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

It was skittish, taking flight every time a rental car approached.

Female Ruddy Shelduck.

A different individual from the one above. Also a female.

After the harvest, many Oriental Turtle Doves gather in the paddies to pick up fallen grain — and on Ishigaki, there is almost always a Crimson Sunbird among them.

Crimson Sunbirds and Oriental Turtle Doves that had taken refuge at the forest edge, startled by a raptor.

The Pied Avocets that have been staying for a long time. There are two of them, but they are being harassed by a raptor.

A Hen Harrier appeared in the strong wind. The Black-winged Stilts and Eurasian Teals panicked.

A juvenile Ryukyu Sparrowhawk that appeared while I was watching the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo.

A small number of Grey-streaked Flycatchers are also lingering.

Juvenile Common Coot. There are a few white feathers around the neck. Partial albinism?

While at work, a message came in through our group chat: "Greater Racket-tailed Drongo confirmed." I fidgeted through the rest of my shift, then rushed to the spot two hours after the alert — and managed to find the bird in driving rain and wind!!

Thanks to 石垣島BIRD観察, the first to find it, my life list got a new entry. ^^

It was larger than Black Drongo and Ashy Drongo, and gave an impression of being more composed. Slightly wary of crows and Grey-faced Buzzards, it still perched at branch tips and caught insects blown in by the strong wind.

A House Sparrow, appearing again after last year. Within Okinawa Prefecture, in 2018 I found a male on Okinawa Island at Itoman City — the first island record — and last year (2021) I found a female in central Ishigaki Island. This time, unfortunately, it was not my own find; it was discovered by a birdwatcher visiting from outside the island.

Size comparison between a female House Sparrow (centre) and Eurasian Tree Sparrows. It looks noticeably larger.

A House Sparrow bathing.

Seen head-on, the House Sparrow's pallor really stands out.

After bathing it perched on some pampas grass and relaxed.

An adult male Pink-necked Green Pigeon. It was mixed in with a flock of Oriental Turtle Doves.

A juvenile Red Knot. In the process of moulting into first-winter plumage.

Red Knots are more often seen on the coast, but they do appear in rice paddies from time to time.

An adult Dunlin. Summer plumage transitioning to winter plumage.

A flock of around ten Dunlins arrived in the rice paddies.

A small number of Red-necked Stints remain. Late juvenile plumage.

A male Pink-necked Green Pigeon.

Pied Avocets are not unusual in Okinawa or on Ishigaki Island, but whenever I spot one I find myself reaching for the camera.

A juvenile Yellow Bittern. Good numbers have arrived this season, but as with last year, every one of them is a juvenile.

A juvenile Common Snipe.

Both birds are Common Snipe.

A Common Crane on Ishigaki Island. Blown in by the northerly winds that had been raging until a few days ago, perhaps?

A Common Crane in flight. I thought I might be able to read the age from the moult condition, but… I really can't tell. ^^