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

Black-winged kite Crested serpent eagle Short-eared Owl Ruddy Kingfisher 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

キガシラセキレイ、コホオアカなど

年末の追い込みで鳥を見に行く時間がない!! 横目で鳥を見ながら石垣島や与那国島を走り回り回っています。

そん中、移動中に撮影した鳥たちを数種。キガシラセキレイ2羽とコホオアカは数十羽の群れ、ツグミ、ノビタキたち。

タカサゴモズやカンムリワシ幼鳥なども出ていますが、時間がなくて見にいけない…。^^;

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Citrine Wagtail in the rice fields. This year was a good year for Citrine Wagtails.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Two Citrine Wagtails were mixed in with a flock of Eastern Yellow Wagtails.

Little Bunting
Little Bunting

Little Bunting photographed on a work trip to Yonaguni Island. Dozens are wintering in the rice fields at Hikawa.

Siberian Stonechat
Siberian Stonechat

Stonechats are also wintering on Yonaguni Island. The white supercilium gave me a momentary scare, but it's a young Stonechat.

Dusky Thrush
Dusky Thrush

Dusky Thrush, male. At Yonaguni Island. There were many near the fishing port at Kubura.

Dusky Thrush
Dusky Thrush

Dusky Thrush, female.

Categories: 野鳥

なんと今季4羽目のズグロチャキンチョウとソリハシセイタカシギ、ツクシガモ、タゲリ

今季はズグロチャキンチョウによくめぐり合います。 3日前に同じ田んぼで見つけた個体 とは別のズグロチャキンチョウはスズメたちと米を食っていました。

ソリハシセイタカシギは2羽とも健在でツクシガモ2羽とタゲリ4羽も飛来しまし、ますます賑やかな石垣島の田んぼです。

Black-headed Bunting
Black-headed Bunting

Black-headed Bunting eating rice.

Black-headed Bunting
Black-headed Bunting

The Black-headed Bunting appeared to have an injury to its right foot.

Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet

A Pied Avocet on an extended stay. Two birds are in adjacent paddies.

Ruddy Shelduck
Ruddy Shelduck

Common Shelduck, female, first-winter non-breeding plumage.

Northern Lapwing
Northern Lapwing

Only three birds appear in the photo, but four Northern Lapwings arrived. All in first-winter plumage.

Categories: 野鳥

カタグロトビの狩り

毎日、決まった時間に現れるカタグロトビ。今日は比較的近くでネズミを捕まえるところを観察できました。上空数十メートルでホバリングし、サトウキビ畑に潜むクマネズミを見つけると万歳して足を投げ出すようなカタグロトビ独特の姿で降下。サトウキビの中に消えてしばらくするとネズミをしっかりとつかんで飛び出してきました。

ネズミはすでに息絶えていました。急所の首元をくわえて息の根を止めているようでいた。

Black-winged Kite
Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite with a Black Rat it had caught. What a striking bird. ^^

Black-winged Kite
Black-winged Kite

It tried to eat the rat, but the perch was too thin and it was blown off by the wind several times, stopping to resettle each time — then it seemed to give up and finally carried the rat off to its usual sprinkler.

Black-winged Kite
Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite soaring in the evening sun. A friend to farmers. ^^

Categories: 野鳥