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

Iriomote Tit Eurasian Hoopoe Crested serpent eagle Ashy drongo Black Bittern

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

今季初のカンムリワシ幼鳥

やっと今季初となるカンムリワシの幼鳥を拝むことができました。9月3日に石垣島BIRD観察さんが発見して見にいくも空振りで、やっと見ることができました。^^

ムラサキサギは幼鳥があちこちで出現しています。今季の繁殖は台風の影響もなく順調だったようです。

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle I finally got to see on 3 September after being tipped off about it. What a beautiful bird.

Purple Heron
Purple Heron

Purple Heron, with juvenile plumage mostly replaced.

Categories: 野鳥

コマミジロタヒバリ石垣島に登場!!

夕方、田んぼに寄っていると畔にコマミジロタヒバリがいました。今季初というか久しぶりのライフリスト更新です。タヒバリの仲間は、これからどんどん数を増やして石垣島で越冬します。

当初は、ちょっと変わったムネアカタヒバリと思っていましたが、まさかコマミジロタヒバリだとは驚きです。

White-browed Pipit
White-browed Pipit

White-browed Bushlark sheltering in the grass along a paddy bund in strong winds.

White-browed Pipit
White-browed Pipit

Overall proportions. The Richard's Pipit has a shorter tail than the Blyth's Pipit and did not adopt an upright stance.

White-browed Pipit
White-browed Pipit

The distinction between Buff-bellied Pipit and Water Pipit: the bill is slender and more pointed, the shaft streaks on the median coverts are not pointed, and the supercilium is indistinct. The call was also not as strong and forceful as that of a Water Pipit.

Categories: 野鳥

アジサシとクロハラアジサシとツバメチドリ

石垣島はもとより沖縄全体でも珍しいアジサシがクロハラアジサシと田んぼにいました。アジサシは海にいるというイメージだったので、沼アジと畔で休憩している姿を見た時は、何か分かりませんでした…。^^;

クロハラアジサシはあちこちの田んぼや沈砂池で見られるようになりました。

同じ畔にツバメチドリも休んでいました。餌取りに出かけてもしばらくすると戻ってきます。お気に入りの休憩場所のようです。

Common Tern
Common Tern

Common Tern moulting from first-summer to second-winter plumage.

Common Tern
Common Tern

The Common Tern is considerably larger than the White-winged Tern in the foreground.

Common Tern
Common Tern

Common Tern, head-on.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

White-winged Tern moulting into winter plumage. It appeared to have an injured leg and was struggling to walk, though this probably won't affect its ability to feed.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

White-winged Tern juvenile in flight.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

White-winged Tern moulting from juvenile to first-winter plumage.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

White-winged Tern moulting from summer to winter plumage.

Oriental Pratincole
Oriental Pratincole

Oriental Pratincole moulting from juvenile to first-winter plumage.

Categories: 野鳥