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

Asian koel Crested serpent eagle Black Bittern Glossy Ibis Ruddy Kingfisher

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

まだいた越冬ニシオジロビタキ

1月7日に最後の確認をしていたニシオジロビタキ はまだいました。約80日ぶりの再会となりました。ニシオジロビタキは、 昨年の12月21日に発見 してから少なくとも3カ月間は、同じ公園で逗留していることになります。

今日は 同じ場所に現れたヤツガシラ の近くで餌探ししていました。ヤツガシラが地面を突くと出てくる小さな虫でも食っているんでしょうか? そんな行動でした。

とっくに北上して行ったと思っていたニシオジロビタキだけど、まだいたんですねー。^^

Red-breasted Flycatcher
Red-breasted Flycatcher

Going from winter plumage to summer plumage, I get the sense the colouring of the plumage has changed somewhat.

Red-breasted Flycatcher
Red-breasted Flycatcher

It came down to the ground to feed. It didn't venture out into open areas much.

Categories: 野鳥

三角池でソリハシセイタカシギ、コアオアシシギなど

先週のソリハシセイタカシギとコアオアシシギ はまだ三角池に滞在していました。滞在12日目。

沖縄では珍しいヨシガモも1羽入っていました。ほかにはアオアシシギが10羽ほどにハシビロガモ、オオバンなど。コガモはメスのみが10羽ほど滞在中。

Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet

A Pied Avocet on its twelfth day of stay. A longer stopover than usual for spring.

Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet

Even in a murky pond, the Pied Avocet's monochrome plumage is beautiful.

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Also a longer stay than usual for spring — a Marsh Sandpiper.

Falcated Duck
Falcated Duck

Falcated Duck are rare in Okinawa, but this year I observed four individuals — two males and two females — at three different locations.

Common Greenshank
Common Greenshank

I think Common Greenshanks come and go from autumn through the spring migration, but they have been at Sankakuike the whole time.

Categories: 野鳥

春の渡りのヤツガシラ、農耕地に4個体(動画あり)

ヤツガシラ3羽を農耕地で発見しました。遠くを飛び去る個体を入れると4羽。これで沖縄本島でのヤツガシラは今季10羽確認したことになります。

沖縄本島に赴任してきて3年目。1、2年目は全く見つからなかったヤツガシラは、今年は南部から北部まで各地で見つけられました。当たり年なのか今まで探す場所が悪かったのか…。

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

A Eurasian Hoopoe that struck a pose for me on the lawn.

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

There were two of them — one blurred in the foreground.

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

This Eurasian Hoopoe was alone. After feeding, it was relaxing up in a Chinaberry tree.

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

It was a little wary of the farmer, but didn't fly off — after a short while it was back to searching earnestly for food.

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

Whether it had just arrived from migration or not, even when a light truck passed right in front of it, this Eurasian Hoopoe sat down and stayed put for some time.

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

It was rooting out cockroaches from soil that a wild boar had turned over.

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

It drops prey it had tossed up and tried to swallow. Tired from the long journey, perhaps?

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

Startled by a motorbike, it flew up into a tree. Its body is sleeked down from the tension. ^^

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

A Eurasian Hoopoe in a flower field.

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

The two Eurasian Hoopoes moving together kept their distance from each other and wouldn't line up side by side….

Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Hoopoe

Spotted a Eurasian Hoopoe flying in the distance. Including this individual, I was able to confirm four birds in the same area.

Categories: 野鳥

ゴルフ場でギンムクドリとツグミ

ギンムクドリとツグミを確認しました。ギンムクドリは、カラムクドリやコムクドリに比べると少ないです。

同じゴルフ場に沖縄本島では珍しいツグミもいました。石垣島など八重山地方にはそれなりの数が越冬しますが、沖縄本島でツグミは渡りの季節にごく少数を確認するのみです。

ほかのツグミの仲間も期待したのですが、この1羽だけでした。

White-shouldered Starling
White-shouldered Starling

Male Silky Starling.

Dusky Thrush
Dusky Thrush

First Dusky Thrush of the season. Quite a rarity for Okinawa. ^^

Categories: 野鳥

リュウキュウツバメの巣作り

あちこちでリュウキュウツバメが巣作りに励んでいます。

2羽のリュウキュウツバメが田んぼで泥を集めると近くの道の駅ゆいゆい国頭の建物へ運んでいた。

Pacific Swallow
Pacific Swallow

I couldn't tell which was male and which was female, but the two of them were collecting mud together and carrying it to the same spot.

Pacific Swallow
Pacific Swallow

The other individual.

Categories: 野鳥