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

This is the extras edition of the 7th Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp. Since we had already observed both adult and juvenile Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe to a reasonable degree on the first day, the second day was spent observing a wider variety of species beyond snipe. This post covers those sightings, including observations from day one.

Please also see the main report from the Ishigaki Island Snipe Camp.

Three Javan Pond Herons confirmed during the Ishigaki Island snipe camp.

Ruddy Kingfisher numbers have been building up. The first call of the season came a little earlier than usual, but I had been away from the island on a family trip at the end of March, so I only just managed to get photographs. These days a bird is calling loudly around the house from early morning — at around 6 a.m. the Ruddy Kingfisher wakes me up.

The Ashy Drongo has been wintering at the same spot since around New Year, a stay of roughly four months now. That is quite a long wintering record for Ishigaki Island.

A single Ruddy Shelduck turned up in the rice paddies. Last winter one appeared briefly at the dam but I could not get a proper look, so this was my first good view in a long time. It really is a beautiful bird.

Other spring migrants are arriving one after another: Oriental Pratincole, Common Snipe, Common Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet and more.

The Ryukyu Ruddy Kingfisher arrived about a week earlier than usual this season — calls were already audible around 23 March. Numbers picked up toward the end of March. My first photos weren't until 6 April, a little later than usual, partly because I was away from the island on a trip.

Common Emerald Doves are approaching the end of the breeding season, and encounters are becoming more frequent. Northern Boobooks, Ryukyu Scops Owls, and Ruddy Kingfishers are fledging one after another.

I recorded my first Cinnamon Bittern and Purple Heron of the season, along with a juvenile Little Egret.

A Emerald Dove near home. A few juvenile feathers remain. Perhaps a second-calendar-year female.

The Pheasant-tailed Jacana usually turns up in June, but this season it was confirmed a little earlier than usual. The individual was very wary of crows and flew off every time one passed nearby.

At the baseball field, every time the Malayan Night Heron caught prey, a young Crested Serpent Eagle would steal it. Moving to a different spot would seem the obvious solution, but the pair of Malayan Night Herons appeared determined to stay at that feeding spot — they kept returning to feed despite being robbed repeatedly.

A Pheasant-tailed Jacana startled into the air by a crow. It appeared to be a young bird in first-summer plumage.

In early March on Ishigaki, Crested Serpent Eagle activity is surging with breeding season. On fine days it is possible to watch display flights. Malayan Night Herons are also moving into breeding condition and gradually taking on their nuptial colours.

Bramblings, Garganey, Wood Sandpipers, and Common Greenshanks heading north on their return migration have also arrived.

A Crested Serpent Eagle calmly lying in wait for prey in its usual territory.

The Common Hoopoe that arrived on February 24 was still present. Once startled into the woods, it tends not to come back out for a while.

White's Thrush has been unusually numerous across Japan this season, and Ishigaki Island is no exception — birds are being reported all over the place. They're large and impressive.

The Eurasian Hoopoe that has been present since yesterday was raising its crest frequently. I wish it would move somewhere a little more peaceful….

While I was eating my packed lunch in the park, a juvenile Malayan Night Heron wandered up to me. It had not been fed by people — it just happened to approach. Even so, the lack of wariness in a juvenile Malayan Night Heron is worrying.

About three Chinese Pond Herons were wintering in the paddies. They seem to be foraging in a variety of habitats — dropping into drainage channels and disappearing into the grass.

I caught up for the first time in a while with "Hayate," the juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle released in November last year. It had moved more than 10 km south in a straight line from the release point. The area is close to town and has heavy traffic, so I worry it may be hit by a vehicle.

A juvenile Malayan Night Heron. Born last year, it is in the process of molting into adult plumage.

It has been over a month since the Collared Kingfisher appeared on Ishigaki. Its daily routine has become predictable, so the encounter rate is staying at nearly 100%. It has become more wary, though, so the key is to observe without letting the Collared Kingfisher notice you.

The Tundra Swan that was on Iriomote has moved over to Ishigaki. Conversely, the Oriental Stork that was on Ishigaki has crossed over to Iriomote.

In the woodland, a Narcissus Flycatcher was found. Arctic Warblers, Japanese Bush Warblers and Manchurian Bush Warblers are also wintering.

The long-staying Collared Kingfisher. When the sun hits it, it flashes brilliantly and the contrast intensifies.

Cinnamon Bittern, Malayan Night Heron, and Purple Heron — all of which breed on Ishigaki Island — can be seen as juveniles here and there. The Grey Heron, a winter visitor, was recorded for the first time this season.

Juvenile Ryukyu Least Bittern.

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.

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 second wave of Common Hoopoes seems to be winding down. Somewhere between 40 and 50 Common Hoopoes have arrived on Ishigaki this season. While searching for them I came across several Malayan Night Herons whose nuptial colouring has deepened noticeably.

