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

Grey-faced Buzzard in its fourth calendar year. I sincerely hope it comes back next year too.

Side-on view. All-dark overall — looks great.

Crested Serpent Eagle, adult.

Asian Glossy Starling, juvenile. I found two on 8 November, then the count went up to three, and now just one remains.

A Javan Pond Heron caught a Sakishima rice frog. I'm always impressed at how it finds them in thick grass like this.

Pied Avocet in first-winter plumage, on an extended stay.

The only gull that comes to Ishigaki Island every year is the Black-headed Gull. First-winter plumage.

Northern Shoveler, male. Moulting from juvenile plumage into first breeding plumage.

Northern Shoveler, male. Mid-moult from eclipse into breeding plumage.

Long-billed Dowitcher, first-winter. It has been staying for a while now, so hopes are high for it to overwinter.

Common Snipe, first-winter. All the snipe in the paddies are Common Snipe.

Common Snipe in the grass. During migration there are individuals with all sorts of plumage patterns, but I get the feeling the ones that stay to the end are always this ordinary-looking type.

Ferruginous Duck, juvenile male.

Ferruginous Duck, juvenile female.

Northern Pintails have increased at the pond where the Ferruginous Ducks are.

Pink-necked Green Pigeon, male. The one on the left is in first-winter plumage, the one on the right is an adult.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail in first-winter plumage.

Also an Eastern Yellow Wagtail in first-winter plumage.

This one likewise an Eastern Yellow Wagtail in first-winter plumage.

White Wagtail in first-winter plumage.

Chinese Pond Heron in first-winter plumage.

Pied Avocet, first-winter. Wary of a passing pedestrian.

Ferruginous Duck, juvenile female.

Same individual as above. Head-on view.

Ferruginous Duck, juvenile male.

Ferruginous Duck, juvenile female.

Pink-necked Green Pigeon, male (left) and female. Both in first-winter plumage.

Black-faced Spoonbill, immature individual.

Long-billed Dowitcher in first-winter plumage. Staying since mid-October.

Black-tailed Godwit in first-winter plumage. Also staying since mid-last month.

Eurasian Wigeon, relatively numerous.

A long-staying Eurasian Hoopoe. The second individual this season.

White-shouldered Starling, first-winter male.

This one has been here a long time too. An individual believed to be a Javan Pond Heron.

Crested Serpent Eagle, juvenile. A favourite spot.

Rustic Bunting — unusual for Ishigaki Island.

White Wagtail in flight.

White Wagtail, first-winter.