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

Black-winged kite Lesser Whistling Duck Pintail Snipe Eurasian Hoopoe Forest Wagtail

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

Extremely Rare Adult Pin-tailed Snipe in Winter Plumage!! Swinhoe's Snipe, Common Snipe (video)

I managed to find a Pin-tailed Snipe that has moulted into winter plumage!! I picked it out from among 40 snipe together with Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe. I had been searching with the belief that "there should still be Pin-tailed Snipe around," and the fact that the bird I finally found was an adult that had already finished moulting its scapulars and tertials into winter plumage made the moment even better!! A genuinely rare Pin-tailed Snipe in winter plumage.

Among the snipe still present, Swinhoe's Snipe numbered a few individuals; the rest were all Common Snipe.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Behold!! The splendid appearance of this adult Pin-tailed Snipe cloaked in winter plumage!!

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

The Pin-tailed Snipe caught a small earthworm-like creature. Same individual as above.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

A Pin-tailed Snipe scratching its head. Displaying an otherworldly level of adorableness. Same individual as above.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Reward time. The primaries are still old feathers; some of the primary coverts appear to have already moulted. Same individual as above.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Ultimate reward time. The tail feathers of Pin-tailed Snipe are rarely seen, but all the staking out paid off. It's showing off those needle-thin tail feathers as if to say, take that. Same individual as above.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

A Pin-tailed Snipe in winter plumage — a completely different impression from juvenile plumage or late summer plumage of adults.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile. A couple of first-winter feathers have come in. Quite a late moult for Swinhoe's Snipe.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile. This individual's moult is more advanced than the one above.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe first-winter.

Greater Painted-snipe
Greater Painted-snipe / Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe first-winter and Greater Painted-snipe adult male.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Common Snipe juvenile.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Also a Common Snipe juvenile.

Categories: 野鳥