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

The raptors that winter on Ishigaki Island are now all showing up: Upland Buzzard, Saker Falcon, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Grey-faced Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Short-eared Owl, and more.

The ducks, Eurasian Coots, and small birds that serve as prey are on edge whenever a raptor appears.

Juvenile Upland Buzzard. One appears every year, but this individual is not very wary and is easy to observe and photograph.

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle, which has been hard to find reliably this season, was out in the farmland. A Common Kestrel that has been present for several days seems to have taken a liking to the pasture and was hunting in a relaxed manner.

The Javan Pond Heron has been staying a long time, but the recent pattern is for it to leave around March, before shifting into breeding plumage.

Six Pied Avocets are staying at four sites. How long will they stick around?

Juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle. I heard its call and went looking — and there it was.

Wishing everyone a happy new year.

The new year got off to a rough start — the entire family came down with COVID-19 right at the beginning of the holidays. We couldn't go anywhere, and I spent the time in bed until the 8th. ^^

My first birding of the year was on the 9th. Overwintering since last year: Common Crane, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Shelduck, Tundra Swan, Korean Kestrel, Grey-faced Buzzard, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, thrushes, wagtails, Amur Stonechat, Chinese Pond Heron, and four species of starling.

For New Year's, you can't leave out a juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle — the bird celebrated in the Okinawan song "Washi nu Tui-bushi."

The dark-morph Grey-faced Buzzard that has been wintering on Ishigaki Island for five consecutive years has become easier to observe. It may be showing itself in prominent spots because it is facing off against a neighbouring individual in an adjacent territory.

Korean Kestrels are numerous this season, with three individuals confirmed. Continental birds must be bold — none of them shows any wariness at all.

A dark-morph Grey-faced Buzzard visiting for the fifth consecutive year. After a long while, I was finally able to photograph it in sunlight.

先日のチョウセンチョウゲンボウの写真 があまりにもひどかったので撮り直してきました。警戒心もなく観察しやすい個体です。チョウセンチョウゲンボウは完全に越冬モードなので来春までは見られそうです。

ヒシクイ、オオヒシクイ、マガンの群れは9羽まで増えました。最初は 10月にマガン1羽 、 11月にヒシクイ4羽 、いつの間にかオオヒシクイが3羽合流してしばらく8羽でいたのですが、つい数日前にさらにヒシクイが1羽追加され、現在は9羽の群れで越冬中。石垣島でこの数は初記録と思われます。西表島では過去にコハクチョウ9羽の記録があります。

サシバは沖縄本島に比べると少ないですが、それでも安定して越冬個体が見られます。

ツグミも日に日に数を増やしています。ことしはハチジョウツグミは少ないですが、石垣島では年によってはツグミが少なく、ハチジョウツグミだらけのこともあります。

ことし生まれのリュウキュウヨシゴイは換羽が進んでいました。

Female juvenile Amur Falcon.

11月から滞在のチョウセンチョウゲンボウ を久しぶりに観察。一瞬の出会いでした。チョウゲンボウは島のあちこちで越冬中。

シマアカモズも農耕地に行けば会えるのですが、きょうは警戒心の弱いオスがいました。

A wintering Lesser Kestrel. It appeared suddenly and flew off before I could get my camera ready.

チョウセンチョウゲンボウが田んぼに飛来しています。行動範囲は広く、神出鬼没ですが、警戒心の弱い個体で近くで観察できます。

夕方になるとカタグロトビのペアが畑に現れ、獲物を狙っていました。求愛給餌も期待したのですが、獲物がいないようでどこかへ飛んでいってしまいました。こちらも行動範囲が広いです。

Amur Falcon, female, first-winter. Some juvenile feathers are still retained.