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

Black-winged kite Lesser Whistling Duck Glossy Ibis Iriomote Tit 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

Crested Serpent Eagle Eating

A Crested Serpent Eagle had caught prey in a paddy and was eating it. Since the start of September two juveniles have also been confirmed, and Crested Serpent Eagles, now that their breeding season is over, are becoming easier to see.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A male Crested Serpent Eagle was eating a frog or something on a ridge between paddy fields.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A Crested Serpent Eagle moments after being chased off by about seven crows. The crest is raised and it looks agitated.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A Crested Serpent Eagle threatening the crows circling at a distance.

Categories: 野鳥
Tags: EF600mm F4L IS II USM / Metabones V (MB-EF-E-BT5) / SEL20TC / Crested Serpent Eagle

Fewer Ryukyu Scops... Er, Ruddy Kingfishers

They keep moving south, so my chances of meeting the Ruddy Kingfisher on Ishigaki Island are finally getting fewer. Today I covered one forest road and found one adult and two juveniles.

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

Ruddy Kingfisher, female. Compared to the fresh, beautiful look at the start of the breeding season, she is quite worn and ragged now.

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

This individual got as far as laying eggs, but in the end they never hatched and the breeding attempt this season failed.

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

I had been watching from the burrow-digging stage, so we have become familiar with each other — she doesn't flush even at three metres.

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

She will likely disappear before long, so this is probably the last chance to see the Ruddy Kingfishers on Ishigaki Island for the season.

Categories: 野鳥
Tags: FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS / SEL20TC / Ruddy Kingfisher

Eastern Yellow Wagtails Slowly Increasing

White-browed Eastern Yellow Wagtails are increasing little by little, but the (yellow-browed) Eastern Yellow Wagtails haven't arrived yet. Grey Wagtails are also gradually increasing.

More juvenile Purple Herons have become independent, so I meet them more often.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Eastern Yellow Wagtail (leucopsis), adult winter plumage.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Eastern Yellow Wagtail (leucopsis), juvenile.

Purple Heron
Purple Heron

Purple Heron, juvenile.

Categories: 野鳥
Tags: FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS / SEL20TC / Citrine Wagtail / Purple Heron

Juvenile Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper; First Dunlin of the Season

I confirmed juveniles of Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper, each for the first time this season. Dunlin also made its first appearance of the season.

The two Curlew Sandpipers from the other day are still here, and the Long-toed Stints are a mixed flock of adults and juveniles. In the paddies, the usual members are also around: Black-winged Stilt, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper and others.

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Marsh Sandpiper juvenile, moulting from juvenile to first-winter plumage.

Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank

Common Greenshank juvenile.

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Marsh Sandpiper juvenile (foreground) and an adult in the process of moulting into winter plumage.

Dunlin
Dunlin

The first Dunlin of the season was a juvenile, moulting into first-winter plumage.

Common Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper moulting from juvenile to first-winter plumage. First juvenile confirmed this season.

Long-toed Stint
Long-toed Stint

Long-toed Stint in juvenile plumage.

Curlew Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper, summer to winter plumage. Presumed male.

Curlew Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper

Also molting from summer to winter plumage. Compared to the individual above, the reddish tones are weaker — perhaps a female.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

The body looks compact, but this is a Swinhoe's Snipe. Also a juvenile.

Little Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover, male. Late summer plumage.

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

A few winter feathers are showing, but this Marsh Sandpiper is still mostly in juvenile plumage.

Categories: 野鳥
Tags: FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS / SEL20TC / Common Greenshank / Common Sandpiper / Marsh Sandpiper / Little Ringed Plover / Curlew Sandpiper / Swinhoe's Snipe / Dunlin / Long-toed Stint

Assorted Red-necked Stints

Red-necked Stints are in paddies all over the place, but they are all adults; no juveniles have shown up yet.

Moulting stages vary widely, from birds that have almost completely changed into winter plumage to ones that could still be called late summer plumage.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stint moulting from summer to winter plumage.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stint moulting from summer to winter plumage.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stint moulting from summer to winter plumage. This one had a sleepy look about it.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stint moulting from summer to winter plumage.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stint adult, nearly in full winter plumage.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

All adults so far — no juveniles have appeared yet.

Categories: 野鳥
Tags: FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS / SEL20TC / Red-necked Stint