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

Ashy drongo Asian Glossy Starling Short-eared Owl Black-winged Cuckooshrike Schrenck's little bittern

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

カンムリワシ飛翔撮影の設定

久しぶりにカンムリワシの飛翔を撮影。いつもと違う設定で撮影してみたらこれがバッチリでした。^^ 背景が近い時は、しばらくこの設定で撮影を試してみようと思います。

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Diving straight down at the prey!!

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Locked on.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Prey caught. It's gripping a grasshopper in its left foot. Seems a bit small for a Crested Serpent Eagle. ^^;

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

It carried the prey into a leafy thicket and ate it there.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

When it heard the call of another Crested Serpent Eagle, it flew off to a branch with a better view.

Categories: 野鳥

クロツラヘラサギ2羽

取材の合間に浦田原をうろついていたら、「アンパルの自然を守る会」の方たちに会い、ゴルフ場予定地の調査に向かうとのことなので、同行させてもらいました。

帰り道、同じ浦田原の田んぼの一角にクロツラヘラサギが2羽飛来していました。1羽は左足を怪我しているようでした。 先日のフラッグ付きのクロツラヘラサギ もいるようなのですが、見つけられませんでした。

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill

There wasn't much water in the paddy, but two Black-faced Spoonbills were working hard searching for food.

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill

A Black-faced Spoonbill with an injured left foot. Its face is covered in mud — maybe because of the bad leg it plunged face-first into the mud when it landed?

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill

This one is a healthy individual.

Eastern Cattle Egret
Eastern Cattle Egret

Strong northerly winds were blowing, so the Eastern Cattle Egrets took refuge on the water plants instead of their usual roost tree.

Categories: 野鳥

オニアジサシ飛来(動画あり)

オニアジサシの成鳥冬羽が磯辺川河口にいました。車で走ってたら見えたのですが、さすがにでかいのですぐに目に付きます。^^

最初は、すぐに降りてしまい、羽繕いなどに余念がなかったのですが、しばらくすると沿岸を飛び回りながら獲物を探していました。オニアジサシは大きいので獲物も大きなボラを捕まえたようでした。

満潮の砂浜には、シロチドリやオオメダイチドリ、イソシギなどが休んでいました。

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern

The Caspian Tern seemed bothered by its own shadow and spent much of its time staring at the ground.

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern

It was quartering back and forth between Ohama settlement and the mouth of the Isobu River, staying roughly ten-odd metres from the shore, searching for prey.

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern

A Caspian Tern skilfully swallowing a large grey mullet while still in flight.

Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern

After eating the mullet it seemed satisfied and went back to resting. Efficient hunting.

Kentish Plover
Kentish Plover

On the beach, a Kentish Plover was resting out of the wind behind some pebbles.

A crab resting too.

Categories: 野鳥

ベニバトのオス2羽

新石垣空港近くの牛種子牧場に9月ぐらいからベニバトが何羽か入っています。入れ替わりもあるかと思いますが、現在は最低でもオス2羽とメス2羽がいると思われます。今日は、有刺鉄線にキジバトと仲良く並んで止まっていました。^^ ちなみにこの牧場は「石垣牛専門店いしなぎ屋」の直営牧場です。

Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove / Ryukyu Green Pigeon

Standing next to the Oriental Turtle Dove really highlights just how small the Little Button-quail... — the smallness of the Pale-backed Pigeon is striking next to an Oriental Turtle Dove.

Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove

I thought it had landed on the ground, but it was so far away. Even with cropping, this is the best I could manage with such a tiny Little Buttonquail. ^^;

Categories: 野鳥

フラッグ付きのクロツラヘラサギ、アカガシラサギほか

浦田原にフラッグを付けたクロツラヘラサギがいました。山階鳥類研究所へ報告しました。2010年6月16日に韓国の仁川で放された個体のようです。昨日の夕方、仕事帰りに平田原を通った時に見つけたクロツラヘラサギにはフラッグがついていませんでしたので、石垣島には2羽渡ってきているようです。 昨年は、10月14日に18羽確認 しています。

平田原にはアカガシラサギが飛来していました。少し警戒心の強い個体でした。同じ田圃のタカブシギたちは猛禽に襲われて完全に怖気づいて集まっていました。

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill / Ringed / flagged bird

You can make out the characters 'K91' on the right leg of the Black-faced Spoonbill. It was foraging in the paddies, sweeping its bill from side to side.

Black-faced Spoonbill
Black-faced Spoonbill / Ringed / flagged bird

The Black-faced Spoonbill then took off and flew away.

Chinese Pond Heron
Chinese Pond Heron

The Chinese Pond Heron was in the same paddy field as yesterday.

Wood Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper

A Wood Sandpiper frozen in terror.

Categories: 野鳥