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

Common Snipe juvenile. Yawning widely — looks tired.

Moulting into first-winter plumage.

Also in moult. The bright brown was quite distinctive.

This one is also a juvenile. Autumn Common Snipe are all juveniles, aren't they.

Common Snipe plumage comes in so many variations — never gets old.

Of the 30 birds, I managed to photograph 6, and every one was a juvenile. Perhaps juveniles flock together and migrate as a group.

Garganey, adult. Sex unknown.

Five Garganey arrived; three of them here.

First Northern Shoveler of the season. A male moulting from eclipse into breeding plumage.

Eurasian Teal numbers are increasing.

Eastern Spot-billed Duck is present year-round, but in recent years the numbers have been growing.

A Eurasian Coot bathing.

Black-winged Kite, a species that has been increasing in numbers in recent years. The orange iris indicates a young individual.

Same individual as above. Juvenile feathers remain in the wing coverts.

I'd like to get a look at it in a bit better light.

Rufous-necked Stint in winter plumage.

Temminck's Stint in winter plumage.

Little Stint in late juvenile plumage.

Little Ringed Plover moulting into winter plumage.

Little Ringed Plover in juvenile plumage.

Kentish Plover moulting into first-winter plumage.

Lesser Sand Plover moulting into first-winter plumage.

Lesser Sand Plover moulting into winter plumage.

Common Sandpiper moulting from juvenile into first-winter plumage.

Grey Plover in winter plumage.

This Grey Plover has quite worn plumage. Late first-summer, perhaps?

Pacific Golden Plover. The flowers blooming on the reef — splashed by seawater year-round — also catch the eye.

Grey-tailed Tattler adult in winter plumage (right) and first-winter.

Black-winged Stilt, male, in first-winter plumage.

Purple Heron, adult.

The number of wintering Grey Herons has been increasing too.

Barn Swallow, juvenile. It was a little tricky to shoot from above, but the angle gave a good view of the upperparts.

The flanks and underparts look like this.

It looked as though it had been dusted with soot, but it stood out clearly among the flock of Barn Swallows.

It seemed smaller than the other individuals, but maybe that was just my imagination… ^^;

A Ryukyu Scops Owl at its roost. Almost completely unconcerned.

A Ryukyu Scops Owl staring down at the forest floor — perhaps it sensed something moving below.

Black-winged Kite, adult. It has been a long time since the juveniles that fledged this year disappeared, so perhaps it is almost time to start preparing for the next breeding season.

Crested Serpent Eagle, adult. Both juveniles and adults are becoming easier to see.

Pin-tailed Snipe in transition from juvenile to first-winter plumage.

Same individual as above. The pin-like tail feathers are visible.

A juvenile Swinhoe's Snipe resembling a Pin-tailed Snipe.

Same individual as above.

Same individual as above.

A Swinhoe's Snipe resembling a Pin-tailed Snipe.

A juvenile Swinhoe's Snipe.

A juvenile male Ruff.

Adult winter-plumage Temminck's Stint.

Whimbrel, juvenile.

Ruddy Turnstone, juvenile.

Grey-tailed Tattler moulting from juvenile to first-winter plumage.

Pacific Golden Plover moulting from breeding to non-breeding plumage.

Red-necked Stint, non-breeding plumage.

Just one Dunlin staying.

A flock of Greater Sand Plover. About 20 birds.