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

Brown Hawk-Owls have already fledged at three sites. Brood sizes are on the small side, one to two chicks. At this site only one chick fledged. Left is the chick, right is the female.

The male parent of the chick above. Keeping watch a short distance away.

Two fledglings of a Ryukyu Scops Owl pair. Last year three chicks fledged from this pair, but this year it looks like only two.

A Ryukyu Scops Owl at a different site. One chick fledged that night.

I am monitoring five Ryukyu Scops Owl nests. Ryukyu Scops Owls have good breeding success every year. This individual is gazing at the tree hollow where the chick is. Fledging is imminent. At this site two chicks fledged last year.

A male Slaty-breasted Rail. At this site, two pairs are together tending three chicks.

A Ruddy Kingfisher standing guard in front of the nest. It fledged the following day. The site where this Ruddy Kingfisher is breeding is a dangerous one — a Japanese Sparrowhawk is also raising young there, and a Black-shouldered Kite's three recently fledged chicks and their two parents are wandering around.

A Ruddy Kingfisher keeping watch over the nest from a little distance away.

A Ruddy Kingfisher that came to bathe in a concrete-lined channel near the urban area. A regular bathing spot every year.

The Pied Avocet, which had disappeared for a time, has returned.

Three White-winged Terns arrived.

The Black-winged Stilts had also disappeared along with the Pied Avocet, but they too have come back.

A young Crested Serpent Eagle not taking part in breeding. Taking it easy at its usual feeding ground.

The Glaucous Gull has a habit of vanishing suddenly, but I'm gradually getting a read on its movements. I've also worked out where it retreats to at high tide.

Large-billed Tern in winter plumage.

It stooped and snatched a crab.

Success with a crab here too.

It spots a crab and goes into a steep dive.

The plunge from the side. The flight style is completely unlike other terns — no matter how far away it is, you can tell it's a Large-billed Tern.

I was sitting on the beach watching when it came flying straight toward me.

Tandem flight — summer plumage (left) and winter plumage.

A few pairs of Black-naped Terns are incubating.

The Greater Crested Terns have decreased from their peak numbers but are still present. Perhaps these are non-breeding individuals.

A freshly fledged Brown Hawk-Owl chick. A sweet sight — two of them perched side by side.

The male parent of the fledged chicks.

And here is the female parent.

Silver Gull, adult. The plumage is extremely worn. By what route did this resident of the Southern Hemisphere find its way to Ishigaki Island?

Preening away busily.

Silver Gull with wings spread. Confirmed the mirrors on the primaries and other features from the rear.

The red bill and legs and the white iris were striking.

The underwing and flanks of the Silver Gull, like this.

It appeared to have a slight injury to its left foot and was holding it slightly raised.

A view from behind, like this. Extremely worn and ragged.

The tail feathers are pure white — and worn, as expected.

Glaucous Gull in flight, caught on the downstroke.

The primary markings came out clearly as well.

It made a loop around the estuary and came back.

Glaucous Gull bathing.

Size comparison with the Little Tern at upper left.

A Terek Sandpiper was still there too.

Several immature Grey-tailed Tattlers staying on.

Several Common Greenshanks summering over as well.

Emerald Dove, adult female. I was able to observe and photograph it at quite close range.

What the Emerald Dove was eating are the berries of Yanbaru Akamegashiwa. It would feed for a while and then retreat into the undergrowth, so it is likely breeding.