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

Lesser Whistling Duck Pied Avocet Asian koel Emerald dove Pintail Snipe

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

オニアジサシ6羽とズグロカモメ

具志干潟にオニアジサシが6羽入りました。過去最高タイ記録です。ズグロカモメ1羽に越冬ミサゴも増えてきました。具志干潟にオニアジサシとズグロカモメは、10月末から11月上旬にかけての風物詩です。

オニアジサシは、満潮近くなると具志干潟上空を飛び回り、あちこちでドボンドボンと魚を捕まえていた。ズグロカモメはシオマネキを捕まえているようでした。

増えてきた越冬ミサゴも現れて魚を捕まえていた。

風向きが悪く、飛び込む姿は全て後ろからでした。南風が吹いてくれたらなー。

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern

A Caspian Tern that caught a fish. It swallows it while flying around.

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern

A Caspian Tern skimming the water surface.

Saunders's Gull
Saunders's Gull

One Black-headed Gull. I expect the numbers will increase a bit more.

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern / Saunders's Gull

Caspian Tern and Black-headed Gull.

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern

This Caspian Tern has four primary feathers still to replace in its moult.

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern

The wind direction was bad, and every plunge-dive was facing away from me. The hunt was successful — it has a fish in its bill.

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern

Swallowed in one gulp while still in flight.

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern / Saunders's Gull

Five Caspian Terns and one Black-headed Gull. The sixth Caspian Tern was flying around and I couldn't get a shot with all six together.

Osprey
Osprey

An Osprey also came by from time to time and caught fish.

Categories: 野鳥

ミフウズラの戦いほか(動画あり)

ミフウズラのメッカ伊計島で、今までにないほどたくさんのミフウズラが一堂に会する場面にめぐり合いました。この時期、越冬するサシバやチョウゲンボウを警戒して見つけるのが難しくなるミフウズラですが、島の端っこの畑に一度に確認できただけでも10羽のミフウズラが集まっていました。草むらに隠れているやつもいると思われるので、実際はもっといたことでしょう。

当然というか、数が多く集まるとミフウズラ同士で戦いが始まりました。戦いは3分以上も続きました。

畑は天地返しが終わったばかりのようで、土中にいた甲虫の幼虫などが地表にあらわになっており、スズメやハクセキレイ、イソヒヨドリも集まっていた。セッカは、サトウキビの茎に嘴を差し込み中に潜む虫を捕まえているようでした。

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

Barred Buttonquail — the moment the bell rang, both birds rose to face each other.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

The grappling started immediately.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

Barred Buttonquail, neither giving an inch, biting at each other's faces.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

A third Barred Buttonquail runs past behind the two fighting birds. That's how densely packed with Barred Buttonquail the field was.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

Both birds with desperate expressions, each trying to pin the other down.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

The individual on the right is larger and has the upper hand.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

Moments later it was over, and the bird on the left fled.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

Four Barred Buttonquail in a single frame — three in the foreground and one more to the right in the vegetation behind.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

Four Barred Buttonquail here as well. Hard to make out, but the fourth bird is visible in the sugarcane field behind, showing only its back.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

Barred Buttonquail are about the same size as Eurasian Tree Sparrows. The two species are often found at the same feeding spot. If you see sparrows, watch for a while and a Barred Buttonquail that has lowered its guard will often appear.

Barred Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail

One less wary individual kept coming closer and closer.

Zitting Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola

A Zitting Cisticola probing between sugarcane stalks with its bill, searching for food.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

A White Wagtail with a large beetle larva that looks like a substantial meal.

Categories: 野鳥