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

Pin-tailed Snipe having a stretch.

I thought this was the same individual as above, but it seems they had swapped at some point. Also a Pin-tailed Snipe. It was foraging in the grass along a paddy bund.

Another Pin-tailed Snipe. It was threatened by a White-breasted Waterhen and came out into the open briefly, but quickly retreated back into the grass.

This Common Snipe had a swollen joint.

Purple Heron with a little winter plumage still remaining."

A Javan Pond Heron in full breeding plumage.

Curlew Sandpiper in breeding plumage. Beautiful frosted patterning.

Curlew Sandpiper retaining a little winter plumage.

Curlew Sandpiper retaining much of its winter plumage.

Dunlin in winter plumage.

Greater Painted-snipe, female in summer plumage.

Greater Painted-snipe, male in summer plumage.

Greater Painted-snipe female (foreground) and male. They appeared to have paired up.

Always a pleasure to find a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in spring.

Three Sharp-tailed Sandpipers in all.

The third Little Stint of the season.

Hoping for a Little Stint in full summer plumage to turn up.

A Temminck's Stint slow to moult, still in winter plumage.

This one appeared to have injured its left leg.

Long-toed Stint moulting from winter to summer plumage.

Marsh Sandpiper in summer plumage. I think this grey-toned summer plumage is the most beautiful of the lot.

Greenshank showing a little summer plumage coming through.

Pectoral Sandpipers confirmed in numbers running into the dozens. This individual was flagged, but I couldn't read the code….

The moult stages of Pacific Golden Plovers were richly varied as well.

The second Siberian Wagtail of the season. Last month's bird was in winter plumage, but this one was in breeding plumage.

Citrine Wagtail in breeding plumage.

(Yellow-browed) Wagtail in breeding plumage.

A Curlew Sandpiper flushed red.

Foraging while moving through the grass.

A little winter plumage still remains.

I rushed over after hearing there was a Black-tailed Godwit, and as a bonus found a Little Stint in summer plumage. Beautiful too.

The paddy was flooded, so I couldn't get a view of the full body proportions….

9 Black-tailed Godwits arrived. Large shorebirds in summer plumage really have a different kind of presence.

This one is still very much in winter plumage.

A Pin-tailed Snipe on the paddy bund. Not particularly wary.

This is a Swinhoe's Snipe. It was feeding actively, bill caked in mud.

A Swinhoe's Snipe stretching. It was at some distance, but I could make out the tail feathers too.

Two Swinhoe's Snipe. They both showed their tail feathers at the same time.

Pin-tailed Snipe. Appears to be the same individual as on April 10, making it a two-week stay. Quite long for spring.

Common Redshank in breeding plumage.

Marsh Sandpiper also moving into beautiful breeding plumage.

Common Greenshank is also transitioning into breeding plumage.

Wood Sandpiper in breeding plumage.

Wood Sandpiper. This one retains a lot of winter plumage.

Pectoral Sandpiper has peaked, with good numbers turning up in rice paddies here and there.

Little Stint in various stages — breeding plumage, winter plumage, and everything in between.

Pacific Golden Plover ranging from full breeding plumage, as in the photo, to individuals still retaining much of their winter plumage.

A flock of Lesser Sand Plovers and Greater Sand Plovers.

Greater Sand Plover. The colouring looked pale to me. Beautiful chestnut.

Ruddy Turnstone came in from offshore.

Two Whimbrel foraging on the shore.

A precious spring record of Pectoral Sandpiper.

A Black-winged Kite appeared, sending a Pectoral Sandpiper (right) and a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper hiding in the grass.

I have recorded about four Pin-tailed Snipe so far this season.

Swinhoe's Snipe are turning up in rice paddies here and there.

Pin-tailed Snipe (right) and Swinhoe's Snipe. They lined up in the same pose for me. ^^

This one is a particularly wary Swinhoe's Snipe.

A Pin-tailed Snipe stretching its neck as a Eastern Spot-billed Duck appeared.

A Common Snipe was dozing on a distant paddy bund.

Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are increasing in number too.

A flock of 15 Pacific Golden Plovers. They've been coming to the coast and pastures as well.

Female Ryukyu Striated Heron. Active just before the breeding season.

First White-winged Tern of the season. It seems to have been here since the previous evening.

Opportunities to see Eastern Spot-billed Duck families in the rice paddies have been increasing.