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

Asian Glossy Starling Short-eared Owl Collared Kingfisher Pied Avocet Eurasian Hoopoe

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

Hen Harrier, Black-faced Spoonbill, Chinese Pond Heron, White Wagtail and Others

A Hen Harrier was hunting right in front of me. I could not tell what it was after, but startled Common Pheasants kept flushing repeatedly and the harrier did not seem to catch anything… ^^; My daughter, who was watching with me, was thrilled — when the Hen Harrier banked sharply she could actually hear the wind cutting through its wings. ^^

In the channels there were wintering Black-faced Spoonbills, in the paddies several Chinese Pond Herons, and we had Saunders's Gulls and Black-headed Gulls flying together — all in all a fun day of birdwatching for the kids.

Hen Harrier
Hen Harrier

A Hen Harrier quartering the rice paddies in search of prey.

Hen Harrier
Hen Harrier

It was wheeling around so close it nearly filled the frame. The paddy birds were in total panic.

Hen Harrier
Hen Harrier

It didn't manage to catch anything in the end, but the dynamic flight was well worth watching.

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill

A Black-faced Spoonbill resting in a canal.

Chinese Pond Heron
Chinese Pond Heron

Multiple Chinese Pond Herons are staying.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Eastern Yellow Wagtail

First-winter Taiwanese Wagtail. Staying alongside a White Wagtail.

Saunders's Gull
Saunders's Gull

My first Saunders's Gull of the season. It was with a Black-headed Gull but looked a little put out. ^^;

Black-headed Gull
Black-headed Gull

A Black-headed Gull that was with the Saunders's Gull.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Common Snipe were not seen in great numbers.

Common Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher

A Common Kingfisher was going back and forth along the canal.

Categories: 野鳥

Greater White-fronted Goose and Tundra Swan Arrive; More Pied Avocets

A Greater White-fronted Goose has been present for several days now, but for some reason the guide is apparently calling it a Greylag Goose. To me it is clearly a juvenile Greater White-fronted Goose… ^^; A juvenile Tundra Swan has also arrived on its own. On Iriomote, two Tundra Swans and a Siberian Crane are staying as well.

Multiple Pied Avocets have turned up across the island. That day I tallied six birds in total — a group of four and singles at two separate locations. In the paddies, Northern Lapwings, Pacific Golden Plovers, Kentish Plovers, Little Ringed Plovers, Common Greenshanks, Common Redshanks, Wood Sandpipers, Dunlins, Common Sandpipers, Green Sandpipers and Black-winged Stilts are all wintering.

This season I had already confirmed the subspecies leucopsis and ocularis White Wagtails, but this day I was finally able to see the subspecies alba White Wagtail. That is pretty much how it goes every year.

Greater White-fronted Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose

A juvenile Greater White-fronted Goose. Why does it get misidentified as a Greylag Goose?

Greater White-fronted Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose

Comparing it with the Eurasian Coot behind, you can tell it's quite a small individual.

Tundra Swan
Tundra Swan

A lone Tundra Swan on arrival.

Falcated Duck
Falcated Duck

A male Falcated Duck was present. It had come into breeding plumage and looked strikingly beautiful among the rice paddies.

Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet

A Pied Avocet moving back and forth between the irrigation channels and the rice paddies.

Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet

This Pied Avocet was in a different area. Some worn juvenile feathers remain.

Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet

Same individual as above. Four birds were resting together in a tight group.

Northern Lapwing
Northern Lapwing

Northern Lapwings in a small flock — all juveniles.

Pacific Golden Plover
Pacific Golden Plover

A juvenile Pacific Golden Plover.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Common Snipe were present like this, about a dozen or so. Unfortunately, no other Gallinago snipe were mixed in.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

The most beautiful juvenile Common Snipe of the day.

Common Redshank
Common Redshank

A small number of Common Redshanks are wintering.

Dunlin
Dunlin

A small flock of Dunlins was in the rice paddies.

Kentish Plover
Kentish Plover

On Ishigaki Island at this time of year, Kentish Plovers turn up in the rice paddies regularly too.

Black-headed Gull
Black-headed Gull

A Black-headed Gull with an injured leg.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

A female of the subspecies White Wagtail has finally appeared.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

A White Wagtail that was together with the individual above. This one is a male.

Categories: 野鳥

Last Birding of 2025 (video)

December was hectic with repeated work trips and preparations for Omoto526, a single-unit rental guesthouse opening very soon, so I barely managed to get out birding at all.

Instead, a Crested Serpent Eagle, a Common Kestrel and Olive-backed Pipits have started turning up in our garden. A Black-winged Kite appears morning and evening.

I'd like to take things more slowly and do some proper birdwatching next year — though who knows how that will go… ^^;

Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

A Red-throated Pipit with a short tail. There were also several Citrine Wagtails in the same condition. Perhaps they were grabbed by the Eurasian Sparrowhawk that has been holding territory over this paddy.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Eastern Yellow Wagtail

A (Yellow-browed) Citrine Wagtail in first-winter plumage.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

A superciliated Citrine Wagtail in first-winter plumage.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

White Wagtails are scarce this season — a bit lonely.

Siberian Stonechat
Siberian Stonechat

A female Siberian Stonechat wintering alone.

Olive-backed Pipit
Olive-backed Pipit

Tree Pipits that can be watched from the living room. Several are present, but they are being spooked by a Black-winged Kite.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A Crested Serpent Eagle appeared in the garden. It seems interested in the frogs in the biotope pond. December is the peak breeding season for Ryukyu Green Tree Frogs, so they are calling even during the day.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

The kids watching the Crested Serpent Eagle from the bedroom. ^^

Common Kestrel
Common Kestrel

A Common Kestrel also appeared in the same tree. It was targeting grasshoppers and the like.

Common Kestrel
Common Kestrel

A Common Kestrel perched on the security camera at Omoto526. It stayed through the night.

Omoto526, opening soon. Named after Mt. Omoto, the highest peak in the prefecture at 526 metres above sea level. Of course you can see Mt. Omoto from the lodge too. ^^

Categories: 野鳥