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

Black-winged Cuckooshrike Lesser Whistling Duck Crested serpent eagle Collared Kingfisher Pheasant-tailed jacana

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

本日のシギチ(タマシギ、チュウシャクシギなど・動画あり)

大浜海岸は相変わらずキアシシギ、シロチドリが多いです。そんな中で観察していると、どこからともなくチュウシャクシギが2羽現れました。ど干潮だったのでどれも遠い…。^^; エリグロアジサシの幼鳥を連れた小群もいて、クロサギが近寄ると親鳥が排除していました。

田んぼには相変わらずタカブシギのオンパレードですが、久しぶりにタマシギのメスが見られました。たまに鳴き声をあげていました。他は、セイタカシギやアオアシシギなど。

Greater Painted-snipe
Greater Painted-snipe

Female Greater Painted-snipe. Observed from inside the car, it didn't flush even at close range.

Greater Painted-snipe
Greater Painted-snipe

It was eating large numbers of small gastropods.

Whimbrel
Whimbrel

Two Whimbrels came to the beach. It was dead low tide and the birds were several hundred metres away.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

There was a small flock of Black-winged Stilts.

Wood Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpipers were in every rice paddy.

Kentish Plover
Kentish Plover

The Kentish Plover in winter plumage was running back and forth across the sandy beach.

Black-naped Tern
Black-naped Tern

A juvenile Black-naped Tern.

Categories: 野鳥

リュウキュウアカショウビンまだまだ見られます

嵩田林道でアカショウビンを何羽か観察できました。あと1カ月はいけるかな。キンバトもいましたが撮影には至らず…。^^;

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

The Ruddy Kingfisher was singing its heart out.

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

There was also a Ruddy Kingfisher in a dark spot. A louse fly is clinging to its left shoulder.

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

Extreme close-up. The contrast between the green background and the Ruddy Kingfisher's red is beautiful. ^^

Categories: 野鳥

久しぶりのカンムリワシ

嵩田林道でカンムリワシにあいました。いつもの慣れた個体です。営巣に成功していれば間もなく真っ白な巣立ちビナが見られるでしょう。今年は何羽の幼鳥が見られるか楽しみです。

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Crested Serpent Eagle — what a striking bird. ^^

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Waiting to ambush prey from up in a tree.

Categories: 野鳥

久しぶりにリュウキュウアカショウビン

最近は、海岸や田んぼばかり見ていましたが、10日ぶりにアカショウビンのポイントである屋良部岳林道や嵩田林道、バンナ公園を見てきました。アカショウビン以外には、カンムリワシやリュウキュウキビタキなどが見られました。

Ruddy Kingfisher
Ruddy Kingfisher

It kept glancing upward. Nothing seemed to be there, but maybe the Ruddy Kingfisher saw something.

Breeding is over and the moult has begun — they really do look ragged this time of year. ^^;

Categories: 野鳥

リュウキュウアオバズク巣立ちビナ

昨日に引き続きアオバズクの巣立ちビナをみてきました。ヒナは昨日の枝からほとんど移動していませんでした。両親はヒナを近くで見守っています。

Brown Hawk-Owl
Brown Hawk-Owl

Male Oriental Scops Owl. The female was there too, but she was perched somewhere difficult to shoot.

Brown Hawk-Owl
Brown Hawk-Owl

Oriental Scops Owl, three days after fledging.

Categories: 野鳥