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

Emerald dove Short-eared Owl Glossy Ibis Collared Kingfisher Ryukyu flycatcher

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

農耕地でアカアシチョウゲンボウ、サシバ、シマアカモズ

10日前から確認されているアカアシチョウゲンボウ が今日もいました。餌が豊富なようで、チョウゲンボウに追われていなくなったと思ったらしばらくして帰ってくるパターンが数日続いています。ネズミやバッタ、トンボ、ハチの仲間などを食っているようです。

サシバは、アカアシチョウゲンボウのことを気にしていないようで、同じ電線に止まっていました。

サシバは今が渡りのピークあたりで、あちこちの畑で見かけるとともに、昼間も小規模なタカ柱をつくって青空を舞っていました。

Red-footed Falcon
Red-footed Falcon

A Red-footed Falcon launching from its perch after spotting prey.

Red-footed Falcon
Red-footed Falcon

The small black object in the direction of the Red-footed Falcon's gaze is the prey — a bee.

Red-footed Falcon
Red-footed Falcon

It successfully caught the bee.

Red-footed Falcon
Red-footed Falcon

Eating the caught prey while in flight.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

A Grey-faced Buzzard headed into the grass, targeting a mouse.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

It dived into the grass.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

A Grey-faced Buzzard that caught a mouse. It tried repeatedly to swallow it whole, but in the end tore it apart and ate it.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

A Grey-faced Buzzard launching from its perch after spotting prey.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

Grey-faced Buzzard in flight.

Isabelline Shrike
Isabelline Shrike

A Brown Shrike was impaling a grasshopper as a larder.

Categories: 野鳥

まだいたキビタキとエゾビタキ

先日のキビタキのオス は2羽ともまだいました。滞在1週間になります。秋の渡りのキビタキにしては長逗留。ここのところ天気が悪かったからかな。前回は、数人に囲まれていたので高い枝ばかりに止まっていましたが、今日は、ベンチに1人で座っていると目線の高さで近くまで向こうから寄ってきました。やはり鳥は待たないとダメですね。最短では3メートルまで寄ってきましたよ。^^

エゾビタキも数羽が滞在中。こちらは入れ替わっているのかどうなのか個体識別ができないので分かりませんが、キビタキと同じで天候待ちの渡り待機組でしょう。

足元には何匹かリュウキュウカジカガエルが現れました。雨が降ったり止んだりだからか?

Narcissus Flycatcher
Narcissus Flycatcher

A male Narcissus Flycatcher. It perched on a fukugi right in front of me.

Narcissus Flycatcher
Narcissus Flycatcher

This one was close too.

Narcissus Flycatcher
Narcissus Flycatcher

Sitting quietly on a bench and watching, it came down to the ground repeatedly to forage. The Narcissus Flycatcher was behaving in much the same way as the Grey-streaked Flycatcher.

Narcissus Flycatcher
Narcissus Flycatcher

It was in slight backlighting, but this was the closest shot. It was calling repeatedly — I couldn't quite tell whether it was a contact call or something else.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher
Grey-streaked Flycatcher

A few Grey-streaked Flycatchers were in the same park as well. The Grey-streaked Flycatchers and Narcissus Flycatchers paid no attention to each other at all.

Ryukyu kajika frog
Ryukyu kajika frog

Perhaps because of the overcast skies and occasional rain, a Ryukyu Kajika Frog also appeared.

Categories: 野鳥 / 爬虫類・両生類