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

Black-winged kite Daurian starling Forest Wagtail Pintail Snipe Asian Glossy Starling

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

沖縄本島からの友人と探鳥

今日は、沖縄本島からやってきた友人とバードウオッチングで今季初のジョウビタキを確認。オス2羽とメス1羽が同じエリアにいましたが、メスは警戒心が強く写真に収められず。

マヒワは1羽だけ田んぼの畔にはえたススキの根元で採餌していました。かなり距離があり、双眼鏡で見つけた時は黄色が目立ちドキッとしましたが、ふつーのマヒワでした。^^;

同じ田んぼには、リュウキュウツミの幼鳥が1羽。沖縄本島赴任中、ツミの幼鳥を見慣れていたので下面の太い横斑に違和感を覚え、ミナミツミだったらどうしようとか思っていたのは内緒です…。

友人が撮りたがっていたカンムリワシの飛翔も撮れ、沖縄本島では通年見られるクロツラヘラサギ2羽も昨日に引き続き滞在中でした。沖縄本島のクロツラヘラサギは汚い池にいるので石垣島の美しい田んぼで見るクロツラヘラサギに友人は感動していました。^^ また、本島では生息していないムラサキサギも複数出会えました。チョウゲンボウ、サシバなども無事にゲット。

島内各地の田んぼでは、ウズラシギやクサシギ、アオアシシギ、アカアシシギ、コアオアシシギなど。ハマシギは2カ所で合わせて11羽を確認しました。

コガモ数十羽とヒドリガモ数羽の群れも入っていました。

レンカクが入ったと友人から連絡があったのですが、家族サービスの時間が迫っていたので見にいけず…。明日の朝、見に行ってきます。

Daurian Redstart
Daurian Redstart

The first Daurian Redstart of the season. A very approachable male.

Daurian Redstart
Daurian Redstart

I have a feeling Daurian Redstarts are going to be numerous this year.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A Crested Serpent Eagle launching off after spotting prey.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

It was perched on a banana plant, scanning for prey.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A Crested Serpent Eagle looking down over a pasture from a Ryukyu pine.

Ryukyu Sparrowhawk
Ryukyu Sparrowhawk

Juvenile Ryukyu Sparrowhawk.

Eurasian Siskin
Eurasian Siskin

Adult male Eurasian Siskin. It was absurdly far away, so heavily cropped. ^^;

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill

The Black-faced Spoonbill was spending the day in the same paddy field again today.

Dunlin
Dunlin

Dunlin in first-winter plumage.

Dunlin
Dunlin

Adult Dunlin. Moulting from summer into winter plumage.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

Green Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper

Juvenile Green Sandpiper.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

Adult Black-bellied Tern. Moulting into winter plumage.

Eurasian Teal
Eurasian Teal

Common Teal were coming into the paddies in large numbers all over the place. The individual on the far left is a male in eclipse, but you can see a few breeding feathers coming in.

Eurasian Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon in a small flock of several birds. This one appears to be a juvenile.

Categories: 野鳥

今季初のクロツラヘラサギとアトリほか

数日前から入っていたアトリの群れを見てきました。数十羽が休耕田の雑草地で餌を取っていた。

クロツラヘラサギは2羽が田んぼに入りました。アトリ、クロツラヘラサギとも今季初確認。

田んぼのシギは、セイタカシギやアカアシシギ、アオアシシギ、コアオアシシギといつものメンバーが目立ちます。タカブシギやタシギも多くいます。

Brambling
Brambling

Brambling, adult male.

Brambling
Brambling

Brambling, adult female.

Brambling
Brambling

The Bramblings were in a flock of several dozen.

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill

Adult Black-faced Spoonbill. On the Okinawa main island it summers over and can be seen year-round, but on Ishigaki-jima it winters here from around this time through next spring.

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill

A young Black-faced Spoonbill.

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill

The two were foraging together companionably. They appeared to be catching dragonfly larvae and the like.

Common Redshank
Common Redshank

Common Redshank moulting into winter plumage.

Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank

Common Greenshank in winter plumage.

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Adult Marsh Sandpiper.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

Adult female Black-winged Stilt in winter plumage. The bird on the left is in first-winter plumage.

Categories: 野鳥

田んぼでキガシラセキレイ、ツバメチドリなど

一つの田んぼでキガシラセキレイやツバメチドリ、クロハラアジサシなどが餌を取ったり、休んだりしていました。

キガシラセキレイは、ツメナガセキレイの群れの中に1羽。忙しそうに歩き回りながら採餌していました。

ツバメチドリは、幼鳥と成鳥合わせて6羽の群れ。渡ってきたばかりなのか疲れたように座り込んでいました。クロハラアジサシ2羽も同じくお疲れモード。

タシギも何羽かいましたがこちらもじっとしていた。

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Citrine Wagtail moulting from juvenile to first-winter plumage.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Same individual as above, from the opposite side.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Citrine Wagtail juvenile, head-on.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Citrine Wagtail from a slight front angle. It was foraging while walking around the paddy fields.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Eastern Yellow Wagtail, juvenile. The broad supercilium suggests the subspecies taivana.

