A trip to Ishigaki last week with the foolish, misguided, never to be repeated (until next time) aim of seeing a Javan Pond Heron, not surprisingly focused more on wet fields than other habitats. Consequently, herons and passage waders featured strongly.
The commonest herons/bitterns of interest to a Kansai resident would be Purple Heron, Cinnamon Bittern and Malayan Night Heron. The latter, more of a nocturnal woodland bird, was easily seen each day after packing up trawling the paddies in search of the already departed Javan Pond Heron.
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| Cinnamon Bitterns were frequently seen flying over fields... |
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| ...in fields... |
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| ...or flying out of fields into trees. Well, they were just pretty common. |
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| I saw two Grey Herons over four days, they were replaced by Purple in the usual habitats. |
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| Immature Purple. |
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| The same immature. |
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| Another adult Purple Heron with an eye out for a meal; and finding one. |
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| Malayan Night Herons were easily found at dawn and dusk, there were usually two together at this spot. |
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| This adult favoured an open lawn so the light was better for photography. |
