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

Eurasian Hoopoe Emerald dove Crested serpent eagle Purple Swamphen Ryukyu flycatcher

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

今季初ジョウビタキとホオジロハクセキレイ

今季初認となるジョウビタキをいつもの場所で確認しました。

ハクセキレイは今季、ホオジロハクセキレイが多く飛来しています。先日はホオジロハクセキレイばかり7羽の群れも確認されています。

Daurian Redstart
Daurian Redstart

First Eurasian Robin of the season — adult female.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

White-faced Wagtail, first-winter female.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

White-faced Wagtail, first-winter male.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

The two White-faced Wagtails were always moving around together.

Categories: 野鳥

レンカク、クロツラヘラサギ、マガンほか

レンカクは10月26日 より滞在中。警戒心のあまりない個体です。

クロツラヘラサギも散発的に渡ってきます。

今季初のオオバンを3羽確認しました。全国的に増えていますが、最近は沖縄でも越夏個体がいます。

先日の目を負傷している個体 とは別のマガンが田んぼに入りました。警戒心は多少あります。

カモ類はマガモ、ハシビロガモ、ヒドリガモが増えてきました。

Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Pheasant-tailed Jacana

How much longer will the Pheasant-tailed Jacana stay?

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill

Black-faced Spoonbill, adult. There are 4 Black-faced Spoonbills at 3 locations on Ishigaki Island.

Eurasian Coot
Eurasian Coot

The first Eurasian Coot confirmed this season. In recent years, summering individuals have also been turning up in Okinawa.

Greater White-fronted Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose

An adult Greater White-fronted Goose that kept flying about every time farming work began.

Eurasian Teal
Eurasian Teal

A flock of Eurasian Teal.

Northern Shoveler
Northern Shoveler

Northern Shoveler numbers have been increasing too.

Eurasian Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon are also increasing in channels and rice fields.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

A flock of Black-winged Stilts. They can be found at several spots on Ishigaki Island.

Categories: 野鳥

ベニバト、リュウキュウヨシゴイ、ホオジロハクセキレイほか

稲刈りが始まり石垣島のベニバトは観察しやすくなっています。ベニバトは、8月下旬ころから現れますが、稲の背丈が高くて観察はしにくいですが、10月下旬からは二期米の刈り取りが始まり、かなり見やすくなります。八重山の合言葉は、キジバトの群れにベニバトありです。^^

水の張られた田んぼにはリュウキュウヨシゴイ。愛想のいい個体で目の前で獲物を狙っていました。

ハクセキレイの渡りは序盤ですが、ハクセキレイ、ホオジロハクセキレイが確認されています。今後、さらに数を増やしていきます。

ケリは数日前から滞在しているのですが、チュウヒに飛ばされたりとなかなか撮れずにいましたがやっと撮影でしました。

ムネアカタヒバリは入れ替わりが激しく、増えたり減ったりしていますが、この日は田んぼで多くの個体を確認しました。

Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove

Red Turtle-Dove, adult female. In the process of moulting into winter plumage.

Yellow Bittern
Yellow Bittern

Cinnamon Bittern, juvenile. Targeting tadpoles in a rice paddy.

Yellow Bittern
Yellow Bittern

Perhaps because it was a juvenile, this individual showed little wariness.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

Adult male White Wagtail in winter plumage, after bathing. The faint eye-stripe gives me pause….

Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

Red-throated Pipit, adult. Moulting from summer to winter plumage.

Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

Red-throated Pipit, winter plumage.

Grey-headed Lapwing
Grey-headed Lapwing

Grey-headed Lapwing, first-winter plumage. Uncommon in Okinawa and Ishigaki Island.

Categories: 野鳥

今季初のホオジロハクセキレイと沖縄的珍鳥のヒバリ

ツメナガセキレイやキセキレイの渡りはとっくに終わり、すでに越冬体制に入っていますが、 ハクセキレイは先日、やっと姿を現し出しました 。亜種ホオジロハクセキレイは今季初確認となりました。

田んぼを走っていると見慣れない鳥を発見。双眼鏡で見てみるとヒバリ属のなにか。写真を撮って拡大してみるとヒバリでした。沖縄ではヒバリの飛来は非常に少なく、数年に1度ぐらいの出会いです。本土のヒバリとは雰囲気が違う大陸の亜種がやってきている可能性もあります。

石垣島では二期米の収穫が始まり、稲刈り中の田んぼにはカンムリワシが集まって観察しやすくなっています。

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

White Wagtail (leucopsis), adult male.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

A front-on view of the White Wagtail (leucopsis).

Eurasian Skylark
Eurasian Skylark

Eurasian Skylark — a rare bird in Okinawa and the Yaeyama Islands.

Eurasian Skylark
Eurasian Skylark

From behind as well. Eurasian Skylark, juvenile plumage.

Eurasian Skylark
Eurasian Skylark

This is how it looked when I found it, but it wasn't particularly wary.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Adult male Crested Serpent Eagle.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

This one might also be a male.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A red leg band is visible on the right leg. This is "Kikki," rescued in 2009. A female.

Categories: 野鳥

海岸と田んぼのシギ、チドリ

近場の海岸と田んぼを巡回。

田んぼでは、ウズラシギの幼鳥が条件よく撮れました。タカブシギは幼鳥と成鳥がまじった十数羽の群れ、アオアシシギも同様に十数羽、 タゲリは幼鳥ばかり8羽の群れ が先日から滞在中、ヒバリシギは数を減らし、タシギとセイタカシギは越冬組です。

海岸ではオオメダイチドリが姿を消し、メダイチドリとキョウジョシギ、トウネンが少し滞在中。ソリハシシギの幼鳥もいましたが、残念ながら撮り逃しました…。

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper, juvenile. Finally got a decent shot.

Wood Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper, first-winter, with a tadpole it had caught.

Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank

A flock of Common Greenshanks. The nearest bird and the one on the left are juveniles; the rest are adults.

Grey-tailed Tattler
Grey-tailed Tattler

Grey-tailed Tattler, late juvenile plumage.

Northern Lapwing
Northern Lapwing

Northern Lapwing, juvenile.

Long-toed Stint
Long-toed Stint

Long-toed Stint, adult, late summer plumage.

Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank

Common Greenshanks. The bird on the left is an adult; the others are juveniles.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Common Snipe, adult.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Common Snipe, juvenile.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

This one is also a Common Snipe. All the snipe are Common Snipes.

Green Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper

Common Sandpipers arrived in a small flock of several birds.

Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank

Common Greenshank, adult (left), and juvenile.

Lesser Sand Plover
Lesser Sand Plover

Lesser Sand Plovers dominating the shoreline.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Temminck's Stint, adult, winter plumage.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt transitioning from juvenile to first-winter plumage.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt, adult male.

Categories: 野鳥