Graceful Pied avocet

　When I first took up birdwatching over 40 years ago, the Pied avocet was synonymous with ‘rare birds’. With its upward-curving bill and the beautiful contrast between its white and black plumage, I had always hoped to catch a glimpse of it in Japan one day.

　However, although numbers remain low even on Honshu, they have been migrating here almost every year in recent times and are no longer considered an extremely rare sight. That said, my heart still leaps whenever I spot one.

　When I was in Senegal, I often saw individuals wintering in the wetlands from September to March, but they were all extremely wary. On Ishigaki Island, however, they are often seen resting in rice paddies, and some of them are not particularly wary.