults, a juvenile Ruddy Shelduck has now arrived. The adults were extremely wary, but this juvenile showed almost no wariness — perhaps a sign of its youth — and was easy to observe.

The Greylag Goose has been staying a long time; it looks like it may well winter over. Taiga Bean Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Lesser White-fronted Goose, and Common Crane are also still present.

On the coast, small numbers of Siberian Sand Plovers, Kentish Plovers, Pacific Golden Plovers, Ruddy Turnstones, Common Greenshanks, and Dunlins are staying on. In the paddies, Spotted Redshanks, Black-winged Stilts, Wood Sandpipers, Long-toed Stints, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, and Common Snipe are conspicuous. Whiskered Terns — both adults and juveniles — are also still present.

This season, the starling family is represented by several species but numbers are low.

Dusky Thrushes, Pale Thrushes, Brown-headed Thrushes, and Eyebrowed Thrushes have started arriving.

The third Ruddy Shelduck of the season was a juvenile — in the process of moulting from juvenile plumage into first breeding plumage.

The Greylag Goose that appeared about ten days ago is still here. Alongside the Greylag Goose, Ishigaki currently hosts a Lesser White-fronted Goose, a Greater White-fronted Goose, a Taiga Bean Goose, a Tundra Swan, and a Common Crane — quite an unlikely lineup for a southern island.

The juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle was the ninth individual of the season. A very active bird, it was catching prey in the rice paddies and mown grasslands.

Caspian Terns have also been coming in over the past few days. They usually stay for a while each year but rarely winter over. On the coast, Siberian Sand Plovers, Kentish Plovers, Little Ringed Plovers, Pacific Golden Plovers, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Common Greenshanks, and Ruddy Turnstones are present in fluctuating numbers.

I had already seen a flock of five Greylag Geese at the end of last year on Okinawa Island, but this was my first encounter with the species on Ishigaki Island.

Two Ruddy Shelducks, two Lesser White-fronted Geese, a Common Crane, and a Greater White-fronted Goose are all on an extended stay. On this day I couldn't find the Greylag Goose or the Taiga Bean Goose. They were quite wary, so perhaps they've retreated to the Ampar wetlands area.

Two female Ruddy Shelducks. Both are adults.

The overwintering small birds are increasing on Ishigaki Island.

Among them, I found a strange Daurian Redstart. At first I thought it might be a male juvenile transitioning into its first-winter plumage, but that doesn't seem to be the case — it's been suggested the bird may be a female-type individual with unusual plumage. Either way, it was an interesting Daurian Redstart.

Dusky Warblers appear to be arriving in decent numbers in the riverside thickets. Getting a good photo of them is not easy.

A fair number of Black-faced Buntings were lurking in the sugarcane fields. Some individuals that looked more like Masked Buntings were mixed in as well.

I thought the area around the throat might be partway through changing to adult male plumage, but it looks as though feathers have been lost, exposing the black area beneath. Even so, the whitish feathering from above the eye toward the cheek area looks like a male's.

That said, when Daurian Redstarts transition from juvenile to first-winter plumage, male individuals apparently develop vivid orange feathers. This individual shows some orange in places, but is otherwise brown.

The dark-morph Grey-faced Buzzard that has been overwintering on Ishigaki Island every year since 2018 has returned again this year. It was a juvenile in the first year, so it is now 5 years old. It has been gradually becoming less wary, and this year I was able to observe it at quite close range.

The Black-winged Kite first appeared on Ishigaki Island in 2015 and has been breeding steadily ever since, to the point where it can now be seen all over the island — and it has finally moved into town as well. On this day I confirmed two birds flying together over the MaxValu in Maesato. I also frequently see them foraging on the wasteland to the east of Ishigaki City Hall.

A Black Baza wintering on Ishigaki Island. This marks its fifth year visiting. It typically stays until around March.

A Tundra Swan arrived for the first time in about two years. Last time it stayed until spring — I wonder how long this one will stick around. It shows almost no wariness, so it would be great if it settles in for a long stay.

Crested Serpent Eagles are becoming more active ahead of the breeding season. I've been hearing them calling back and forth and often seeing them soaring over their territories.

Chinese Pond Herons are overwintering at several locations. Once they step into the grass they blend right in and become very hard to spot.

Eurasian Coots increased sharply after November began. Two years ago they were frequently attacked by Upland Buzzard. This season an Eastern Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, and Peregrine Falcon are all present, so it looks like it will be a tense winter for the coots.

For waders, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Long-toed Stint, Common Snipe, and Wood Sandpiper are all staying on.

I recorded my first Gadwall of the season. Tufted Duck and Eurasian Wigeon numbers are also building up at the dam.

Tundra Swan for the first time in two years. It doesn't seem particularly wary.

Following last year, Ruddy Shelduck has arrived again this year. This season there are two birds and they are extremely wary.

The Red Collared Dove from the other day has now been here for 10 days. It's probably unable to move on due to bad weather.