Red-throated Pipit and Siberian Pipit numbers are fluctuating wildly — flocks seem to be passing through one after another. The season's first Pacific Swift and Temminck's Stint also appeared. Little Ringed Plovers are fully in summer plumage and moving through. There was a beautiful male Common Ringed Plover in summer plumage too, but I missed the shot… ^^;

For snipe it's all Common Snipe. The Pin-tailed Snipe I found on 20 February and the Swinhoe's Snipe on 21 February remain the only records, with nothing since.

A Eurasian Hoopoe looking tired, apparently just arrived on migration.

I was up in the northern part of Ishigaki for work, so I took the chance to do a bit of birding. I had a feeling Common Hoopoe and Chinese Blackbird might have arrived, so I made a short detour — and found them straight away. Two Common Hoopoes at two sites, and one Chinese Blackbird. Common Hoopoes are being seen in good numbers on Okinawa main island, Miyako-jima and Iriomote as well; this could be a bumper year.

Also present were Arctic Warbler, Kamchatka Leaf Warbler, Daurian Redstart and Mugimaki Flycatcher. White Wagtail numbers are up, but almost all of them are the leucopsis subspecies — the largest flock was close to 30 birds. In a typical year the leucopsis birds arrive first, followed by the nominate subspecies a while later.

In the paddies, Crested Serpent Eagle — both juvenile and adult — and Malayan Night Heron are being encountered frequently.

Four Spotted Redshanks dropped out of the sky into a rice field. They came in from the direction of the sea, so they may be the birds that were recorded on Iriomote a few days ago.

Eurasian Hoopoe resting on a branch. It ended up settling in and staying put just like that.

The one Crested Serpent Eagle juvenile that's been reliably viewable was at it again today — foraging at its own pace in the rice fields, walking the bunds and catching what looked like small insects.

Malayan Night Heron adults are turning up more often. This day I had three adults and one juvenile.

The Pin-tailed Snipe is still present. The same paddy field held nearly 30 Common Snipe — presumably spring migrants passing through. New arrivals of Common Redshank, Common Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper were also noted. Migration is picking up pace.

The season's first Northern Lapwing and Grey-headed Lapwing have also arrived.

A completely fearless Crested Serpent Eagle, juvenile.

Warm days have continued, and I can now hear Ryukyu Flycatchers singing as I drive the forest roads. Common Emerald Doves are calling too. I also confirmed a Ruddy Kingfisher calling from my house — earlier than usual, possibly due to the mild winter.

Crested Serpent Eagles are in the early stages of the breeding season; wherever I go — rice paddies, sugarcane fields, forest roads — I find them in pairs.

Eastern Yellow Wagtails look set to finish the season without ever reaching their peak wintering numbers. Could this also be a mild-winter effect, with fewer flocks moving south from the continent?

Ryukyu Flycatcher heading into second-summer plumage.

Around seven Pied Avocets are staying at several sites. Water levels in the island's paddies are low, so shorebirds are scarce.

First-winter Pied Avocet.

Javan Pond Heron, Malayan Night Heron, and Cinnamon Bittern confirmed. Chinese Pond Heron and Yellow Bittern are also still present.

Javan Pond Heron in winter plumage.

A Common Emerald Dove in the neighbourhood with absolutely no fear of humans was out in the open. The bird didn't flinch even when a dump truck passed right by, and was busy pecking at fallen berries.

Most Ruddy Kingfisher pairs have finished raising their chicks, but there are still about three nests where adults are still bringing food to nestlings. Typhoon No. 6 is approaching, and all I can do is hope it passes without incident.

Emerald Dove, male.

Three juvenile Cinnamon Bitterns were in rice paddies in the same area — likely three siblings. A juvenile Purple Heron was nearby. In the forested hills, Malayan Night Herons are breeding; two fledglings appear to have left their parents.

A juvenile Ryukyu Least Bittern. The feathers are ragged — moult seems to be proceeding rapidly.

With migration winding down on Ishigaki, the island's breeding species — Ruddy Kingfisher, Ryukyu Scops Owl, Northern Boobook, Ryukyu Sparrowhawk, Malayan Night Heron and others — are busy building nests and incubating.

Ruddy Kingfishers in particular are very active. On this day, while working my regular job, I counted 13 individuals in the morning and 7 in the afternoon — 20 in total with no duplicates. I get the feeling Ruddy Kingfisher numbers are higher than usual this year.

Crested Serpent Eagles are incubating at this time of year, so encounters are fewer. Black-winged Kites breed year-round, so a few sites are also in the incubation stage right now.

Black Paradise Flycatchers have been increasing too, and their songs can be heard from all directions.

A male Ruddy Kingfisher sang at close range on a forest track. I was able to record fine detail in the recording.