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

I went birdwatching on the side while on a work trip to cover the Yonaguni Town Council election. ^^

I confirmed multiple migrating Chinese Sparrowhawk, and Common Kestrel had also arrived to overwinter. Migrating Oriental Dollarbird and Grey-streaked Flycatcher were also present, along with good numbers of overwintering Brown Shrike, Arctic Warbler, and Eastern Yellow Wagtail.

In recent years the rice paddies on Yonaguni Island have decreased, so waders and plovers are sparse — just small numbers of Black-winged Stilt, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Common Sandpiper, and Red-necked Stint.

Common Emerald Dove, having finished breeding, formed small flocks and I watched them feeding on several occasions.

Chinese Sparrowhawk, juvenile. I also picked out several adults soaring.

I recorded the first Black-faced Spoonbill and Dunlin of the season. The Javan Pond Heron disappeared after about a week.

I have been busy lately and have not been shooting much, but I am keeping up my daily observations. On the island, the terns, owls, Ruddy Kingfisher, and Black Paradise Flycatcher that breed here have finished raising their young. Crested Serpent Eagle and Common Emerald Dove fledglings should be appearing around now too.

The migration that began in mid-July is moving along at its own pace. I expect it to accelerate sharply once we get past the middle of August.

The first Black-faced Spoonbill of the season arrived. It was an easy bird to watch, showing no wariness at all.

The Ruddy Kingfishers on Ishigaki Island are now rarely heard calling. Moult into winter plumage is under way and every individual looks rather ragged. Most will have moved south by the end of September, and finding a Ruddy Kingfisher is becoming increasingly difficult.

Common Emerald Doves are being seen more often along roadsides, coming to feed on fallen fruits and seeds of Macaranga and related trees.

A Ruddy Kingfisher from the neighbourhood. Moult is well advanced and the plumage looks ragged. September has arrived and departure is not far off. I went out to photograph it while it still looks lively, before it disappears.

Common Emerald Doves are approaching the end of the breeding season, and encounters are becoming more frequent. Northern Boobooks, Ryukyu Scops Owls, and Ruddy Kingfishers are fledging one after another.

I recorded my first Cinnamon Bittern and Purple Heron of the season, along with a juvenile Little Egret.

A Emerald Dove near home. A few juvenile feathers remain. Perhaps a second-calendar-year female.

The Oriental Pratincole colony was ploughed up, but birds that were already flying apparently managed to escape. A few pairs were still carrying food to chicks.

The Japanese Sparrowhawk breeding is also going well, and chicks were confirmed at one nest. The Common Emerald Doves are probably getting along fine too. The local Ruddy Kingfisher was seen carrying a large cicada, and I assumed it was for large chicks — but it ate the cicada itself. Some nests have already hatched, and on hot days the chicks poke their heads out.

A Collared Pratincole chick that cannot yet fly, being fed by one of the parents.

We made a family trip to Iriomote Island for one night and two days to take part in a University of the Ryukyus public lecture on making insect specimens.

At this time of year the fruits of the Macaranga tree ripen and fall, drawing Common Emerald Doves to the roadsides. Numbers are especially high on Iriomote — a short drive along the prefectural road is enough to turn up about ten birds. There were also Crested Serpent Eagles perched on utility poles, and I heard plenty of Black Paradise Flycatchers and Ryukyu Flycatchers calling.

After dark we drove around looking for Iriomote Cats. The kids were thrilled by the Coconut Crabs, Sakishima Green Snakes, Sakishima Rat Snakes, Sakishima Striped Snakes, and Ryukyu Wild Boar we came across. We did eventually spot an Iriomote Cat — but by then it was already 11 p.m. and the children had fallen asleep in the back seat...

A male Emerald Dove. It was eating fallen Macaranga fruit on the footpath.

The three primary colors of light on Ishigaki Island: Ryukyu Kingfisher (Red), Common Emerald Dove (Green), and Collared Kingfisher (Blue). Right now you can see all three — RGB — in one go. ^^

A Ruddy Kingfisher near home. Looks like the same individual as last year.

Did a quick loop around the neighbourhood before heading to my child's school sports day. Observed five Ruddy Kingfisher and three Common Emerald Dove. Ruddy Kingfisher is reasonably numerous and can be seen without too much trouble. The Common Emerald Doves were carrying nesting material repeatedly. As on Miyako Island, it seems some individuals breed at this time of year too. Perhaps they breed twice a year?

The Ruddy Kingfisher near my home. It will be departing soon, so I've been checking every morning to confirm it's still around, hoping to record the last sighting of the season. There is one more bird nearby.

A Common Emerald Dove in the neighbourhood with absolutely no fear of humans was out in the open. The bird didn't flinch even when a dump truck passed right by, and was busy pecking at fallen berries.

Most Ruddy Kingfisher pairs have finished raising their chicks, but there are still about three nests where adults are still bringing food to nestlings. Typhoon No. 6 is approaching, and all I can do is hope it passes without incident.

Emerald Dove, male.

村の人に近くにカンムリワシの幼鳥がいるよと教えてもらい見てきました。

カンムリワシの姿を確認。残念ながら写真には収められませんでしたが、近くにいたキンバト、サンコウチョウ、ズグロミゾゴイは撮れました。

Male Emerald Dove. A female was nearby too. No juveniles confirmed yet this season.

6月も中旬を過ぎるとキンバトとの出会いが多くなってきました。ほとんどオス個体ですが、たまにメスも。巣内のヒナが大きくなってきているからだと思われます。

リュウキュウアオバズクは今季初の巣立ちを確認。この時期から7月の上旬にかけてがアオバズクの巣立ちのピークとなります。

リュウキュウアカショウビンも子育て真っ盛りで、そろそろ巣立つところも出てくるでしょう。

自宅近くで痩せ気味のズグロミゾゴイのメスを発見。子育てで疲れているのでしょう。こちらは7月中旬ごろが巣立ちシーズンです。

A male Emerald Dove. It is tense at the calls of a Japanese Sparrowhawk.

