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

A Common Blackbird found at Ishizaki. There were two males here, and both showed no fear of people, coming within a few metres. They were also on friendly terms with the many crows nearby — quite the sociable birds. ^^

Another Common Blackbird at the same spot as the one above. This one was equally approachable.

While I was photographing the Common Blackbird, a crow got in the way. ^^ ; The blackbird may be black, but it's no match for the blackness of a crow.

A Dusky Thrush was nearby as well.

This individual was at Kūra.

It was near the Common Blackbird above. I spotted it at the roadside, but a pedestrian startled it and it perched on a nearby branch.

Close enough for a tight crop.

The Common Blackbird walks low to the ground, creeping on tiptoe.

A Common Kestrel appeared overhead and the bird is on alert.

A Eurasian Hoopoe was in the part of the field where compost had been spread. The colour matched the ground so well I nearly missed it… ^^;

This one was inside an agricultural greenhouse with only the crumbling frame still standing. Of all places!!

I would normally have walked past without looking, but this time I was searching quite thoroughly because I was determined to find one — and it paid off. Hoopoe number two.

The third Eurasian Hoopoe was found at Sakieda. It was on a footpath covered in dead leaves. I had hoped to photograph a hoopoe on a nice green lawn, but every background this time round was brown. ^^;

A car passed and startled it, and it flew up into a nearby Chinaberry tree.

A Eurasian Hoopoe eating a cockroach.

A Eurasian Hoopoe eating a white cockroach. Freshly moulted, perhaps?

In the field where compost was piled there was a Eurasian Hoopoe and a Grey-headed Lapwing. The lapwing seemed to be watching for a chance to steal the hoopoe's prey, but when it moved to attack, the hoopoe darted quickly into the trees. The video below shows that moment.

There were large numbers of Daurian Redstarts. It seems we hit the timing of a flock passing through Ishigaki Island.

A male Daurian Redstart. I have no idea how many Daurian Redstarts I saw in total that day. ^^;

It appears to be a Brown Shrike or a hybrid involving one, but I'm not sure.

Wings spread.

The juvenile scaly markings that were partially visible on the breast have moulted out completely.

The overall impression is of an Isabelline Shrike.

Are there six EPT feathers?

A Brant feeding on seaweed.

It looks younger than the individual I saw in Chiba Prefecture last year — could it be a juvenile?

The plumage condition doesn't look like an adult either. I'm not sure how many years it takes for a Brant to acquire adult plumage, but the white bars on the median and greater coverts — a juvenile plumage feature — look fairly worn.

Even when anglers and others approach quite close, it shows little sign of fleeing.

I don't know how long it will stay, but I'd like to check in on it from time to time.