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

An adult Greater White-fronted Goose. The first time I've seen a Greater White-fronted Goose on Okinawa-hontō. On Ishigaki-jima I see them about once a year, but usually just 1–2 birds.

Greater White-fronted Goose, juvenile.

Two adults and five juveniles together. Presumably a family.

Greater White-fronted Goose, adult.

Greater White-fronted Goose juvenile. It was calm even at close range, preening and so on.

A long journey must make them thirsty.

Greater White-fronted Goose — one adult and three juveniles. The adult is at far right.

A Greater White-fronted Goose family doing their bit for weeding.

This Greater White-fronted Goose family seemed fairly unafraid of people; over two hours of watching, they eventually came to within about 10 metres.

Greater White-fronted Goose in flight.

First Eurasian Coot of the season. They seem to be turning up all over the place.

White Wagtails and Eastern Yellow Wagtails were also increasing in number.

Eurasian Wigeon. In a mixed flock of about 10, including Mallard and Northern Shoveler.

The sky was overcast, but the Caspian Tern flew past close by several times.

How many Caspian Terns are there in total? Will they winter here?

A little further off, a Black-headed Gull was flying around as well.

A Caspian Tern with a mullet it had caught.

The moment it landed it dropped the mullet it had worked so hard to catch — and never went back to pick it up. Why?

A Caspian Tern cruising unhurriedly through the roar of jet fighters.

This juvenile Caspian Tern appeared to have swallowed a fishhook; a length of fishing line was visible hanging from its bill.

A juvenile Osprey also managed to get itself a mullet.

A juvenile Osprey tries to pin down a mullet and eat it, but the fish is very much alive and giving it a hard time.

Spotted a Far Eastern Curlew in the distance.

A few Pacific Reef Herons also seem to be using the feeding grounds, but territorial squabbles are constant.

A Little Egret came right in front of me and was catching small fish.

The two remaining Lesser Crested Terns rode the north wind and climbed higher and higher, shrinking to specks. I thought they were heading off on migration, but they wheeled back. ^^

The fishing line that had been hanging from the beak of the juvenile Lesser Crested Tern was no longer visible. Did it swallow the line completely, or did it come free…?

The Far Eastern Curlews had increased to two.

An Osprey arrived carrying a half-eaten fish. Chased off by a crow, perhaps?

There are several Ospreys at Gushi tidal flat, and they occasionally have minor skirmishes.

J15, the Black-faced Spoonbill that comes every year.

The star of Sankaku Pond in winter is the Black-faced Spoonbill. Numbers will only keep growing from here.

The 4th individual of the year, 3rd of the season: Pied Avocet in 1st-winter plumage.

A Pied Avocet flushed by cleaning workers. What a bizarre shape it makes in flight.

This small, murky pond apparently holds plenty of food, and many wild birds come here to winter every year. The Pied Avocet was sweeping its bill from side to side, picking up small shellfish and aquatic insects.

A Pied Avocet circling over Sankaku Pond.

The Black-winged Stilt was startled and took flight.

A Common Snipe circled overhead at speed, calling

Teal and Northern Shovelers were also circling.

After circling a few times, it came gliding back down.

There was one Eurasian Curlew. It appeared to be catching crabs by probing its long bill into their burrows.

There were about 20 Sanderlings. They have been here since last month, so it seems they are wintering.

Among the flock of Sanderlings, there was one Dunlin mixed in. The Dunlin was in first-winter plumage.

In Okinawa, Pacific Golden Plovers are by far the most common, but a few Grey Plovers are also staying here.

Kentish Plover. Still in summer plumage in November.

Lesser Sand Plover in winter plumage.

Sanderling in flight.

Eurasian Curlew in flight.

Almost uncropped at 1200mm. ^^

It was flying back and forth along the coast, east and west, catching prey from the tide pools.

Judging from the upperpart plumage, it appears to be in first-winter plumage.

Saunders's Gull, front view.

Saunders's Gull is a small, charming gull. It was also quite approachable.

A Peregrine Falcon that came gliding in from nowhere over the sea.

A Peregrine Falcon crossing right in front of me, showing no interest in prey.

It's a shame the clouds came in just at that moment.

Bathing in a freshwater spring. How does the Peregrine Falcon know that fresh water seeps out here?

The Peregrine Falcon is usually so bold, but… ^^;

I climbed up onto the reef to shoot it without being noticed. Afterward, it headed back the way it came.

An Osprey also came by, targeting fish in the tide pools.

Right in front of me, a Little Egret caught a large mullet. The mullet caught my eye… ^^;

Six Black-faced Spoonbills were resting on a sandbar that remains at high tide on the Tomishiro tidal flat. The Black-faced Spoonbill at the far left is wearing a leg band reading "J15".

One Eurasian Spoonbill at Sankaku Pond. It was moving around actively.

Also at Sankaku Pond — a Pied Avocet.

The two Black-faced Spoonbills at Sankaku Pond were foraging.

A big yawn from the Eurasian Spoonbill. ^^

In a rice field near the Pied Avocet, a Red Turtle-Dove was gleaning fallen grain among Oriental Turtle-Doves. In the Yaeyamas, whenever you find a flock of Oriental Turtle-Doves, you always have to check for Red Turtle-Doves!!

There were two Pied Avocets. In separate fields.

When I lived on Ishigaki-jima, Purple Herons could be found any time, so I rarely bothered to photograph them. On the Okinawa mainland, however, they are very scarce, so I got a shot of an adult first.

Then I also got a juvenile Purple Heron.

A juvenile Malayan Night Heron foraging in the rain.

At Hirakubo, a soaking-wet juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle.

Isabelline Shrikes are also scarce on the Okinawa mainland.

Perhaps because of the strong winds in the morning, Black-headed Gulls were spending time with Eastern Cattle Egrets in the rice fields.

White-breasted Waterhen — I never see them at all on the Okinawa mainland, but there are plenty on Ishigaki-jima.

In a rice field, a Crested Serpent Eagle was eating a small turtle.

A Black-winged Kite stooping on prey it had spotted.

It was targeting mice hiding among the tall grass. The moment of the catch was completely obscured by the vegetation. ^^;

It turned toward me for just a moment. I managed to get a look at the Black-winged Kite's bright red eyes.

I keep hoping the sun will come out, but apparently when the weather is good, hunting starts later and it ends up being dark anyway. Probably adjusting to when the mice are active.

The Black-winged Kite has a fierce expression, but straight on it's a little endearing.

Because Black-winged Kites hover while searching for prey, it's hard to get any background other than open sky.

I was hoping for some sunshine, but it was overcast on Ishigaki-jima all day long… ^^;

Caught a mouse.

Foraging in the afternoon light.

It was quite wary for a Pied Avocet — it tensed up whenever a farmer walked past. That upright posture and those beautifully aligned long legs look just like a ballerina. ^^

This is where I first found it. Even at 1200mm it came out like this, so it was quite a distance away.