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

Iriomote Tit Ashy drongo Black Bittern Lesser Whistling Duck Ruddy Kingfisher

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

ヨシガモとマガン25、ヒシクイ1+1

今季2羽目のヨシガモを確認。 昨年の11月7日に飛来した25羽のマガン は1羽も脱落することなく滞在中。ヒシクイ1羽も加わって26羽の大所帯になりました。警戒心もそれほどなく観察しやすいです。別の場所には単独のヒシクイも滞在中。こちらは警戒心強め。

Falcated Duck
Falcated Duck

A male Falcated Duck in mid-moult from juvenile to first-breeding plumage. Looking pretty ragged. ^^;

Greater White-fronted Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose

The Greater White-fronted Geese that have been present for two months now total 25 birds — adults and juveniles combined.

Tundra Bean Goose
Tundra Bean Goose

A Tundra Bean Goose that joined the flock of Greater White-fronted Geese above. It was occasionally getting told off by the White-fronts.

Tundra Bean Goose
Tundra Bean Goose

A lone Tundra Bean Goose at a different location. I hid behind cover to photograph it, but it was already on alert.

Categories: 野鳥

ズグロミゾゴイ、クイナ、コホオアカ、ムネアカタヒバリなど(動画あり)

林道でズグロミゾゴイの幼鳥に遭遇。座って見ているとこちらへ寄ってきて2メートルほど横を通り過ぎました。ズグロミゾゴイは警戒心の弱い個体が多いです。

越冬中のクイナに最近、よく会います。この日は、バンやタシギの群れていました。

田んぼにはムネアカタヒバリ、コホオアカ、ハクセキレイなどが多くいます。シベリアジュリン、ノゴマ、ミヤマホオジロ、キマユホオジロも滞在中ですが藪の中にいて姿を見るには、なかなか根気が入ります。

ツグミが再び増えてきました。シロハラ、アカハラ、トラツグミもいますが、こちらも根気がないと写真には収められませんね。^^;

Malayan Night Heron
Malayan Night Heron

A juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron. It shows so little wariness that I worry about feral cat predation.

Malayan Night Heron
Malayan Night Heron

It passed right by me.

Brown-cheeked Rail
Brown-cheeked Rail

A Common Moorhen and a Slaty-legged Crake. It felt smaller than the moorhen and larger than a Common Snipe.

Brown-cheeked Rail
Brown-cheeked Rail

A Slaty-legged Crake preening. It is quite wary, but if you wait, you can see it.

Little Bunting
Little Bunting

This season I am seeing Little Buntings everywhere, too many to count.

Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

A Red-throated Pipit is also wintering here.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

Among the wagtails, White Wagtail may be the least common. The most numerous is, of course, Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Dusky Thrush
Dusky Thrush

A good number of Dusky Thrushes seemed to pass through in November, but come January they started appearing again.

Categories: 野鳥

カンムリワシ幼鳥、ハヤブサ、サシバの戦い(動画あり)

今季19羽目となるカンムリワシの幼鳥を発見。例年並みの個体数が確認できています。

田んぼでムネアカタヒバリやコホオアカを見ていたらハヤブサが上空を通過しました。こちらを横目に通り過ぎて、カモの方へ向かいましたが狩りは失敗したようです。

同じ田んぼを縄張りとするサシバの幼鳥と成鳥が縄張りの境界で激突。最初は成鳥が余裕を見せていましたが、つかみ合いになると幼鳥が終始優勢でした。

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle perched on a banana plant. Stunning.

Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon

An adult female Peregrine Falcon heading toward the ducks.

Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon

It was quite a large individual.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

A juvenile Grey-faced Buzzard (left) and an adult female facing each other down.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

A physical brawl suddenly broke out. See the video below for details.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

The adult female on the left appears to be at a disadvantage.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

It looked as though it was gripping the branch itself, and this went on for some time.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

The juvenile (foreground) lets out a cry. After this, the two birds fell to the ground locked together, and the adult fled.

Categories: 野鳥