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

Collared Kingfisher Ruddy Kingfisher Ryukyu scops owl Emerald dove Pheasant-tailed jacana

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

リュウキュウサンショウクイ、ムネアカタヒバリ、ホオジロハクセキレイほか

2月に入り、暖かい日はリュウキュウサンショウクイが枝の天辺でよくさえずっています。メジロやシジュウカラ、イソヒヨドリなどの活動もかなり盛んになってきています。

越冬中のムネアカタヒバリも換羽が進み、夏羽に変わりつつあります。越冬中のノビタキもかなり黒っぽくなっています。

ホオジロハクセキレイやハクセキレイ、ツメナガセキレイ進み方はさまざまですが、夏羽に変わりつつあります。

越冬中のツグミやシロハラ、アカハラもまだまだ滞在中。年によりかなりばらつきがありますが、今季はそこそこの数が越冬しています。

Ryukyu Minivet
Ryukyu Minivet

Ryukyu Minivet, male.

Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

Buff-bellied Pipit, transitioning from winter to summer plumage.

Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

In late winter plumage, the pattern on the back becomes less distinct on Buff-bellied Pipits.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Eastern Yellow Wagtail

(Yellow-browed) Eastern Yellow Wagtail, first-winter plumage.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

White-faced Wagtail, first-winter plumage. Transitioning toward summer plumage, looking scruffy and ruffled.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

White-faced Wagtail, first-winter plumage.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

White Wagtail, first-winter plumage.

Siberian Stonechat
Siberian Stonechat

Siberian Stonechat, male. It doesn't look like winter plumage, but I suppose this wears down into that summer plumage.

Dusky Thrush
Dusky Thrush

Dusky Thrush, female.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

The Crested Serpent Eagle breeding season is approaching, and courtship feeding can be observed.

Categories: 野鳥

ソリハシセイタカシギ vs. ツクシガモほか

ソリハシセイタカシギがツクシガモに近づくとなにが気に入らなかったのか、いきなりツクシガモがセイタカシギに噛み付きました。その後は、何もなかったかのように多少距離を空けて休んでいました。

ダイゼン、キョウジョシギ、メダイチドリ、シロチドリなども越冬中です。

Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet / Ruddy Shelduck

A Common Shelduck bit a Pied Avocet. Several feathers were knocked loose.

Grey Plover
Grey Plover

Grey Plover, first-winter plumage. The monotone is beautiful.

Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone, first-winter plumage.

Kentish Plover
Kentish Plover / Lesser Sand Plover

A flock of Lesser Sand Plovers and Kentish Plovers resting on a sandbar.

Categories: 野鳥

カンムリワシの幼鳥と成鳥

石垣島では田植え前の代かきや牧草の刈り取りがあちこちで始まり、それにつられカンムリワシも餌を求めて現れています。

今季は、幼鳥の定着率が悪く、いたと思ったら翌日にはいなくなりしばらく姿を見ないというようなケースが多く発生しています。理由はよく分かりません。

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Crested Serpent Eagle, juvenile. Facing its first winter with little food, it seems a bit listless.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

When frogs and other creatures were turned up from the soil during rice paddy puddling, it would swoop down and catch them.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Caught a frog. Prey this size gets swallowed whole.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Spotted prey and headed out again.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A female Crested Serpent Eagle known as "Point." She gets her name from a blemish on her right eye. Calling back and forth with her paired male.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

The male paired with the 'point' bird above. Calling back and forth to each other.

Daurian Redstart
Daurian Redstart

A male Daurian Redstart beside the Point couple. It knows full well that the Crested Serpent Eagle won't attack.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle / Tundra Swan

A rare two-shot of a Crested Serpent Eagle and a Tundra Swan.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A Crested Serpent Eagle that caught a mouse in a meadow being mowed.

Large-billed Crow
Large-billed Crow

A Large-billed Crow came to try to steal it. ^^;

Categories: 野鳥

ソリハシセイタカシギ、沖縄的珍鳥モズ、アカガシラサギなど

今冬、何羽目かのソリハシセイタカシギ。沖縄では珍鳥なモズも飛来しました。しかもうれしいことに初列風切の基部に白斑がないタイプでした。^^

アカガシラサギは昨年からの越冬個体。水路のカモはいつものメンバーで田んぼではタシギ、セイタカシギ、アカアシシギとこちらもいつもと同じメンバーです。

Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet

A first-winter Pied Avocet, arriving alone.

Bull-headed Shrike
Bull-headed Shrike

This shrike was very wary, and I only just managed a shot of it perched at a distance. A type without white wing patches.

Chinese Pond Heron
Chinese Pond Heron

Chinese Pond Heron (right) and Purple Heron.

Great Egret
Great Egret

Medium Egret. Great Egrets rarely make it to Okinawa or Ishigaki Island.

Eastern Cattle Egret
Eastern Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret. Just a hint of breeding plumage coming in.

Eurasian Teal
Eurasian Teal / Eurasian Wigeon

Ducks resting in a waterway. Common Teal and Eurasian Wigeon make up the majority.

Common Redshank
Common Redshank

Common Redshank, first-winter. A few birds were gathered in the usual spot.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt, female, first-winter.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Common Snipe in the distance. Around five birds were flocking together.

Categories: 野鳥

今季クロウタドリ5羽目!!

3日前に今冬初のクロウタドリ を発見して以来、毎日のように島内で出ており、きょうでこの冬5羽目となりました。きょうは雨の中、シロハラやアカハラとともにガジュマルの実を食っていました。

例年、石垣島のクロウタドリは春の渡りの3月ごろに現れるのですが、ことしは約2カ月も前倒しの飛来です。1羽だけなら越冬個体とも考えられますが、あちこちで複数羽が出ているので新たに渡ってきているのでしょう。

数日前の大陸の寒波が影響している可能性もありますが、クロウタドリが1月にこれだけやってくるのは初めてのことで戸惑っています。

Common Blackbird
Common Blackbird

A female Common Blackbird pecking at Banyan fruit. It was selecting the fully ripe black ones to eat.

Common Blackbird
Common Blackbird

It would disappear into the Banyan as if startled, then pop back out again.

Common Blackbird
Common Blackbird

This one is also eating the blackened, ripe fruit.

Pale Thrush
Pale Thrush

A female Pale Thrush, first-winter.

Categories: 野鳥