Hello Kantorians,

I came away from this trip with two lessons learned: 1) Don't take anything (any bird, that is) for granted; the specialty Ryukyu birds are almost all difficult to find, or at least see, and 2) Don't go into the bush; not because of the habu, but because of poison ivy. (I'm fully aware of what poison ivy looks like, but not at night :-(

We had 2+ days on Ishigakijima (midday April 2 thru morning April 5), 3+ days on Okinawa itself (night April 5 thru morning April 9), and 2 days on Amami-Oshima (late April 9 thru afternoon April 11).

These islands are a far cry from our home in Aomori Prefecture. We didn't have to wear a jacket. There were palm trees and tree ferns. There were beaches free of garbage, and water warm enough for swimming. We used our air conditioner. There was no snow on the ground. (While we were there, we missed 25 cm of new snow.)

A note on Okinawa:

Road construction is rampant throughout Yambaru, the hilly, forested area of the north which contains most of the interesting wildlife. I visited Okinawa twice before, in August 1991 and September 1992. At that time, construction was underway in many places, most notably the Okuni Rindo, but most of the forest tracks were still unpaved. Now, there is virtually no unpaved road surface remaining. Of course this makes the driving easier, but I believe it has had an adverse impact on wildlife, at least that near any of these roads. See following species discussions for details.
The really silly thing about it all is that we could find no evidence that anyone uses these roads. Aside from on Rt. 2, the major road going east-west across the mountains, we only encountered 2 other vehicles (excluding construction machinery and birders) on these roads during the whole time we were there, and they were both on the Okuni Rindo. The many miles of smaller roads were completely empty. Were they built for any reason other than employment? Additionally, and atypically for Japan, these new roads are not being maintained. In some places, encroaching vegetation has diminished the effective width of the road by as much as a third.

Some discussion regarding some of the endemics:

  • Amami Woodcock (Amami-yama-shigi) (Scolopax mira)

    An American we know who leads birding trips to Japan (including Amami) at least twice a year told us this bird was "always" easy to see, and quite specifically where to see it. Two of the birders we met in Okinawa had just come from Amami themselves, and they also described their sightings of it as "easy" and of "several". The area is that described in both Brazil and Robinson. Based on all this information, some of it only two days old, we felt quite confident. But .. this is the bird that taught me my lesson of not taking any bird for granted. We searched the area thoroughly, but to no avail. The only possible explanation I can think of is the heavy rain and high wind of the preceding night and day, which may have created enough additional areas suitable for feeding that the birds didn't have to come out on the roadsides. We were also unable to find Amami Black Rabbit. This is a bird I saw a couple of times on the roads at night during my previous visits to Okinawa, where the bird is less common. We didn't see any there either this time, and I suspect the paving of the forest tracks is the main reason why. We heard (from Tom Kompier) that the woodcock is in grave danger of extinction due to introduced mongooses. It's amazing in light of all we now know about island ecosystems that this method of controlling snakes can actually be pursued.

  • Okinawa Rail (Yanbaru-kuina) (Rallus okinawae):

    Apparently, the traditional method of finding this bird (spotlighting for roosting birds in trees) is now a losing proposition. We encountered several other visiting birders on Okinawa who had all been attempting this for several nights with no success. It is unclear to me whether this is something new or if it had always been like that. On my previous visits to Okinawa (8/91 and 9/92) I enjoyed a total of 4 sightings, and only one was of a roosting bird. The other 3 were chance encounters during the mid-to-late morning of individuals running across the road or up a roadside embankment. A couple of the other birders we met had had a similar experience. Does the seemingly increased difficulty in locating this bird mean that the population has declined? Or might it again have something to do with the tracks having been paved recently?

  • Ryukyu Scops Owl (Konoha-zuku) (Otus elegans)

    This is a very common bird on all three islands we visited, and during parts of the night seemed to be calling everywhere. But somehow again, spotlighting on Okinawa and Ishigakijima was completely ineffective. In this case, I do remember having inordinate difficulty seeing them on my previous Okinawa trips. The literature implies this bird is easy to find. Only on Amami did we have any real success with it, getting several good views while missing the woodcock.

