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

Ruddy Kingfisher Black-winged kite Javan pond heron Short-eared Owl Ashy drongo

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

Red Collared Dove Flock, Common Kestrel, Crested Serpent Eagle and others

Red Collared Doves have turned up at various spots around the island. The largest flock I saw was nine birds, roughly half male and half female.

Wintering Common Kestrels are also increasing, and a nearby water area had growing numbers of Little Grebe and Eurasian Coot — these too will be wintering on Ishigaki.

The Crested Serpent Eagles have finished breeding and are now easier to find in open habitats such as paddy fields.

Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove

A male Pale-backed Pigeon. Looking worn out after a spell of rough weather.

Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove

This is the female Pale-backed Pigeon. She was feeding on fallen rice grains in a paddy field.

Ryukyu Green Pigeon
Ryukyu Green Pigeon

The Pale-backed Pigeons were moving around together with Oriental Turtle Doves.

Common Kestrel
Common Kestrel

A wintering Common Kestrel. Soaked to the skin in the rain.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A soaking-wet Crested Serpent Eagle.

Ruff
Ruff

A juvenile Ruff. The autumn passage peak for Ruff this season was around mid-September, but this individual showed up more than a month late.

Little Grebe
Little Grebe

Little Grebe have also arrived to overwinter.

Eurasian Coot
Eurasian Coot / Common Moorhen

A wintering Eurasian Coot and a resident Common Moorhen feeding together peaceably on the pond.

Categories: 野鳥