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

A male Ryukyu Scops Owl. This pair has started breeding at almost the same time as last year. Three Ryukyu Scops Owl nests confirmed.

A male Brown Hawk-Owl. An individual that has bred here several years running.

Two Brown Hawk-Owl nests confirmed.

The rice had grown tall enough that I couldn't see the whole bird, but I found a Swinhoe's Snipe.

Same individual as above. There's a good chance this will be my last Swinhoe's Snipe of the season, so I stuck it out trying to get a shot of the tail feathers… ^^;

A precious view of the flank of a Swinhoe's Snipe!! This individual was last recorded on 7 May.

A different Swinhoe's Snipe. This one was last confirmed on 1 May.

A female Greater Painted-snipe, encountered after a long absence. The male is probably incubating eggs at this time of year.

A Black Drongo after a downpour. It sat motionless on a branch tip — apparently drying its feathers.

A male Pale-vented Pigeon picking food off the ground.

In the middle of the downpour, it seemed to know exactly which branch would keep it out of the rain.

A male Ruddy Kingfisher near my home. Completely unfazed even when villagers passed below. ^^;

It had several favourite perches, and after the rain cleared it was actively taking prey.

A Crested Serpent Eagle on the forest road. Blood-sucking insects were swarming around its face and it looked none too pleased.

White-winged Terns appearing sporadically as passage birds. More individuals in summer plumage now.

A flock of ten Common Greenshanks came down into the paddies during the downpour. As soon as the rain stopped they took off and moved on.

A Black Drongo perched right in front of me. You can also see the small white spot at the base of the bill.

Two Black Drongos. Three together on the same perch was not to be.

The Black Drongo is jet black, but the wings carry a slight metallic sheen — beautiful.

Perched nimbly on a slender branch.

A juvenile Black-winged Kite. Still showing a good deal of juvenile plumage.

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle. Born last year, it managed to get through the winter. A few adult feathers are just beginning to show.

A young male Hen Harrier. It was quartering the pasture in search of prey.

The moult is progressing; grey, male-type feathers are coming in on the head.

Ruddy Kingfisher, male.

It was actively foraging in the rain.

A Ruddy Kingfisher with no fear of people.

A Ruddy Kingfisher excavating a nest hole in a Livistona palm. The wood is hard, so it may give up partway through.

A Rufous-necked Woodrail that passed by while I was watching the Ruddy Kingfisher build its nest.