  • Pryer's Woodpecker (Noguchi-gera) (Sapheopipo noguchii)

    Again, this species seemed a lot more difficult to find than on my previous visits. We heard several individuals drumming (at great distances) before we finally met with a female perched in the open on a dead snag. It quickly dropped into the forest, however, after which it became very inconspicuous. This bird is quiet even when feeding. This may be the most endangered of the Ryukyu endemics, and yet logging and road construction continue in its limited habitat.

  • "Amami" White-backed Woodpecker (O-aka-gera) (Dendrocopus leucotos

    owstoni(?)) This is probably not considered a species by anyone, but we thought it was one of the most interesting birds of the trip. We had reasonable views of one below the Supa Rindo, but at the Nature Center north of Naze we found a pair excavating a nest cavity. It was very low and near a building and a footpath, in a position where human disturbance will be inevitable. Indeed, the birds did get displaced from the nest area on a few occasions while we watched. The cavity under construction appeared to be their third attempt within a single square foot area of the trunk, and so they do seem determined to use that site. I'd be very interested in hearing from anyone who goes there during the next month whether or not the birds succeed.

  • Ryukyu Robin (Akahige) (Erithacus komadori)

    This is one of those birds that can be singing only a few feet away and yet never show itself. We were in the right areas every day at dawn, and yet only once did we chance upon one on the road. We had better luck seeing them at mid-morning, by patiently maneuvering for views of singing birds. We certainly had no problem hearing lots of them singing, starting well before sunrise, sometimes continuing into mid-day. Even though we eventually enjoyed good views and even got a photo or two, I'd hate to be under the gun to find one within only a day or two.

  • Amami Thrush

    Species or not, this is probably a bird worth finding. The problem was that we couldn't. We didn't even hear one. They should be along and below the Supa Rindo. They are reputed to visit roadsides at dawn, but of course nothing was visiting roadsides while we were there :-(. Maybe next time.

  • Lidth's Jay (Ruri-kakesu) (Garrulus lidthi)

    Even though this bird is common and widespread on Amami-Oshima, walking into the nicest looking patch of forest (eg, along the Supa Rindo) is not a good way to see one. They may be making noise close by, but in typical jay fashion somehow always seem to be just behind the foliage. We think the best place is the Virgin Mangrove Forest, located right along Rt. 58 about a half-hour's drive south from Naze. Here one can stand on the bridge (plenty of room for this) and overlook an expanse of treetops over which the jays sometimes fly and on which they may perch. We saw them quickly here and it saved us some difficult searching later on. Another good place is the new Nature Center north of Naze.

    In case this all sounds a bit gloomy, I should mention a few highlights. There was the pair of Banded (Slaty-legged) Crakes at their nighttime forest roost on Ishigakijima. Photographing them is what got me into poison ivy. The great views of Malay Night Heron on Ishigakijima was also fun. And the giant fruit bats. The apparent Pintail Snipe at Kijyoka on Okinawa was a pleasant surprise, not to mention the great views of Ruddy Crakes and Cinnamon Bitterns there. It was nice to see the flight of Gray-faced Buzzard-Eagles on Okinawa on the first sunny day after a rainy spell. And it would take me a while to get tired of Lidth's Jays. 

    Here's the bird list:  
I = Ishigakijima
O = Okinawa
A = Amami-Oshima
+H = additional individuals heard only; eg, "A5,+3H" means a total of 8
individuals noted on Amami
? = I can't remember

