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

Black-winged kite Ryukyu scops owl Crested serpent eagle Pied Avocet Ashy drongo

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

シベリアオオハシシギ、ツルシギ夏羽ほか

実家に孫の顔を見せに行ったついでに少しだけ鳥見。

シベリアオオハシシギと夏羽のツルシギとヒメハマシギに行ってきました。ヒメハマシギは2日連続で外しましたが、シベリアオオハシシギと真っ黒の夏羽ツルシギは首尾よく見られました。

Long-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher

When I arrived on site first thing in the morning, there were around 20 cars already there for the Long-billed Dowitcher. They were lined up along a narrow farm track and looked likely to cause problems for the local farmers, so I stayed off the track and took just a few shots from a long distance. As a result, the corrugated-iron wave sheeting along the field bank made a solid appearance in the frame… ^^;

Long-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher

No matter what angle I tried, the corrugated-iron wave sheeting ended up in the background with the Long-billed Dowitcher.

Spotted Redshank
Spotted Redshank

A Spotted Redshank in jet-black breeding plumage. On Ishigaki-jima in autumn it's almost always first-winter birds, so this was something I'd long wanted to see.

Spotted Redshank
Spotted Redshank

I kept off the farm track for this one too and shot from a distance. The corrugated iron stayed out of frame, but it was just so far away… ^^;

Bar-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit

This Bar-tailed Godwit turned up while I was searching for Spoon-billed Sandpiper. There were about six in total.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

All the snipe were Common Snipe.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Also a Common Snipe. I was hoping to find a Latham's Snipe while I was at it, but no luck….

Grey-headed Lapwing
Grey-headed Lapwing

Grey-headed Lapwing chick.

Grey-headed Lapwing
Grey-headed Lapwing

A Grey-headed Lapwing chick fleeing under its parent's belly after being startled by a crow.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint / Dunlin

A flock of around 60 Dunlin and Red-necked Stint combined. No Little Stints mixed in.

Greater Scaup
Greater Scaup

There were plenty of Greater Scaup in the bay — a species treated as a rarity in Okinawa.

Categories: 野鳥