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

Eurasian Hoopoe Crested serpent eagle Glossy Ibis Purple Swamphen Short-eared Owl

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

カタグロトビ、カンムリワシ

最近、カタグロトビへの関心は低かったのですが、カタグロトビ専門の鳥友に市街地からほど近いポイントを教えてもらったので、久しぶりに撮影。電線からサトウキビ畑の獲物に狙いを定めていました。やはりカタグロトビはかっこいいですね。警戒心の弱い個体でこれなら近くで撮れそうです。

カンムリワシも出会う機会が増えてきました。右足に緑の足環をつけた個体でした。

Black-winged Kite
Black-winged Kite

A Black-winged Kite hunting over a sugarcane field.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A green ring was visible on the right leg. I couldn't make out the code.

Categories: 野鳥

ハリオシギ3羽、サルハマシギ、タマシギほか田んぼ巡回

朝一の取材を終えて、次まで時間が空いたのでお気に入りの田んぼを巡回。

相変わらずチュウジシギが多い中、明らかに異彩を放つ3羽を発見。ハリオシギの幼鳥と成鳥です。念のため尾羽を見せてくれるまで粘ると、群れの中で一番大柄な個体が名前の由来ともなった針のような尾羽を見せてくれました。3羽も同時に見られるなんて幸せ。^^

近くでは、今季初確認となるサルハマシギも撮影。幼鳥でした。

幼鳥といえば、セイタカシギとコアオアシシギの幼鳥もここ数日で増えてきました。残念ながらウズラシギの幼鳥は、まだ確認できていません。

ツバメの大群が入ってきていました。何羽いるのか分からないような数のツバメが田んぼの上空を飛び交っていた。動画がありますので数えてみてください。

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Pin-tailed Snipe, adult (right) and juvenile. The larger individual on the right showed its tail feathers.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

Tail feathers spread during preening after a bath — close-up.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

This individual has quite short tail feathers, but it is an adult Swinhoe's Snipe.

Pin-tailed Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe

The smallest individual and the most Swinhoe's Snipe-like of the bunch. A juvenile, perhaps?

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

The white underwing made me think Common Snipe, but Common Snipe appears to be whiter still.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Adult Swinhoe's Snipe and a dragonfly.

Curlew Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper

Juvenile Dunlin.

Curlew Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper

The flanks of the Dunlin are pure white.

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Juvenile Marsh Sandpiper. First-winter feathers are starting to come in.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

A Black-winged Stilt showing prominent juvenile plumage.

White-breasted Waterhen
White-breasted Waterhen

A White-breasted Waterhen adult and chick passed by. There was only one chick.

Greater Painted-snipe
Greater Painted-snipe

A pair of Greater Painted-snipes. The drab one in the foreground is, of course, the male.

Categories: 野鳥

田んぼでジャワアカガシラサギ、マミジロツメナガセキレイ、エリマキシギほか

ジャワアカガシラサギは2羽とも滞在中。同じ田んぼで餌をとっていました。

マミジロツメナガセキレイは2カ所に大きな群れが入った。片方の群れはほとんど成鳥で、もう一方はほとんど幼鳥でした。

エリマキシギのメス幼鳥が1羽入りました。遠くて逆光でしたが、独特のプロポーションは一発で分かりますね。

チュウジシギが増えてどこの田んぼにも複数羽がいる状況です。ハリオシギはすっかり見なくなりました。タシギは本土から1カ月ほど遅れて、9月半ばぐらいから入りだします。

コアオアシシギの幼鳥もやっと飛来しました。

Javan Pond Heron
Javan Pond Heron

The Javan Pond Herons are staying on. Two individuals are in the same paddy field.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Eastern Yellow Wagtail (taivana), adult.

Citrine Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail

Eastern Yellow Wagtail (taivana), juvenile. The upperparts show more brown than in a juvenile Eastern Yellow Wagtail (tschutschensis).

Ruff
Ruff

Ruff, juvenile female. It had joined a flock of Wood Sandpipers.

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Juvenile Marsh Sandpipers have finally started to arrive.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, adult. Summer plumage transitioning to winter.

Long-toed Stint
Long-toed Stint

Juvenile Long-toed Stints are increasing in number as well.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stint, adult. Summer plumage transitioning to winter.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Another Swinhoe's Snipe.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipes everywhere — all juveniles….

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, adult. Summer plumage transitioning to winter.

Categories: 野鳥

田んぼの野鳥11種

1時間ほど時間が空いたので水田地帯で軽くバードウオッチング。

シギは多い順にタカブシギ、アオアシシギ、セイタカシギ、ヒバリシギ、チュウジシギ、アカアシシギ、キアシシギ、コアオアシシギ。秋の渡りの幼鳥、成鳥ともに続々と到着中。入れ替わりも激しいと思われます。

クロハラアジサシは幼鳥が2羽、ムラサキサギはあちこちの田んぼで幼鳥を見ます。

Wood Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper, juvenile. The gleaming fresh plumage is beautiful.

Common Redshank
Common Redshank

Common Redshank, moulting from juvenile into first-winter plumage.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe, juvenile.

Long-toed Stint
Long-toed Stint

Juvenile Long-toed Stints have been turning up in increasing numbers lately.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt, moulting from juvenile into first-winter plumage.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

White-winged Tern, juvenile.

Purple Heron
Purple Heron

A juvenile Purple Heron spreading its wings to air them out.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, adult. Moulting into winter plumage. Behind it is a Long-toed Stint.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, late summer plumage. Some winter feathers already coming in.

Grey-tailed Tattler
Grey-tailed Tattler

Grey-tailed Tattler, late summer plumage.

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Marsh Sandpiper, adult winter plumage.

Purple Heron
Purple Heron

An adult Purple Heron that has taken a turtle.

Categories: 野鳥