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

Asian Glossy Starling Pied Avocet Forest Wagtail Daurian starling Black-winged kite

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

Ruff, Common Redshank, Long-toed Stint and others

The Ruff that has been staying since last month. When it is not in the paddies, it apparently moves into the irrigation channels. Common Redshank, Long-toed Stint, Red-necked Stint, Dunlin, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, and Wood Sandpiper are all still present.

Ruff
Ruff

Reunited with a Ruff. Apparently when they're not in the paddies, they're in the irrigation channels.

Common Redshank
Common Redshank

Common Redshank juvenile (foreground) and adult.

Long-toed Stint
Long-toed Stint

Little Stint first-summer plumage.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

A female Black-winged Stilt.

Dunlin
Dunlin

Dunlin juvenile. The flock had numbered in the teens, but on this day only one remained.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

The Red-necked Stints are now all juveniles.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

The first juvenile Whiskered Tern of the season. Around five birds confirmed, including adults.

Pacific Reef Heron
Pacific Reef Heron

A Pacific Reef Heron that turned up in the rice paddies for some reason. It was chasing Little Egrets around. Same behaviour as at the coast… ^^;

Categories: 野鳥

Second Arrival of Pin-tailed Snipe

The second wave of Pin-tailed Snipe — which has been on the low side this season — appears to have arrived. It feels slightly earlier than usual, so it may simply be that migration has been running late. Worth watching how things develop.

Since late August I have been visiting the same paddy field day after day to identify individual snipe, keep continuous records, and sort out tricky birds. Some individuals stay for a long time; others disappear within a day. Pin-tailed Snipe, Swinhoe's Snipe and Common Snipe alike tend to stick to almost exactly the same spot once they settle in.

New birds have joined the resident Pin-tailed Snipe, and the snipe scene in the paddies is a little livelier.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe / Pin-tailed Snipe

Pin-tailed Snipe (rear) and Swinhoe's Snipe. Both juveniles.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

An individual I've been seeing repeatedly over the past few days. It always shows up close by, so easy to observe.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

This type of Pin-tailed Snipe is identifiable even in this condition.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Same individual as above.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

A large Pin-tailed Snipe juvenile.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Same individual as above.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Another Pin-tailed Snipe juvenile.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Same individual as above.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

A Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile well advanced in moult.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

A dark Pin-tailed Snipe juvenile.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Another Pin-tailed Snipe juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, first-winter.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe juvenile, moulting into first-winter plumage.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe adult. This individual has also been lingering for some time.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Pin-tailed Snipe, juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Same individual as above.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Common Snipe, juvenile.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe / Swinhoe's Snipe

Common Snipe (background) and Pin-tailed Snipe, adult.

Categories: 野鳥