Little Grebe (I6)			Kaitsuburi		Podiceps ruficollis
Great (sp.?) Cormorant (I1, A1)		Kawa-u			Phalacrocorax carbo
Cinnamon Bittern (O4)			Ryukyu-yoshi-goi	Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
Japanese Night Heron (O1 (roadkill))	Mizo-goi		Gorsakius goisagi
Malay Night Heron (I3)			Zuguro-mizo-goi		Gorsakius melanocephalus
Black-cr. Night Heron (I3, O3)		Goi-sagi		Nycticorax nycticorax
Green-backed Heron (I3, O1)		Sasa-goi		Butorides striatus
Cattle Egret (I100, O15)		Ama-sagi		Bulbulcus ibis
Great Egret (I10, O5)			Dai-saga		Egretta alba
Intermediate Egret (I10, O5, A5)	Chu-sagi		Egretta intermedia
Little Egret (I20, O10, A2)		Ko-sagi			Egretta garzetta
Eastern Reef Heron (I25, O2)		Kuro-sagi		Egretta sacra
Gray Heron (I5, O2)			Ao-sagi			Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron (I5)			Murasaki-sagi		Ardea purpurea
Spot-billed Duck (I40)			Karu-gamo		Anas poecilorhyncha
Common Teal (I2)	              	Ko-gamo			Anas crecca
Eurasian Wigeon (I25)	            	Hidori-gamo		Anas penelope
Northern Pintail (I2)	          	Onaga-gamo		Anas acuta
Garganey (I15)				SHimaaji		Anas querquedula
Northern Shoveler (I20)		        Hashibiro-gamo		Anas clypeata
Pochard (I5) 	                    	Hoshi-hajiro		Aythya ferina
Tufted Duck (I20)			Kinkuro-hajiro          Aythya fuligula		
Greater Scaup (I1)			Suzu-gamo               Aythya marila
Osprey (I5, O2)				Misago			Pandion haliaetus
Japanese Lesser Sparrowhawk (I6,O7,A3H)	Tsumi			Accipiter gularis
Eurasian Sparrow Hawk (O2)     		Hai-taka		Accipiter nisus
Common Buzzard (I1)			Nosuri                  Buteo buteo
Gray-faced Buzzard-Eagle (I4, O180, A2)	Sashiba			Butastur indicus
Crested Serpent Eagle (I8)		Kanmuri-washi		Spilornis cheela
Peregrine Falcon (I2, O1)		Hayabusa		Falco peregrinus
Eurasian Kestrel (I3)			Chogenbo		Falco tinnunculus
Okinawa Rail (O15H)			Yanbaru-kuina		Rallus okinawae
Banded Crake (I2,+3H)			O-kuina			Rallina eurizonoides
Ruddy Crake (O4,+6H, A2H)		Hi-kuina		Porzana fusca
White-breasted Waterhen (I20, O1)	Shirohara-kuina		Amaurornis phoenicurus
Moorhen (I10, O25)			Ban			Gallinula chloropus
Kentish Plover (I5)			Shiro-chidori		Charadrius alexandrinus
Mongolian Plover (I2)	    		Medai-chidori		Charadrius mongolus
Greater Sand Plover (I8)		Omedai-chidori		Charadrius leschenaultii
Pacific Golden Plover (I10, O10)	Munaguro		Pluvialis pacifica
Black-bellied Plover (I1)		Daizen			Pluvialis squatarola
Ruddy Turnstone (I3)		 	Kyojo-shigi		Arenaria interpres
Red-necked Stint (I4)	    		Tonen			Calidris ruficollis
Curlew Sandpiper (I1)			Saru-hama-shigi		Calidris ferruginea
Spotted Redshank (I2)	    		Tsuru-shigi		Tringa erythropus
Marsh Sandpiper (I3)			Ko-aoashi-shigi		Tringa stagnatilis
Greenshank (I15, O1)			Aoashi-shigi		Tringa nebularia
Wood Sandpiper (O10)			Takabu-shigi		Tringa glareola
Gray-tailed Tattler (I50)		Kiashi-shigi		Tringa brevipes
Common Sandpiper (I10, O1)		Iso-shigi		Tringa hypoleucos
