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

Poised and clearly ready to fly.

When placed on the ground it walked several metres before stopping.

After a little while, watched over by the rescue workers, officials, and press, it flew off strongly.

Lately, for some reason, I've ended up directing things on site — the direction of flight, the positioning of the media and so on — but this time it flew exactly the course I'd predicted, so I just about managed to save face… ^^;

The long-staying Collared Kingfisher. When the sun hits it, it flashes brilliantly and the contrast intensifies.

Even in shade, this blue. It hasn't noticed me, so it's relaxed and puffed up.

Compared to when it first arrived, the feather wear has advanced considerably. The Collared Kingfisher that stayed on Okinawa Island for about eight months had moulted quite a lot by year's end, but this individual looks like it still has a way to go.

After resting for about thirty minutes on its favourite rock, the Collared Kingfisher caught prey and disappeared into the trees.

A Malayan Night Heron that had caught prey. It couldn't pull the catch out in one go and was working it out little by little, but a car passed nearby and startled it into fleeing.

One of the two Chinese Pond Herons staying here. It shows almost no wariness at all.

Two Tundra Swans at the river mouth. These are individuals that had been observed on Iriomote Island.

This is a Narcissus Flycatcher, first-winter female, not a Ryukyu Flycatcher. This season I'm encountering Narcissus Flycatcher more often than Ryukyu Flycatcher.

Adult White-browed Crake. It seemed quite wary.

The White-browed Crake gets harassed by the Eastern Yellow Wagtail and dashes into the grass when startled.

White-browed Crake fleeing from an Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Juvenile Oriental Stork. It was banded on both legs with the tag "J0701".

It was foraging, but everything it caught was small — hardly enough for an Oriental Stork.

Adult Pied Avocet.

First-winter Pied Avocet.

A new individual juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle. It was foraging by taking advantage of ongoing rice-harvesting work.

This is Crested Serpent Eagle juvenile No. 7.

Same individual as above. What it caught was a small Teleogryllus emma cricket. Hard to imagine filling its stomach on that. I hope it makes it through the winter safely.

Adult Eurasian Spoonbill. It was gulping down large numbers of small gastropods.

Adult Purple Heron swallowing a swamp eel.

First-winter Taiwan Wagtail.

First-winter (Yellow-browed) Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Adult winter (Yellow-browed) Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

Adult male Black-winged Stilt. I saw several flocks of a dozen or so birds.

A Bean Goose still on site. It seems to be growing less wary.

The season's first male Gadwall. Transitioning from juvenile plumage to first-cycle breeding plumage.

Male Eurasian Teal. Transitioning from juvenile plumage to first-cycle breeding plumage.

Male Eurasian Teal. Transitioning from eclipse to breeding plumage.

Eurasian Wigeon, male. It has changed into breeding plumage.

Black-headed Gull, first-winter.

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle found by a local resident after being concussed in a traffic accident, and named "Hayate."

When the staff member at Yaima Village, the rehabilitation facility, placed the Crested Serpent Eagle on the ground, it took off with great force.

A Crested Serpent Eagle passing right in front of the press corps. It flew exactly the course we expected. ^^

A juvenile White-breasted Waterhen looking as if it's wearing a helmet. I saw a similar adult White-breasted Waterhen in the same area three years ago, so this could be one of its descendants.

This individual shows slightly less variation than the one above, but variation is still visible. Also a juvenile, so it may be a sibling of the bird above.

A Collared Kingfisher resting at its high-tide roost. Shot from behind cover because of the close distance.

A few Caspian Terns are staying in the area.

A few Red-necked Stints as well.

Black-headed Gull, adult winter.

Black-headed Gull, first-winter.

Two Chinese Pond Herons have been appearing in the rice paddies and irrigation channels for the past several days.

The first Bean Geese of the season arrived. A small flock of six.

Rain was falling heavily at times.

Rosy Starling, adult male.

Rosy Starling, adult female. Noticeably smaller than the Oriental Turtle Dove.

A Common Starling was also among the flock of Rosy Starlings and Oriental Turtle Doves.