Oriental Pratincole
Oriental Pratincole

Oriental Pratincole, first-winter. A flock of six Oriental Pratincoles all looked equally worn out — perhaps just arrived on migration.

Oriental Pratincole
Oriental Pratincole

Oriental Pratincole, adult winter.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

White-winged Tern, adult in winter plumage.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

This one has the primaries in tatters.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Common Snipe, adult. This one looks tired too.

Categories: 野鳥

秋の渡りベニバト、コイカルと逗留中のジャワアカガシラサギ、今季初のヒドリガモなど

秋の渡りの最中と思われるベニバト3羽とコイカルを田んぼで確認。同じ田んぼに今季初となるヒドリガモも1羽いました。

タシギの飛来は一旦は落ち着いていたのですが、第二波がやってきたようで畔では多くのタシギが確認できました。

ジャワアカガシラサギもまだ滞在中。2カ月となりますので越冬モードですね。

サシバの渡りは不発。朝夕合わせて300程度でタカ柱もほとんど観察できずでした…。ハヤブサやチゴハヤブサ、ミサゴも渡ってきています。

各地の田んぼではクロハラアジサシが数羽ずつ滞在中。全て成鳥でした。

Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove

Laughing Dove, adult female.

Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove

Three Laughing Doves. The bird in front is a male; the two at the back are females.

Japanese Grosbeak
Japanese Grosbeak

Japanese Grosbeak, adult female. She looks rather scruffy — probably mid-moult from summer to winter plumage.

Javan Pond Heron
Javan Pond Heron

A Javan Pond Heron that has settled in for a long stay — well into wintering mode. If it stays until spring, we might get to see it in breeding plumage.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Common Snipe numbers have started climbing again lately. A mix of juveniles and adults.

Eurasian Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon

My first Eurasian Wigeon of the season. Appears to be a juvenile.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

White-winged Tern, adult. Some remnants of breeding plumage remain.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

Grey-faced Buzzard, adult female.

Grey-faced Buzzard
Grey-faced Buzzard

Grey-faced Buzzard, juvenile.

Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon, adult male.

Categories: 野鳥

北海道でオジロワシとカモメ4種、カモ、小鳥など

家族旅行で北海道へ4泊5日。最終日の朝、3時間だけ時間をもらい石狩市の石狩湾新港と札幌市内を流れる茨戸川で鳥見。

鵡川でカモメを見る予定でしたが、時間が思った以上に取れず何の情報も予習もないままの探鳥でしたが札幌市内でオジロワシが見られるとは!! しかも成鳥と幼鳥の2羽。さすが北海道だなー。

石狩湾新港では、オオセグロカモメやシロカモメ、ワシカモメ、ウミネコ。同港からはまなすの丘公園に延びる道では、カワラヒワの群れやホオアカ、アカゲラを確認しました。

茨戸川では、オジロワシのほかにハジロカイツブリやマガモ、キンクロハジロなどを撮影することができました。

White-tailed Eagle
White-tailed Eagle

White-tailed Eagle, adult.

White-tailed Eagle
White-tailed Eagle

White-tailed Eagle, juvenile.

White-tailed Eagle
White-tailed Eagle

White-tailed Eagle, adult.

White-tailed Eagle
White-tailed Eagle

White-tailed Eagle, juvenile.

Glaucous Gull
Glaucous Gull

Glaucous Gull, 4th-winter.

Glaucous Gull
Glaucous Gull

The bird at the back is a Glaucous-winged Gull, adult winter.

Slaty-backed Gull
Slaty-backed Gull

Slaty-backed Gull, 4th-winter.

Slaty-backed Gull
Slaty-backed Gull

Slaty-backed Gull, 4th-winter.

Black-tailed Gull
Black-tailed Gull

Black-tailed Gull, adult winter.

Herring Gull
Herring Gull

Heuglin's Gull, juvenile.

Slaty-backed Gull
Slaty-backed Gull

Slaty-backed Gull, 2nd-winter.

Slaty-backed Gull
Slaty-backed Gull / Glaucous Gull

From back left: Glaucous Gull, Slaty-backed Gull, Slaty-backed Gull 2nd-winter, Slaty-backed Gull juvenile.

Glaucous Gull
Glaucous Gull

Two adult Glaucous Gulls on the left.

Black-tailed Gull
Black-tailed Gull / Slaty-backed Gull

Black-tailed Gull, Heuglin's Gull, and Slaty-backed Gull.

Greater Scaup
Greater Scaup

Greater Scaup, male (back) and juvenile.

Tufted Duck
Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck, male (back) and juvenile.

Mallard
Mallard

Two male Mallards. Transitioning from eclipse to breeding plumage.

Black-necked Grebe
Black-necked Grebe

Black-necked Grebe, winter plumage.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker

A Great Spotted Woodpecker on a power line. Didn't expect to see one perching there.

Chestnut-eared Bunting
Chestnut-eared Bunting

A small number of Chestnut-eared Buntings were present.

Grey-capped Greenfinch
Grey-capped Greenfinch

Eurasian Goldfinches in flocks here and there.

Categories: 野鳥