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

Black-winged kite Asian koel Crested serpent eagle Pintail Snipe Eurasian Hoopoe

GUIDED BIRDWATCHING TOUR

Go where the birds are. The SHIMASOBA Tour launches.

We'll drive you around Ishigaki Island to wherever the birds are showing best that day. Observation is mostly from inside the vehicle, and we keep it to a maximum of 3 guests so everyone can take their time.

Max. 3 guests 4 hours in the morning Beginners welcome
Check availability and book

漫湖、三角池、米須にオグロシギ

漫湖と三角池と米須にオグロシギが1羽ずつ、合わせて3羽入りました。3カ所同時に入るとは興味深い。

南部の畑を車で走っているとツバメチドリ8羽の群れが上空を旋回中。どこに降りるのか双眼鏡で見ていたら、目の前の畑に3羽が降りた。残りの5羽は少し離れた畑に降りて見失ってしまった。今まさに渡ってきた群れが降りたようで、どの個体も疲れた様子でした。

三角池には、オグロシギの他にヒバリシギやセイタカシギ、ウズラシギ 、タシギなどが数羽ずついました。

バンは抱卵中で、親鳥がいないときに双眼鏡で覗いて見ると卵を二つ温めていた。

沖縄のカモは、ほとんど繁殖地へ渡って行きましたが、米須海岸にヒドリガモが1羽だけ残っていた。沖縄こどもの国のキンクロハジロのように怪我でもしているのだろうか?

Black-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit

A Bar-tailed Godwit at Komen, almost fully transitioned from winter to summer plumage. It was gone the next day.

Black-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit

A Bar-tailed Godwit whose striped breast pattern looks sharp and summery.

Oriental Pratincole
Oriental Pratincole

Oriental Pratincoles arrived in the fields.

Black-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit

The Bar-tailed Godwit at Sankakuike was being harassed by Black-winged Stilts.

Black-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit, juvenile to first-summer plumage.

Common Moorhen
Common Moorhen

The Common Moorhen is incubating.

Long-toed Stint
Long-toed Stint

A few Long-toed Stints are staying in the area.

Categories: 野鳥

増えてきたリュウキュウサンコウチョウ

繁殖のため沖縄にやってくるリュウキュウサンコウチョウが今年も姿を見せてくれるようになりました。1羽のオスは、私の目の前で1時間半ほど餌取りやさえずりなどを見せてくれました。巣作りはまだのようです。

サンコウチョウの営巣ポイントを2カ所ほど回るとオス4羽、メス2羽が確認できました。オスたちは、縄張りに他の個体が入ってくると追いかけたり、メスがやってくると近づき、羽を見せつけたりしていました。

昨年、3ペアが子育てした南部の雑木林では、今年もオスが3羽やってきたので、巣作りが始まるころには賑やかになりそうです。

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

A male Japanese Paradise Flycatcher that flew out close by while chasing a Styan's Bulbul.

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

It was catching small insects in the undergrowth, but occasionally came out into the open for me.

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

Got a clean shot from head to tail tip. ^^

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

Now and then it flew to spots where there seemed to be no prey insects, showing what looked like behaviour of scouting out a nest site.

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

This male Japanese Paradise Flycatcher seemed to favour this tree as a feeding spot and stayed for about an hour and a half. A short-tailed male was also in the same area, but that one wouldn't let me photograph it.

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

He moved to another tree to court the female, but she didn't appear to be interested and flew off almost immediately. Her calls are coming from the thicket behind him, so she doesn't seem to dislike him entirely.

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

A male, but looking back over his shoulder like a beauty.

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

Males seemed to be overwhelmingly more numerous — I wonder if the females migrate later.

Ryukyu Bulbul
Ryukyu Bulbul

A Brown-eared Bulbul was also building a nest.

Categories: 野鳥