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

A male Ryukyu Flycatcher in second-year summer plumage. As it is in its third calendar year, it is presumably taking part in breeding. The pale leg colour and plumage made me wonder at first whether it might be a first-year bird, comparing it with mainland Narcissus Flycatcher, but it appears to be second-year.

The back looks like this — somewhat browner compared to an adult.

A singing Ryukyu Flycatcher. The song is considerably more leisurely than that of the mainland Narcissus Flycatcher.

It was moving from branch to branch over a drainage channel.

This individual is not particularly wary. I get the impression that Ryukyu Flycatchers vary greatly between individuals — some are very wary and others are not.

It was in view for only about ten minutes, but it showed a good variety of poses.

A close-up shot. This is a male Ryukyu Flycatcher in second-year summer plumage. The yellow supercilium and wing-covert edges are washed buff, and the flight feathers are browner than in adults. The legs are dark grey rather than the jet black of adults.

Wax plant blooming low and easy to observe. It is coming into peak flower now, a pleasure to watch.

A Ruddy Kingfisher working on nest-building in a dark stretch of forest.

The nest hole being excavated is visible near the top of the tree in the background. This pair is digging two holes simultaneously.

Nest-building seems to take a serious physical toll on the Ruddy Kingfisher — after about an hour of continuous digging, it was holding its bill half-open in the heat and appeared to be breathing hard.

The forest interior is dark and even the excellent AF of the α9 II can't keep up, but the electronic viewfinder makes pre-focusing easier than an optical viewfinder. ^^

Pre-focus and 20 fps. Managed to get the shot handheld.

The nest hole has reached the point where the bird can fit roughly half its body inside.

An Emerald Dove at the usual feeding spot.

A female Ryukyu Scops Owl. Those who are perceptive will understand what situation this represents. I'm worried.

A male Ryukyu Scops Owl. It is paired with the individual above.

A pair of Ruddy Kingfishers. The male is on the left.

Two Ruddy Kingfishers taking turns digging a hole in a dead tree.

The environment is very dark, so even ISO 25600 isn't enough to freeze the motion. ^^;

After finishing the work, it came back to the same branch and the pair switched over.

A female Emerald Dove at the usual water hole.

Until recently she had always come with the male, but lately she shows up alone. The male may be incubating.

An Emerald Dove sunbathing.

A male Oriental Scops Owl keeping watch over the nest from a tree. Of the three nests I found this season, this one is in the easiest spot to observe.

A male (foreground) and female Emerald Dove were foraging on the forest road.

A female Emerald Dove. She was not particularly wary, but the light was extremely dim and the shot came out blurred… ^^;

Among the Oriental Turtle Doves in the rice paddy, a single female Ruddy-breasted Seedsnipe had joined them — wait, I mean a female Little Button-quail... Actually, a single female Ruddy-breasted Crake... Let me correct that: one female Crimson Sunbird... No — a single female Red Turtle Dove had flown in among the Oriental Turtle Doves in the paddy. The Red Turtle Dove was incredibly far away and this is about the best shot I managed… ^^;