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

A White-winged Tern was flying over the rice paddies in strong winds left by the tail of a typhoon, catching dragonflies.

Same individual as above. In mid-moult into breeding plumage — the most advanced moult in the flock.

Same individual as above. My daughter was thrilled to have a White-winged Tern flying around so close to us. ^^

A different White-winged Tern. Almost fully in non-breeding plumage, though a little breeding plumage is still showing.

Black Tern, non-breeding plumage.

White-winged Tern (right) and Black Tern.

A Little Tern incubating. Two eggs are visible beneath its belly.

The Little Tern nest was most likely crushed by vehicles deployed for the PAC-3 installation. Kentish Plovers and others had also been present, but all flew off somewhere.

Little Terns flying over a vehicle parked on top of their nest site.

A Greater Crested Tern in breeding plumage carrying a fiddler crab in its bill.

A Greater Crested Tern carrying only a crab claw.

It made repeated dives at the crab again and again.

A single Black-headed Gull at the river mouth. An adult moulting from non-breeding into breeding plumage.

A Ruddy Kingfisher with absolutely no wariness at all.

This individual also seemed to have very little wariness.

A male Ryukyu Scops Owl standing guard over the nest.

A Brown Hawk-Owl that has been breeding here every year for several years now. The nest seems shallow, so it always ends up incubating like this.

A single Eurasian Coot has stayed behind. Will it spend the summer on Ishigaki-jima like this?

A Common Greenshank with what appears to be a deformed bill. It also looked lethargic. Its feathers were ragged too — it may not be in good condition.

An adult Black-winged Kite in flight, bathed in evening light.

The primary moult is clearly visible.

There aren't many spots on Ishigaki Island where Black-winged Kites fly this close and at this height.

It crossed right in front of me, completely unhurried.

A Black-winged Kite at the moment it changed direction. What a stunning bird.

It was hovering, searching for prey.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana, first-summer plumage.

Crimson Dove, male. First-summer, perhaps.

White-winged Tern, winter plumage. It was catching grasshoppers.

Black-headed Gull in a rice paddy. Second-winter plumage.

A Ruddy Kingfisher in the park. Completely unafraid.

A Ruddy Kingfisher along a forest road. I haven't confirmed a female, but this is an area with a high density of individuals, so it's presumably paired up.

A Ruddy Kingfisher near home. Foraging along a service road.

A Crested Serpent Eagle that caught a Cane Toad in a field being turned over in preparation for summer planting of sugarcane.

The crows were a nuisance, so it carried the prey into the undergrowth before eating.

A Crested Serpent Eagle in the park. My daughter was delighted watching it. ^^

A Ryukyu Scops Owl was peering out from its nest hole. Presumably the same female individual I photographed two years ago.

A Ryukyu Scops Owl at a different spot from the one above. This one is a male.

With rain coming and going, the Ruddy Kingfisher was actively foraging.

It was calling back in response to the cry of a Ruddy Kingfisher heard in the distance.

A Crested Serpent Eagle drying its wings on a utility pole. I can't read the code, but from the green band on its right leg and its territory, I believe this is

Day three of the Pheasant-tailed Jacana's stay. The bad weather may be what's keeping it here.

Chinese Egrets, as expected at this time of year.

I managed to get a miraculous shot with, from back to front, a Little Egret, dark-morph Pacific Reef Heron, Chinese Egret, Little Egret, and white-morph Pacific Reef Heron all lined up. ^^

Chinese Egret in breeding plumage.

Pacific Reef Heron, juvenile.

Pacific Reef Heron, white morph, adult.

Lesser Sand Plovers are few, but a handful are staying.

There were three Red-necked Stints.

About ten Ruddy Turnstones.

A Ryukyu Scops Owl keeping watch from its usual branch.

A Japanese Scops Owl nesting in a conspicuous spot — I'm a little worried.

Bridled Terns wheeling right in front of me. Three were in breeding plumage and one was in non-breeding plumage.

The crab-specialist Bridled Tern, once it has a target, hugs the ground at ultra-low altitude and creeps up on the crab.

A Bridled Tern that caught a Soldier Crab.

A Bridled Tern eating a Soldier Crab.

When it spots a crab, it wheels sharply and dives.

Soldier Crabs are abundant on Ishigaki Island. Besides Bridled Terns, Whimbrels and Grey-tailed Tattlers also take them.

Fiddler crabs were also on the menu.

The Chinese Egrets are now up to two. They were catching juvenile mullet.

The tide came in and it moved closer.

As the tide approached full, it moved to the rocky area.

Ryukyu Fantail, adult male.

Same individual as above. It was singing frequently while moving at low height, less than one metre from the ground.

Ruddy Kingfisher, male.

A different male individual.

Also a different male individual. They are paired, but have not yet started digging a nest hole. They are in a small patch of greenery — perhaps they cannot find a suitable spot?

Ryukyu Scops Owl breeding at the same nest tree for several consecutive years. This male is strikingly rufous and very handsome.

A male Brown Hawk-Owl standing guard at the nest. The spot sees a lot of foot traffic, but it shows no reaction to people.