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

Purple Swamphen Black-winged Cuckooshrike Pheasant-tailed jacana Crested serpent eagle Ruddy Kingfisher

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

雨の中、コシャクシギ滞在中(動画あり)

昨日、見つけたコシャクシギ は、きょうも雨の中の牧草地を元気に歩き回っていました。

Whimbrel
Whimbrel

A Little Whimbrel soaked by rain and turned completely black. Black enough to be mistaken for a dark morph… ^^;

Whimbrel
Whimbrel

The Pacific Golden Plovers in the same pasture showed almost no colour change even when wet, but why does the Little Whimbrel turn this colour? Less preen oil in the feathers, perhaps?

Categories: 野鳥

コシャクシギ登場 カリガネ滞在中

仕事の移動中にコシャクシギを見つけました。こんな時のために社用車には常に600ミリレンズを積んでいます。コシャクシギはムナグロの群れとともに牧草地で餌を探し回っていました。近くにはツバメチドリ2羽もいました。

別の田んぼではカリガネ、ヒシクイ、マガンが滞在中。今季初のオナガガモも飛来していました。

Whimbrel
Whimbrel

Adult Little Whimbrel in late breeding plumage.

Whimbrel
Whimbrel

The Little Whimbrel appeared to be catching insects for food.

Pacific Golden Plover
Pacific Golden Plover

Pacific Golden Plovers arrived in a flock of about ten. All were juveniles.

Oriental Pratincole
Oriental Pratincole

Adult Oriental Pratincole in winter plumage.

Lesser White-fronted Goose
Lesser White-fronted Goose

The two Lesser White-fronted Geese were keeping a slight distance from the Taiga Bean Goose and Greater White-fronted Goose flock.

Tundra Bean Goose
Tundra Bean Goose / Greater White-fronted Goose

A flock of Greater White-fronted Geese and Taiga Bean Geese.

Northern Pintail
Northern Pintail

Four Northern Pintails arrived.

Categories: 野鳥

カンムリワシ幼鳥(動画あり)

今季6羽目のカンムリワシ幼鳥を見つけました。警戒心の薄い個体で近距離で観察することができました。採餌に差し支えるので、幼鳥の場合は短時間の観察に留めます。

田んぼではチュウヒが現れてレンカクを驚かせていました。 10月12日から滞在中のレンカク は稲の中に入って出てこなくなってしまいました…。

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A beautiful juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

Female Crested Serpent Eagle.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A Crested Serpent Eagle paired with the individual above.

Eastern Marsh Harrier
Eastern Marsh Harrier

A Eastern Marsh Harrier quartering over the paddies.

Eastern Marsh Harrier
Eastern Marsh Harrier

There was some distance, but the birds in the paddy looked alarmed.

Categories: 野鳥

ベニバト、ノビタキ、シマアジ、カリガネほか(動画あり)

ベニバトがオスとメスで飛来。収穫前の米をキジバトとともに食っていました。

今季初のノビタキを水田地帯で確認。強い風の中、枝から枝へと飛び移りながら餌をとっているようでした。

ガン、カモが増えてきました。特に今季はシマアジを多く確認します。沖縄では珍しいマガモも飛来しました。カリガネ2羽は滞在2週間となりました。ヒシクイ、マガンと合流して26羽の大所帯となっています。

Eurasian Collared Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove

Adult male Eurasian Collared Dove. Going back and forth between the power lines and the paddies.

Siberian Stonechat
Siberian Stonechat

First Siberian Stonechat of the season.

Garganey
Garganey

Garganey are arriving in good numbers this season. There is almost always a Garganey mixed into the Eurasian Teal flocks.

Lesser White-fronted Goose
Lesser White-fronted Goose

A Lesser White-fronted Goose is also staying on. I have a feeling it will be a long visit.

Mallard
Mallard

Mallard — a rare bird for Okinawa. It was associating with Spot-billed Ducks.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (left) and adult in late breeding plumage.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

At this time of year, the snipe left in the paddies are almost all Common Snipe…

Categories: 野鳥

アメリカウズラシギ逗留中、ホシムクドリ、ムネアカタヒバリほか

アメリカウズラシギはたまに猛禽に脅されながらも元気に田んぼで滞在中です。

ホシムクドリは今季初確認。タシギの群れについて回っていました。よくあるケースらしい。ずいぶん大きさは違うけどなんでだろ? 羽色の金属光沢が似てるから親近感で?

ムネアカタヒバリ主体の群れにマミジロタヒバリ、セジロタヒバリ、ヒバリが混じっていましたが、チョウゲンボウが2羽付近にいてなんどもぶっ飛ばされる。3時間で写真撮れたのはムネアカタヒバリ3羽のみ!!

Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper

A Buff-breasted Sandpiper juvenile still present.

Dunlin
Dunlin

Dunlin in winter plumage.

Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper / Dunlin

Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Dunlin.

Common Starling
Common Starling

The first Rosy Starling of the season. It was a juvenile.

Northern Lapwing
Northern Lapwing / Common Starling

Rosy Starling and Northern Lapwing.

Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

Red-throated Pipits arrived in a flock of several tens of birds.

Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

Hidden behind grass — barely got any shots.

Common Kestrel
Common Kestrel

The culprit that flushed the flock of small birds… ^^l

Categories: 野鳥