Whimbrel (I6, O4)			Chushaku-shigi		Numenius phaeopus
Common Snipe (O10)			Ta-shigi		Gallinago gallinago
Pintail Snipe (O1)			Hario-shigi		Gallinago stenura
Black-winged Stilt (I4)			Seitaka-shigi		Himantopus himatopes
Barred Button-Quail (I1H)		Mifu-uzura		Turnix suscitator
Japanese Wood Pigeon (O6, A1)		Karasu-bato		Columba janthina
Rufous Turtle Dove (I50, O30, A10)	Kiji-bato		Streptopelia orientalis
Emerald Dove (I10,+2H)			Kin-bato		Chalcophaps indica
Japanese Green Pigeon (I3) 		Ao-bato			Sphenurus sieboldii
Red-capped Green Pigeon (I25, O10)	Zuaka-ao-bato		Sphenurus formosae
Ryukyu Scops Owl (I8H, O30H, A4,+10H)	Konoha-zuku		Otus elegans
Brown Hawk Owl (I3,+5H, O1,+30H)	Aoba-zuku		Ninox scutulata
Pacific Swift (I1, A1)			Amatsubame		Apus pacificus
Ruddy Kingfisher (I1H)			Aka-shobin		Halcyon coromanda
Common Kingfisher (I1)         		Kawasemi		Alcedo atthis
Pryer's Woodpecker (O2,+6H)		Noguchi-gera		Sapheopipo noguchii
White-backed Woodpecker (A3,+5)		O-aka-gera		Dendrocopus leucotos
Japanese Pygmy Woodp (I8, O10)		Ko-gera                	Dendrocopos kizuki
Skylark (I20, O1, A20)			Hibari			Alauda arvensis
Barn Swallow (I25, O20, A10)		Tsubame			Hirundo rustica
Pacific Swallow (O50)			Ryukyu-tsubame		Hirundo tahitica
Asiatic House Martin (O6, A3)		Iwa-tsubame		Delichon ??
Gray Wagtail (I10, O10, A3)		Ki-sekirei		Motacilla cinerea
Black-backed Wagtail (O1)		Haku-sekirei		Motacilla lugens
Olive Tree Pipit (I4)			Binzui			Anthus hodgsoni
Red-throated Pipit (A1)			Muneaka-tahibari	Anthus cervina
Ashy Minivet (I5, O25)			Sansho-kui		Pericrocotus divaricatus tegimae
Chinese Bulbul (I25, O2)		Shiroga-shira		Pycnonotus sinensis
Brown-eared Bulbul (I100, O250, A50)	Hiyodori		Hypsipetes amaurotis
Brown Shrike (I5, O1)			Aka-mozu		Lanius cristatus
Ryukyu Robin (O5,+70H, A2,+6H)		Akahige			Erithacus komadori
Daurian Redstart (I1f)			Jo-bitaki		Phoenicurus auroreus
Stonechat (O1m)				No-bitaki		Saxicola torquata
Blue Rock Thrush (I5, O25)		Isohiyodori		Monticola solitarius
Pale thrush (I30, O25, A20)		Shirohara		Turdus pallidus
Dusky Thrush (I1)		  	Tsugumi			Turdus naumanni
Short-tailed Bush Warbler (A1H)		Yabusame		Cettia squameiceps
Bush Warbler (I10, O25, A10)		Uguisu			Cettia diphone
Fan-tailed Warbler (I20, O20, A5)	Sekka			Cisticola juncidis
Varied Tit (O20, A10)			Yama-gara		Parus varius
Great Tit (I10, O20, A20)		Shiju-kara		Parus major
Japanese White-Eye (I25, O30, A?)	Mejiro			Zosterops japonica
Black-faced Bunting (O3, A?)		Aoji			Emberiza spodocephala
Hawfinch (I2)				Shime			Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (I20, O20, A20)	Suzume			Passer montanus
Red-cheeked Myna (O25)			Ko-mukudori		Sturnus philippensis
Gray Starling (A?)			Mukudori		Sturnus cineraceus
Lidth's Jay (A10,+10H)			Ruri-kakesu		Garrulus lidthi
Jungle Crow (I100, O75, A50)		Hashibuto-garasu	Corbus macrorhynchos


    

Good Birding,
Mike


*************************************
Mike Danzenbaker & Lee Hung
PSC  76  Box  6193
APO  AP  96319-6193