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

A Eurasian Bittern in full view.

This is how it looked when I found it.

A Eurasian Bittern on alert, watching me.

When I stayed quiet, it relaxed and began foraging in the grass.

Adult Purple Heron. Probably a female.

A Long-billed Dowitcher now into its second month here, fully moulted into winter plumage.

Common Snipe, first-winter plumage.

Dunlins feeding as they move through in a flock.

Juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle.

Black-winged Kite, probably second-year.

Juvenile Common Kestrel.

Juvenile female Pale-capped Pigeon.

Male Chestnut-cheeked Starling.

Also a male. There were females too, but they didn't come out into the open.

White-shouldered Starlings are scarce this year. They're usually the most numerous species at this time — I wonder what has happened.

A juvenile White-browed Crake appeared close by. I was surprised at how close it was. ^^;

A White-browed Crake foraging as it walked.

What the White-browed Crake is holding in its bill is a bloodworm.

At the closest it was maybe 10 metres or so.

In the deeper water it seemed to be swimming.

A White-browed Crake arriving at the shallows after swimming over.

A rare banzai pose from a White-browed Crake.

The back view of a White-browed Crake. The white spots are lovely.

Common Snipe, first-winter plumage.

The snipe are now all Common Snipe and it's getting a bit dull. ^^;

An adult female Ruddy Shelduck dropped into a paddy field after harvesting.

It showed no wariness at all, picking up fallen grain.

When a Crested Serpent Eagle flew overhead, it became a little alert.

The Baer's Pochard continues its long stay.

A juvenile Bean Goose was resting alone.

Juvenile Eurasian Teal

A juvenile Yellow Bittern tensing up as our eyes met.

A Caspian Tern appeared at the river mouth.

Little Crake, juvenile.

Probing the mud while foraging. I wonder what it's eating?

Usually quite wary and hard to see, but this individual didn't seem particularly bothered.

Moving quickly along the paddy bank, it looked just like a mouse. ^^;

Spotted Redshank is a rare bird on Ishigaki-jima. This was a juvenile.

Two Temminck's Stints were present.

A winter-plumage Rufous-necked Stint was also staying.

The Long-billed Dowitcher is still around.

All the snipe currently being seen are Common Snipe.

A Northern Lapwing eating a large hawk-moth caterpillar.

Kentish Plover, first-winter plumage.

A Lesser Sand Plover in full breeding plumage, for some reason. Perhaps it came from the Southern Hemisphere?

This one is a Lesser Sand Plover in ordinary winter plumage.

Little Ringed Plover, first-winter plumage.

A Siberian Stonechat still present. It would be remarkable if it wintered here.

Red-throated Pipits are everywhere.

White Wagtails are scarce on Ishigaki-jima.

White Wagtail, first-winter plumage.