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

Schrenck's little bittern Emerald dove Ruddy Kingfisher Purple Swamphen Pintail Snipe

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

First juvenile Grey-tailed Tattler of the season, snipe numbers crash

I confirmed the first juvenile Grey-tailed Tattler of the season. Swinhoe's Snipe and Pin-tailed Snipe have crashed in numbers after the typhoon — almost none left. Snipe-watching will have to wait until the next wave arrives.

The Greater Painted-snipe chicks from the first brood of the year are fully grown but still seem to be moving around together as siblings. A second brood is underway and I am seeing adults with small chicks.

A flock of around 200 Eastern Cattle Egrets came into the paddies. Numbers will keep climbing.

Grey-tailed Tattler
Grey-tailed Tattler

First Grey-tailed Tattler juveniles of the season. All five birds in the flock were juveniles.

Greater Painted-snipe
Greater Painted-snipe

Both birds are Greater Painted-snipe, first-winter females.

Greater Painted-snipe
Greater Painted-snipe

Also a Greater Painted-snipe, first-winter female.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Also a Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Same individual as above.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe adult, moulting into non-breeding plumage.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, adult. The scapulars have moulted into winter plumage. Some of the tertials have been shed.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stint, adult. Moulting into winter plumage.

Common Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper, juvenile.

Purple Heron
Purple Heron

While I was watching a Eastern Yellow Wagtail, an adult Purple Heron flew in.

Eastern Cattle Egret
Eastern Cattle Egret

A flock of around 200 Eastern Cattle Egrets arrived.

Categories: 野鳥

Seven Ruddy Kingfishers, three Crested Serpent Eagles, Eastern Yellow Wagtails in large numbers (video)

Three on the commute in the morning, one during the day, and three more on the way out to dinner with the family — seven Ruddy Kingfishers in all. The evening three were perched together on the same guardrail. Getting ready to migrate overnight, perhaps?

Crested Serpent Eagle encounters are also increasing; I came across three individuals on this day.

All the Eastern Yellow Wagtails are of the white-browed type — large mixed flocks of juveniles and adults are appearing all over the place.

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

The Ruddy Kingfisher in my neighbourhood. I say hello to this individual every morning before heading to the office. ^^ The head looked quite tatty a few days ago, but the moult there seems to be done now.

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

The primaries still appear to be old feathers. Will it suspend moult here before continuing its migration?

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Crested Serpent Eagle, adult. It was hunting from a windbreak with a clear view over the paddies.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Same individual as above.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

This one was hunting from a sprinkler.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Eastern Yellow Wagtail, adult female, winter plumage. (leucopsis)

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Eastern Yellow Wagtail, adult male, winter plumage. (leucopsis)

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

I thought it was a Siberian Yellow Wagtail, but it turned out to be a leucopsis Eastern Yellow Wagtail… The supercilium had simply disappeared because the bird was soaked in rain….

Categories: 野鳥