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

Black-winged kite Black-winged Cuckooshrike Eurasian Hoopoe Pied Avocet Purple Swamphen

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

Second Pectoral Sandpiper of the season, Northern Lapwing, Crested Serpent Eagle and more (video)

Following yesterday, I found the second Pectoral Sandpiper of the season. This time conditions were good for both observation and photography.

The first Northern Lapwings of the season — a group of around ten, all juveniles. On Ishigaki Island at this time of year, Northern Lapwings are almost always juveniles.

I couldn't get photographs, but Red Collared Doves, Pechora Pipits, and Eurasian Skylarks were also seen.

Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper

The second Buff-breasted Sandpiper of the season. Like yesterday's bird, this one was also a juvenile.

Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper

A front-on shot brings out the features of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper well.

Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper

Marsh Sandpiper in winter plumage.

Dunlin
Dunlin

Dunlin in winter plumage.

Long-toed Stint
Long-toed Stint

Little Stint in winter plumage.

Wood Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper

There was a Wood Sandpiper with an injured left wing.

Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern

Black-bellied Tern, juvenile.

Northern Lapwing
Northern Lapwing

Northern Lapwing, juvenile.

Northern Lapwing
Northern Lapwing

This one also a juvenile.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A Crested Serpent Eagle in an elementary school playground. With the breeding season over, encounters with Crested Serpent Eagles have become more frequent.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

A Crested Serpent Eagle on a forest road. This individual shows little wariness.

Common Kestrel
Common Kestrel

Common Kestrels and Peregrine Falcons have been increasing in number too. Every time a raptor flies through, the wagtail flocks get shuffled around. ^^;

Categories: 野鳥

First Pectoral Sandpiper of the season, Red-throated Pipit, Garganey and more

Found the first Pectoral Sandpiper of the season. Red-throated Pipits are also increasing but still difficult to photograph.

Garganey seem numerous this season — they are being recorded in paddies all over the area.

A strong north wind, almost typhoon-like, was blowing, and Barn Swallows had come down to rest on the farm tracks.

Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper

First Pectoral Sandpiper of the season — a juvenile.

Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper.

Pectoral Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper

It was a triple handicap — dark, distant, and strong wind — but I managed to get a photograph somehow.

Temminck's Stint
Temminck's Stint

A Temminck's Stint in the same rice field as the Pectoral Sandpiper.

Garganey
Garganey

Juvenile Garganey.

Red-throated Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

A Red-throated Pipit I finally managed to photograph.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

Female White Wagtail. Mid-moult into winter plumage.

White Wagtail
White Wagtail

Is it a White-faced Wagtail or a Siberian Wagtail?

Red-rumped Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow

A Red-rumped Swallow resting on the ground to escape the strong wind.

Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow

A Barn Swallow resting on a farm road.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher
Grey-streaked Flycatcher

A Grey-streaked Flycatcher in front of my house.

Categories: 野鳥

Pheasant-tailed Jacana — day 6; Lesser White-fronted Goose — day 10

The Pheasant-tailed Jacana found on 12 October is still present, six days on. A tractor came through to work the field but the bird seemed largely unbothered and kept foraging.

The two Lesser White-fronted Geese are also still here — today is day ten. They continue to associate with the Taiga Bean Goose as before. Twelve Greater White-fronted Geese also arrived and briefly joined the group, but they eventually parted ways and are keeping to themselves.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Juvenile Pheasant-tailed Jacana. It showed no fear of the tractor and was snatching prey turned up by the fieldwork.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Pheasant-tailed Jacana

A Pheasant-tailed Jacana swimming in deep water.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle

The breeding season is over and chances to see Crested Serpent Eagles are increasing.

Lesser White-fronted Goose
Lesser White-fronted Goose

Two Lesser White-fronted Geese.

Tundra Bean Goose
Tundra Bean Goose

A Bean Goose associating with the Lesser White-fronted Geese. It seemed to be acting as lookout much of the time.

Greater White-fronted Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose

Greater White-fronted Geese in flight. A flock of twelve, adults and juveniles together.

Yellow Bittern
Yellow Bittern

Juvenile Yellow Bittern. Last year was an exceptionally good year for Yellow Bitterns, and this year I am also seeing them often.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

A juvenile Common Snipe hiding along a paddy bund.

Black-winged Stilt
Black-winged Stilt

A flock of Black-winged Stilts was bathing in a rice field.

Categories: 野鳥

Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Wigeon arrive

Temperatures have dropped and ducks are increasing. First Northern Shovelers and Eurasian Wigeons of the season confirmed. Northern Shovelers also arrived in July, but this will be the first as proper migrants.

The peak of wader migration has passed, but the paddies still hold Temminck's Stints, Red-necked Stints, Long-toed Stints, Swinhoe's Snipes, Common Snipes, Wood Sandpipers, Common Greenshanks and others.

Eurasian Teal
Eurasian Teal / Northern Shoveler

First Northern Shoveler of the season. Juvenile male.

Eurasian Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon

Adult male Eurasian Wigeon in eclipse plumage.

Eurasian Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon

Female Eurasian Wigeon in non-breeding plumage.

Temminck's Stint
Temminck's Stint

Juvenile (right) and adult White-rumped Sandpiper.

Long-toed Stint
Long-toed Stint

Long-toed Stint numbers have dropped compared to the peak of migration.

Red-necked Stint
Red-necked Stint

Red-necked Stint numbers are also declining.

Dunlin
Dunlin

Dunlin in winter plumage. Dunlin are currently staying in the rice fields and along the coast.

Swinhoe's Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe

Swinhoe's Snipe have become much less numerous. It seems almost all the Pin-tailed Snipe have also moved on.

Categories: 野鳥

Pheasant-tailed Jacana arrives (video)

A juvenile Pheasant-tailed Jacana dropped into a paddy field. It appeared to be feeding on small freshwater snails. In a normal year they turn up between late October and early November, so this one is a little early.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Pheasant-tailed Jacana

Pheasant-tailed Jacana moulting from juvenile into first-winter plumage.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Pheasant-tailed Jacana

It was walking around the paddies foraging.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Pheasant-tailed Jacana

After a while it disappeared into the grass. With bad weather likely to persist, it should stay around for some time.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Juvenile Common Snipe.

Common Snipe
Common Snipe

Almost all the snipe are Common Snipe. A few Swinhoe's Snipe remain but will depart before long.

Categories: 野鳥