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

The second Pied Avocet of the season. It was distant and the atmospheric conditions were poor — tough shooting all around. ^^;

A dozing Pied Avocet. When the tide came in it was resting together with Whimbrels and others.

A Common Redshank caught a Metaplax elegans.

A Whimbrel also got a Metaplax elegans.

A Common Sandpiper crossing right in front of me.

Metaplax elegans, prey for the shorebirds. Is this why they're so easy to catch? ^^;

There are also many mudskippers (Periophthalmus modestus) at Manko.

As the tide comes in, the sandpipers return to the shore. Common Redshanks rendezvousing.

At high tide, Whimbrels also return to the shore.

A female Common Kingfisher appeared right in front of me. Beautiful.

Isabelline Shrike — a species that does migrate through Okinawa Island, though in small numbers.

The orange of the Isabelline Shrike glowed beautifully in the evening light.

A Eurasian Curlew on the coast. Handheld at 1200mm is rough… ^^;

There were also 2 Far Eastern Curlews nearby, but a selfie-taking couple flushed them… I'll try again tomorrow.

The Eurasian Curlew was catching crabs one after another.

A Black-tailed Godwit busily foraging in the rice paddies.

I'm seeing Ruffs here and there. Is it a big year for them?

A juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. I was thinking it would have been nice if it were a Pectoral Sandpiper — then I found a Pectoral Sandpiper in the next paddy over!! That's the photo below.

A different individual from the one above. This is the one I photographed thinking "That's a Pectoral Sandpiper!!" But on closer look, could it be a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper? ^^;

Thought so, but after tips from SHORE BIRDS IN JAPAN and Eta, it turned out to be a Pectoral Sandpiper!! A lifer for me. ^^ Many thanks to you both!! Still, it's impressive that Eta could pick it out without ever having seen a Pectoral Sandpiper. ^^;

Marsh Sandpipers were present in a small flock. Lovely little birds.

Common Redshanks were also in a small group. They were squabbling frequently.

Wood Sandpiper.

White-faced Wagtail in summer plumage.

Another White-faced Wagtail.

A Ruff was still present too. With food this abundant, it will probably stick around for a while.

Ruddy Turnstone. The blurry shapes in the background are all Ruddy Turnstones too. There were an incredible number of them.

Grey-tailed Tattler.

Pacific Golden Plovers had increased since the other day, with over a dozen gathered together.

I haven't had many chances to photograph Barred Buttonquail on Ishigaki Island, so I should get some shots while I can.

A pair of Barred Buttonquail. Nearly every Barred Buttonquail I encounter is in a pair.

A pair of male Barred Buttonquail, but they get along well.