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

A Black-winged Kite stooping on prey it had spotted.

It was targeting mice hiding among the tall grass. The moment of the catch was completely obscured by the vegetation. ^^;

It turned toward me for just a moment. I managed to get a look at the Black-winged Kite's bright red eyes.

I keep hoping the sun will come out, but apparently when the weather is good, hunting starts later and it ends up being dark anyway. Probably adjusting to when the mice are active.

The Black-winged Kite has a fierce expression, but straight on it's a little endearing.

Because Black-winged Kites hover while searching for prey, it's hard to get any background other than open sky.

I was hoping for some sunshine, but it was overcast on Ishigaki-jima all day long… ^^;

Caught a mouse.

In a rice field near the Pied Avocet, a Red Turtle-Dove was gleaning fallen grain among Oriental Turtle-Doves. In the Yaeyamas, whenever you find a flock of Oriental Turtle-Doves, you always have to check for Red Turtle-Doves!!

There were two Pied Avocets. In separate fields.

When I lived on Ishigaki-jima, Purple Herons could be found any time, so I rarely bothered to photograph them. On the Okinawa mainland, however, they are very scarce, so I got a shot of an adult first.

Then I also got a juvenile Purple Heron.

A juvenile Malayan Night Heron foraging in the rain.

At Hirakubo, a soaking-wet juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle.

Isabelline Shrikes are also scarce on the Okinawa mainland.

Perhaps because of the strong winds in the morning, Black-headed Gulls were spending time with Eastern Cattle Egrets in the rice fields.

White-breasted Waterhen — I never see them at all on the Okinawa mainland, but there are plenty on Ishigaki-jima.

In a rice field, a Crested Serpent Eagle was eating a small turtle.

Six Black-faced Spoonbills were resting on a sandbar that remains at high tide on the Tomishiro tidal flat. The Black-faced Spoonbill at the far left is wearing a leg band reading "J15".

One Eurasian Spoonbill at Sankaku Pond. It was moving around actively.

Also at Sankaku Pond — a Pied Avocet.

The two Black-faced Spoonbills at Sankaku Pond were foraging.

A big yawn from the Eurasian Spoonbill. ^^

A Peregrine Falcon that came gliding in from nowhere over the sea.

A Peregrine Falcon crossing right in front of me, showing no interest in prey.

It's a shame the clouds came in just at that moment.

Bathing in a freshwater spring. How does the Peregrine Falcon know that fresh water seeps out here?

The Peregrine Falcon is usually so bold, but… ^^;

I climbed up onto the reef to shoot it without being noticed. Afterward, it headed back the way it came.

An Osprey also came by, targeting fish in the tide pools.

Right in front of me, a Little Egret caught a large mullet. The mullet caught my eye… ^^;

Almost uncropped at 1200mm. ^^

It was flying back and forth along the coast, east and west, catching prey from the tide pools.

Judging from the upperpart plumage, it appears to be in first-winter plumage.

Saunders's Gull, front view.

Saunders's Gull is a small, charming gull. It was also quite approachable.