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

An adult male Ryukyu Bittern immediately after being rescued.

After about 24 hours it was able to get up on its own and had started showing wariness toward people. Remarkable vitality!!

A tadpole of the Yaeyama Rhacophorus that became its prey.

Released into a rice field near the rescue site. It flew off, clucking a grumpy-sounding "kok-kok-kok" as it went.

Emerald Dove, male.

It appeared to be picking up seeds of Macaranga fallen on the ground.

A rare look at the Emerald Dove's underwing.

The bird showed no wariness at all — cars passing by were completely ignored, and a dump truck would only prompt it to hop from the ground up into a tree.

Females are rarely seen, so the Emerald Doves must still be in the thick of nesting.

Ruddy Kingfisher, female. She is probably resting and recovering from the effort of raising young, ahead of migration.

This pair is right in the middle of raising chicks. Three eggs were laid, but only two hatched. The chicks have grown large enough that the parents are bringing in Cryptotympana large cicadas.

A Ruddy Kingfisher that nested in a Swinhoe's white ant mound built on a beach she-oak.

A male Ruddy Kingfisher passing food to a chick.

A juvenile Ryukyu Night Heron hatched this year. They'll be appearing more and more from here on.

Oriental Pratincole in juvenile plumage (left) and first-winter plumage.

A juvenile Oriental Pratincole flapping to shake off water after bathing.

Oriental Pratincole in first-winter plumage.

Juvenile Kentish Plovers. They were always together, so I assume they are siblings.

Adult Kentish Plover. Late summer plumage.

A Little Tern whose chicks have hatched.

A flock of Little Terns.

Little Ringed Plover in first-winter plumage.

Adult Little Ringed Plover. Late summer plumage.

It's hard to make out at this distance, but this is a juvenile Common Redshank — the first of the season.

Common Greenshank in late summer plumage.

Wood Sandpiper in late summer plumage.

Long-toed Stint numbers are increasing too.

Common Sandpiper in late summer plumage.

Greater Sand Plover. Transitioning from summer to winter plumage.

Lesser Sand Plover in late summer plumage.

Red-necked Stint in summer plumage.

Red-necked Stint, first-summer plumage.

Grey-tailed Tattler transitioning from breeding to non-breeding plumage.

Ryukyu Scops Owl, female.

The male, paired with the bird above. Both birds are outside the nest, so fledging appears to be imminent.

Male Brown Hawk-Owl. Three recently fledged chicks are nearby.

A singing Ruddy Kingfisher. Most pairs have finished raising their young, but three pairs are still incubating.

A Ruddy Kingfisher looking ragged as its moult progresses and feathers fall out.

A juvenile Ryukyu Least Bittern. The feathers are ragged — moult seems to be proceeding rapidly.

A juvenile Ryukyu Least Bittern that flew past right in front of me.

I went over to where the bird above had landed, and there it was. White down still remains on the head and tertials.

A different individual. White down also still remains on the head and tertials.

A juvenile Purple Heron. Encounters will become more frequent from here on.

A juvenile Ryukyu Night Heron. On its own now, catching tadpoles or something in a shallow puddle.

Eastern Cattle Egret, transitioning from summer to winter plumage.

Intermediate Egret, summer plumage.