毎日、雨が続く石垣島です。今月は雨の降らない日はほとんどなく、日照時間も例年の40%以下な異常事態となっています。

雨が小降りになった隙をついて少しだけ鳥見。

アカショウビンは抱卵に入っているペアがほとんどとなっているようです。

カタグロトビは同じサトウキビ畑に3羽。昨年生まれの若い個体は比較的近くで観察できました。

キンバトは新居近くで毎日、オス個体が現れます。雨が降ると電線や枯れ木にチュウダイズアカアオバトがたくさん並びます。

石垣島で当たり年なハジロクロハラアジサシはクロハラアジサシの群れに1羽。牧草地でバッタを捕まえています。

海岸のシギ、チドリも渡りが終わり寂しい限りですが、メダイチドリやキョウジョシギなどが少し滞在中です。

A male Ruddy Kingfisher. This is the individual I see every day on my commute. It's along a busy prefectural road, so I worry about it being hit by traffic.

林縁部の道路はキンバトの餌場になっています。繁殖期最盛期の5月下旬ごろから観察しやすくなっており、今季初の幼鳥も確認できました。今年は何月まで観察できるでしょうか。

An adult female Emerald Dove picking up fallen berries on a footpath.

近所で繁殖していると思われるキンバト。雨降りの中、せっせとエサを食っていました。よく会うので最近は、警戒心も解けてきたようで近くで観察できます。

Emerald Dove, adult female. I was able to observe and photograph it at quite close range.

短時間バードウオッチングでしたが、石垣島の留鳥が勢揃いしました。^^

公園や林道などでリュウキュウアカショウビン数羽。巣穴堀りをしている個体やすでに抱卵に入っているペアなど出会えました。

キンバトの出会いは5月中旬ごろから非常に多くなり、ご多分に漏れず落下して裂開したオオバギの種子をついばんでいます。

リュウキュウキビタキは今年生まれの個体がすでにさえずりながら縄張りを主張。警戒心は弱めで縄張りの見回りなどしっかり観察できました。

リュウキュウコノハズクも数ペアが抱卵中です。

自宅近くのカタグロトビ の子育てを観察していたら、リュウキュウツミの巣を見つけました。カタグロトビの巣からほんの20〜30メートルしか離れておらず驚きました。ツミはほかのツミが近くを通ると追いかけて縄張りから排除していましたが、カタグロトビに対しては知らんぷり。カタグロトビもカラスにはアタックするのですが、ツミのことは気にかけていないようでした。不思議です。

A male Ryukyu Kingfisher. It had been digging a nest hole.

子どもがアオバズクを見たいというので一番見やすいポイントにいったら、なんと新型コロナの影響で封鎖。仕方ないので近所のリュウキュウコノハズクでお茶を濁しました。

帰り道には歩道でキンバトのオスを発見。この時季見るキンバトはたいていオオバギの種子を食っています。

A male Ryukyu Scops Owl. On alert for crows.

子どもたちが起きる前に近所の林道を一回り。キンバト2羽とアカショウビン4羽に出会えました。

A female Emerald Dove on a dark forest track.

石垣島は、繁殖鳥たちのベストシーズンに入っています。最近、忙しくて久しぶりの更新となりました。^^;

キンバトは子育て真っ盛りのようで雌雄が餌を取っては巣へ運んでいました。

リュウキュウコノハズク、リュウキュウアオバズクは抱卵中のペアが増えてきています。

リュウキュウキビタキも繁殖中ですが、こちらはどこにん巣を作っているのか全く分かりません。

エリグロアジサシも繁殖のため渡ってきました。この日は、8羽が海上を飛ぶのを確認しました。

Female Emerald Dove. The plumage is quite worn. They nest in places where they have to push through Arenga palm, so I suppose the feathers get damaged easily during the breeding season. The male was not nearly as worn.

今日は、石垣島に長期滞在しているイギリス人とアイルランド人をバードウオッチングへ2時間ほどご案内。リュウキュウアカショウビンを見たいということでしたが、リュウキュウコノハズクに一番感激していました。^^

昨日から巣穴を掘り始めたアカショウビンのペア は今日も巣作り中です。1日でずいぶん掘り進めているようです。

キンバトはいつもの餌場にメスがやってきていました。林道を横断するオスの個体も一瞬ですが、観察することができました。

コノハズクは人が通行する場所に近いので子育てがうまくいくか少々心配です。

そして、私の友人であり、野鳥写真の撮り方を教えてくれた先生であり、石垣島ナンバーワン野鳥ガイドの スポッター さんが6月よりツアーを再開しました。この機会にアカショウビンなど石垣島の鳥を見にきてくださいね。^^ スポッターさんはカメラメイカーから試作機のテストを依頼されるほどの腕前で親切に野鳥撮影の極意を教えてくれますよ。私が責任を持ってお勧めします!!

A Ruddy Kingfisher working on nest-building in a dark stretch of forest.

今季、定期的に観察しているリュウキュウアカショウビンのペアが巣穴づくりに入りました。2羽で代わる代わる枯れ木に飛びついては地道に穴を開けていきます。完成するには数日を要し、抱卵しながらも中を拡張したりします。

公園などのアカショウビンも出会う個体数が減っているので順次、巣作り、抱卵に入っているのでしょう。

キンバトがペアでやってくる餌場に最近はメスだけがやってきます。オスは抱卵中で一緒に来られないのかもしれませんね。

A pair of Ruddy Kingfishers. The male is on the left.