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

My first Pale Thrush photos of the season. I've been hearing Pale Thrushes calling on migration at night for about a week now.

A very confiding individual — I could get to within about two metres. Unusual for a Pale Thrush, which is normally quite wary.

At the rice paddies of Uradahara, a Black-faced Spoonbill was sweeping its bill from side to side in search of food. Small pond snails appeared to be its main prey.

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle after a long absence. It was in the waterway at Shiromizu.

I can't tell if it's male or female — but this is one of the pair that always stays together. Shot from a spot I can only get into with my mentor. Might be the closest I've ever been. ^^

This one arrived before the Black-winged Kite above. Could it be female?

On the way back, a Black-winged Kite was hovering over the sugarcane fields. The third individual of the day. ^^

A Black-winged Kite opening its beak wide in threat as a crow approached.

It was hassled by several crows, but went right at them despite its small size.

The Black-winged Kite finally circled leisurely over the sugarcane fields before disappearing toward the forest.

A small bird, apparently a Buff-bellied Pipit, was mobbing the Common Kestrel.

I also came across a few wintering Grey-faced Buzzards.

Around midday on the first day, while checking the pastures at Minamihazama, I spotted a bird that looked like a Pale Thrush or maybe a Dusky Thrush. When I put the binoculars on it — a Black-throated Thrush? As I was trying to get a better look, a light truck came by and flushed it. Thrushes tend to return to the same feeding spot even after being flushed, so I waited about 20 minutes and it appeared again. Looking again through the binoculars, it was a male Red-throated Thrush in first-winter plumage. Just as I was about to shoot, a Common Kestrel flushed it again — but sure enough, while I was eating my lunch in the car it came back. ^^

It stood up on a perch and showed me its back as well.

A Red-throated Thrush that had caught what looked like a looper caterpillar.

The Red-throated Thrush that flushed twice but came back.

A Dusky Thrush also appeared. First record of the season.

The 40th species on my Iriomote birding list was a Chinese Pond Heron.

A Crested Serpent Eagle near the Funamida campsite.

The Common Kestrel that flushed the Red-throated Thrush. ^^;

I also encountered Ospreys — quite a few individuals.

Ida Beach at Funauki, an island enclave accessible only by sea.

The surface of the water was as calm as a mirror. From Urauchi Bridge.

The mangrove zone spreading out at the mouth of the Urauchi River.

A beam was shooting out from the meridian monument, and there was a Ryukyu Scops Owl catching moths attracted to the light.

Hen Harrier, which I saw in large numbers in Isshiki-cho, Aichi Prefecture.

It came from behind and I noticed it too late, so I grabbed a shot on the spot. Managed to get it. ^^;

Two juvenile Grey-faced Buzzards were at the Ushitanega ranch. No Pale-vented Pigeon to be found.

This is the Common Kestrel that had been frightened by the Hen Harrier. It was startled by the harrier and disappeared for a while, but came back after some time. I watched and photographed it for a bit, but it was spooked by a car and flew off and didn't return. ^^;

A different day, but here's a Common Buzzard. This area is full of raptors.