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

I went birdwatching on the side while on a work trip to cover the Yonaguni Town Council election. ^^

I confirmed multiple migrating Chinese Sparrowhawk, and Common Kestrel had also arrived to overwinter. Migrating Oriental Dollarbird and Grey-streaked Flycatcher were also present, along with good numbers of overwintering Brown Shrike, Arctic Warbler, and Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

In recent years the rice paddies on Yonaguni Island have decreased, so waders and plovers are sparse — just small numbers of Black-winged Stilt, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Common Sandpiper, and Red-necked Stint.

Common Emerald Dove, having finished breeding, formed small flocks and I watched them feeding on several occasions.

Chinese Sparrowhawk, juvenile. I also picked out several adults soaring.

A work trip to Yonaguni Island gave me a little time for birding. I had hoped for rarities like the Chestnut-winged Cuckoo and Grey-faced Buzzard from the previous year, but it didn't quite work out that way. Even so, I got to see a flock of Eurasian Siskins — a species you rarely encounter on Ishigaki — so it was an enjoyable trip.

My first Naumann's Thrush of the season turned out to be on Yonaguni Island.

A Black-headed Bunting turned up after a long absence. It was very likely the same individual I briefly glimpsed in the same paddy field about a week ago. It was mixed in with a flock of several hundred Eurasian Tree Sparrows.

A Forest Wagtail appeared on the usual forest road — the sixth individual this season. Arriving this late in the year, there is a good chance it will winter here. Last year one wintered at the same spot. Once they settle into wintering mode, though, they tend to stay deep inside the forest and become harder to observe.

Arctic Warblers have been showing up since early October. Birds fresh in from migration are often in small flocks, but now they have spread across the island and each is holding a small territory. Many individuals will stay through to spring. Come April, they form flocks again in preparation for the northward journey, and some begin to sing.

Brambling have also appeared. They joined up with Eurasian Tree Sparrow flocks and were feeding on second-crop rice grain in the paddies.

White-shouldered Starlings — a few birds — were mixed into a flock of several tens of White-cheeked Starlings, along with around 20 Common Starlings. The wintering White-shouldered Starling population on the island is sizeable in its own right, and flocks of several tens are regularly seen in parks and the like.

At this time of year, snipe are mostly Common Snipe, but among a flock of ten-odd I found just two Swinhoe's Snipe. I expect them to disappear once the second-crop rice harvest gets under way. Other waders lingering in the paddies include Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, and Long-toed Stint.

Ducks are increasing too — I recorded my first Mallard of the season on Ishigaki. Mallard used to be quite scarce on Ishigaki and Okinawa, but the numbers being seen seem to grow a little more each year.

A Black-headed Bunting standing out prominently among a flock of Eurasian Tree Sparrows. It was constantly harassing them….

I photographed Red-throated Pipit and Arctic Warbler for the first time this season. I had already confirmed both by sight and call a few days ago.

On this day, more than 8,500 Grey-faced Buzzards were counted — a record — but by the time I arrived during a break from work the peak had already passed and I ended up counting only around 200…

A small flock of about ten Red-throated Pipits arrived. One or two Buff-bellied Pipits appeared to be mixed in, but I couldn't get a photo.

The Minister of Defense was visiting Yonaguni Island, so off I went on another work trip. I managed a little birdwatching in between duties. ^^

Driving through the farmland, I could hear Siberian Rubythroat, Ryukyu Robin, Manchurian Bush Warbler, Japanese Bush Warbler, Arctic Warbler, and Emberiza buntings calling. The density is considerably higher than on Ishigaki Island. It was a short visit, but I enjoyed it a great deal.

A Siberian Rubythroat in the morning, moving through the undergrowth while giving its call note.

Autumn is well and truly here — White-winged Terns, Garganey, Ruffs and Arctic Warblers are all building up steadily and the paddies are getting lively. Snipe numbers have also jumped sharply: 40 Common Snipe against 2 Swinhoe's Snipe. I couldn't find any Pin-tailed Snipe.

White-winged Tern, juvenile. The third bird this season.

A pair of Ruddy Kingfishers was hard at work excavating a nest hole. Male and female took turns digging earnestly. If all goes well, chicks should fledge in late June. While I was watching the Ruddy Kingfisher pair, a pair of Slaty-legged Crakes walked past. ^^;

A small group of Arctic Warblers was present, and I could hear both their call and their song at the same time. Bliss. ^^

Ruddy Kingfisher, male.

During a work break I counted four Common Hoopoes. Others were being seen elsewhere on the island — there were apparently at least seven birds present that day.

There was an odd thrush that looked like a Naumann's Thrush. The pattern on the breast and flanks wasn't quite right for Naumann's Thrush, and the bird gave an overall impression of Redwing. It seems quite likely to be a Naumann's Thrush × Redwing hybrid.

Eyebrowed Thrush, Brown-headed Thrush and Pale Thrush were all feeding on Machilus berries, but they disappeared into the branches and I couldn't get any photos.

The Arctic Warblers that have been wintering on Ishigaki are thinning out as the weather warms — they appear to be moving steadily northward. The individual that had been wintering around my house has quietly vanished.

A Eurasian Hoopoe that has been staying for over a week. It's unusual for one to linger that long on spring passage.

Arctic Warbler numbers are lower than in the bumper year two years ago, but a reasonable number are still wintering here. Lately I've also been hearing Kamchatka Leaf Warbler calls — possibly birds already on the move.

For snipe, all three species have shown up earlier than usual: Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe together at the same time.

An overwintering Lesser Whitethroat appeared right in front of me. I've confirmed the ID by call, but I also think I can make out the classic Lesser Whitethroat feature of P10 being shorter than the primary coverts. ^^;

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.

I searched for birds in an area where Black-naped Oriole has been appearing repeatedly over the past few days. I couldn't find the Black-naped Oriole itself, but Arctic Warbler, Eastern Crowned Warbler, Dark-sided Flycatcher, and Grey-streaked Flycatcher turned up in good numbers.

Grey-streaked Flycatchers moving through in numbers during the Chinese Sparrowhawk season.

取材と取材の間の隙間時間で石垣島初記録となるキマユホオジロを発見。4羽の小群でした。同じ群れにシベリアアオジも混じっていました。今季のエンベリは、コホオアカ、シベリアジュリン、カシラダカと合わせて、これで5種となりました。

写真は撮れませんでしたが、シラガホオジロも確認しており、可能性の高いミヤマホオジロも見つけて7種まで伸ばしたいですね。^^

11月にフィーバーしていた石垣島ですが、12月に入っても楽しい日々が続いています。

A male Yellow-browed Bunting.