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

Eurasian Hoopoe Short-eared Owl Glossy Ibis Collared Kingfisher Asian Glossy Starling

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

シギ、チドリ、カモの渡り始まる

沖縄でもシギやチドリ、カモなどの秋の渡りが始まりました。

いつもの水路には全くいなかったシギ、チドリが田起こしたあとに雨水がたまった田んぼに大集合していました。タカブシギ50、コチドリ30、トウネン10、アオアシシギ10、コアオアシシギ3、セイタカシギ2です。

近くには渡ってきたカルガモが2羽いました。カモ渡りが始まるのはもう少しあとです。ツバメも数を増やし、電線に数えきれないほど止まっていました。多分、300羽ほど。留鳥のリュウキュウヒクイナは目の前を通過していったけど、イグサに阻まれてうまく写りませんでした。^^;

今年の春の渡りは沖縄は、石垣島なども含めて全く鳥がいませんでしたが、秋の渡りはなんとか楽しめそうな予感がします。

帰り道、海岸にはベニアジサシ数十羽の群れが休んでいた。エリグロアジサシも数羽。ソリハシシギが1羽とシロチドリが数羽いた。

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Marsh Sandpiper. Mid-transition from breeding to non-breeding plumage.

Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank

Common Greenshank also in the middle of moulting from non-breeding to breeding plumage.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stint, adult. Breeding plumage worn and bedraggled after the long journey.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt, adult male. A few non-breeding feathers are just starting to come in.

Wood Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper

There were plenty of Wood Sandpipers.

Little Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover.

Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Eastern Spot-billed Duck

The first duck to arrive in the migration was the Eastern Spot-billed Duck.

Pacific Swallow
Pacific Swallow

Several hundred Barn Swallows.

Ryukyu Crake
Ryukyu Crake

A Barred Rail crossed right in front of me.

Black-naped Tern
Black-naped Tern / Roseate Tern

Roseate Terns and Black-naped Terns were resting on the offshore rocks.

Categories: 野鳥

やんばるでリュウキュウコノハズク、リュウキュウオオコノハズク、ヤンバルクイナなど

久しぶりにやんばるで夜探してきました。リュウキュウコノハズクの巣立ちがピークを迎えているようで7家族20羽の巣立ちビナを見つけることができました。ヒナたちはずいぶん大きくなり、自由に飛び回っていた。

リュウキュウオオコノハズクの餌場では、コノハズクとオオコノハズクのバトルが勃発。もちろんオオコノハズクが勝ち、コノハズクは退散しました。2羽同時に観察すると、図鑑などの数値で見るより大きさがずいぶん違いました。

ヤンバルクイナも7羽ほど確認。なぜか2羽は深夜0時ごろに連れ立って道路を横断していきました。何があったんだろう?

コノハズクのヒナたちは何時ごろまで起きているのか確認しようとある家族を観察していたのですが、あまりにも眠くなり2時ごろまでしか彼らが活動しているのを確認できませんでした。

Elegant Scops Owl
Elegant Scops Owl

The facial expression is the same as an adult, but the juvenile plumage is still quite prominent.

Elegant Scops Owl
Elegant Scops Owl

It received an Okinawa tree lizard from a parent.

Elegant Scops Owl
Elegant Scops Owl

The tree lizard was about the same length as the Ryukyu Scops Owl itself, so it was struggling to swallow it.

Elegant Scops Owl
Elegant Scops Owl

Two of them waiting for food from their parents.

Elegant Scops Owl
Elegant Scops Owl

Here too, the two were sitting side by side together.

Elegant Scops Owl
Elegant Scops Owl

Something seemed to be moving in the grass, so I watched it closely for a while.

Ryukyu Scops Owl
Ryukyu Scops Owl

When I went to the Ryukyu Eagle-Owl's feeding ground, the usual individual was catching cockroaches and cicada larvae. The Ryukyu Eagle-Owl, which has finished raising its chicks earlier than the Ryukyu Scops Owl and Grey Nightjar, has already begun moulting from around the eyes.

Elegant Scops Owl
Elegant Scops Owl

An adult Ryukyu Scops Owl that had strayed into the Ryukyu Eagle-Owl's territory and was being chased off.

Okinawa Rail
Okinawa Rail

A Okinawa Rail sleeping in a tree. I'm not sure if it's the same individual, but it generally sleeps in the same tree.

Ryukyu kajika frog
Ryukyu kajika frog

There was light rain, so Ryukyu kajika frogs were calling here and there.

Holst's Frog
Holst's Frog

The next most commonly seen after the Ryukyu kajika frog is the Holst's frog. This is quite a large and impressive frog.

Barringtonia
Barringtonia

The Barringtonia flowers were in full bloom, drifting a sweet fragrance through the air.

Categories: 野鳥