The Pied Avocet present since 26 October is also still lingering — 10 days for that bird as well.

It was skittish, taking flight every time a rental car approached.

A Hair-crested Drongo appeared on Ishigaki Island, a first record for the island. In strong wind and rain it was catching insects flying — or being blown — past it. It is noticeably larger and more solidly built than a Black Drongo, and despite the overcast conditions the gloss on its plumage was quite striking.

The Hair-crested Drongo was first recorded in Japan on Yonaguni Island in 2000. Since then, a handful of records have followed from the Okinawa main island and surrounding islands.

With today's Hair-crested Drongo, all three species of the genus Dicrurus recorded in Japan are now on my list. Hopes are now turning to the possible arrival of the Bronzed Drongo, which has yet to be recorded in Japan.

While at work, a message came in through our group chat: "Greater Racket-tailed Drongo confirmed." I fidgeted through the rest of my shift, then rushed to the spot two hours after the alert — and managed to find the bird in driving rain and wind!!

Thanks to 石垣島BIRD観察, the first to find it, my life list got a new entry. ^^

House Sparrow has arrived on Ishigaki Island for the second consecutive year. Last year it was confirmed on 3 November in a pineapple field. This time the record is from a rice paddy.

As the rice harvest progresses, Red Collared Doves are becoming easier to see.

A Red Knot was in the rice paddies. It is most often seen on the coast, but it occasionally drops into paddies as well.

A House Sparrow, appearing again after last year. Within Okinawa Prefecture, in 2018 I found a male on Okinawa Island at Itoman City — the first island record — and last year (2021) I found a female in central Ishigaki Island. This time, unfortunately, it was not my own find; it was discovered by a birdwatcher visiting from outside the island.

Opportunities to see Red Collared Dove are increasing. Pied Avocet is also turning up at multiple sites.

Yellow Bittern appears to be numerous, as it was last year. As a side note, last November was a miraculous year in which all Japanese members of the bittern genus were seen within a single month — Black Bittern, Von Schrenck's Bittern, Yellow Bittern, and Cinnamon Bittern!!

The snipe remaining on Ishigaki Island are now almost entirely Common Snipe.

A male Pink-necked Green Pigeon.

The Common Crane observed on the 17th as a first island record by one of our newspaper's readers was still present. I managed to photograph it successfully. ^^

The Common Crane I saw at Izumi on the Kagoshima plain had a deep orange iris, but this individual's iris is pale yellow. I find myself wondering whether that reflects the bird's age, a subspecific difference, or simply individual variation.

Incidentally, this autumn this is the second first island record, following the Plaintive Cuckoo from the other day. Last year the Ishigaki birding scene went into an unprecedented frenzy from November onward, but this year, including these two species, things are getting even more remarkable!!

I stopped by on the way to work and the Little Curlew found three days ago was also still present and looking well.

A Common Crane on Ishigaki Island. Blown in by the northerly winds that had been raging until a few days ago, perhaps?

The Little Curlew found yesterday was walking actively around a wet grassland again today, rain and all.

A Little Whimbrel soaked by rain and turned completely black. Black enough to be mistaken for a dark morph… ^^;

Found a Little Curlew while travelling for work. I always keep a 600 mm lens in the company car for moments like this. The Little Curlew was foraging in a pasture among a flock of Pacific Golden Plovers. Two Oriental Pratincoles were nearby as well.

In a separate paddy field, a Lesser White-fronted Goose, a Taiga Bean Goose, and a Greater White-fronted Goose are still present. The first Northern Pintail of the season has also arrived.

Adult Little Whimbrel in late breeding plumage.

Found the sixth juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle of the season. It was relatively unwary and I was able to observe it at close range. With juveniles I keep the watch brief so as not to interfere with their foraging.

In the paddy fields, an Eastern Marsh Harrier appeared and startled the Pheasant-tailed Jacana. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana present since 12 October retreated into the rice and would not come back out…

A beautiful juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle.

A Red Collared Dove arrived, male and female, and were feeding on unharvested rice alongside Oriental Turtle Doves.

The first Amur Stonechat of the season confirmed in the paddy field area. In strong winds it appeared to be foraging, moving from branch to branch.

Geese and ducks are increasing. Garganey in particular seem numerous this season — they are being recorded all over the paddies. A Mallard also arrived, which is unusual for Okinawa. The two Lesser White-fronted Geese have now been here two weeks, joining up with Taiga Bean Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese to form a group of 26.

Adult male Eurasian Collared Dove. Going back and forth between the power lines and the paddies.

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.

Found the first Pectoral Sandpiper of the season. Red-throated Pipits are also increasing but still difficult to photograph.

Garganey seem numerous this season — they are being recorded in paddies all over the area.

A strong north wind, almost typhoon-like, was blowing, and Barn Swallows had come down to rest on the farm tracks.

First Pectoral Sandpiper of the season — a juvenile.