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

A Crested Serpent Eagle rescued in Nagura in September 2024 has been released back into the wild. It had suffered serious injuries — a broken right wing, a broken left leg, and bleeding from the mouth — but after 18 months of treatment and rehabilitation, it has finally been able to return to nature.

For identification purposes, it is fitted with a ring on the right leg stamped with a red "4". This data is valuable for Crested Serpent Eagle conservation efforts, so please get in touch if you spot it.

A Crested Serpent Eagle being released by staff from Ishigaki Yaima Village, which has a rehabilitation facility.

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle that had been rescued in a weakened state has been released back into the wild. It is the bird's first return to the wild since being taken into care on April 8 — about a month ago.

The finder gave it the nickname "Yo-chan." A silver ring bearing the number "5" for identification has been fitted to its left leg. This data is important for conservation records, so please get in touch if you spot it.

A Crested Serpent Eagle being held by a staff member. The T-shirt from "Shima no Nakama from IRIOMOTE," a designer based on Iriomote Island, is very stylish.

The Black Drongo arrived again this season to coincide with Golden Week. On Ishigaki Island it usually turns up around this time in spring. It perched on branch tips and caught dragonflies and horseflies in the air.

I also observed Ruddy Kingfisher, Crested Serpent Eagle, and Chinese Pond Heron, among others.

A Black Drongo perched at the tip of a thin branch, waiting for prey.

A Crested Serpent Eagle that was rescued after a traffic accident on 21 October has been successfully released. It is an individual that has been continuously monitored with a territory around Uradabaru for about ten years — a female affectionately known as "Point" for a mark on her right eye. Breeding has also been confirmed for the past several years.

At the time of rescue, a black leg ring engraved with "6" was fitted for individual identification. If you spot her, please let me know and I will report it to the relevant authorities.

Poised and clearly ready to fly.

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle rescued on 28 October has been released. With no fractures or other serious injuries, it was returned to the wild in under a month. Ishigaki is a small island — please drive at a safe speed.

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle found by a local resident after being concussed in a traffic accident, and named "Hayate."

A Crested Serpent Eagle that was rescued after a traffic accident on June 20th was returned to the wild after 70 days. Its weight had plateaued at 680 grams, but it was in good spirits and flew off strongly the moment it was released. The tail feathers had fallen out, which seemed likely to affect its flight somewhat, but it should adapt in time.

A yellow identification band was fitted to the right leg for tracking purposes, and it was assigned the number "4". It is an adult male, and was named Kanki (神起) by the person who rescued it.

A Crested Serpent Eagle released into the wild, beating its wings powerfully. A band is visible on the right leg.

A Yonaguni Ryukyu Wood Pigeon that had been rescued after being attacked by a crow was released back into the wild after about 70 days in care. The tail feathers were in quite poor condition, but it managed to fly off and return to the forest.

This individual appears to have hatched this year. A Ministry of the Environment general-use ring is also fitted on the right leg.

A Crested Serpent Eagle that was rescued in critical condition after a traffic accident on 21 February this year was returned to the wild after about 160 days in care. Both the Ministry of the Environment staff and the veterinarian had considered its chances of survival quite low, but it made a remarkable recovery. Truly a phoenix.

At the release site I learned that the person who first found it was someone I know well. That person's daughter named the eagle "Karii" (嘉例). "Karii" is read as "かりー" and is used as a toast — as in "ぐすーよー、かりーさびら!!" — meaning "Everyone, let's raise a glass!!" It is a word commonly used in Okinawa proper.

Given such an auspicious name, "Karii" had suffered damage to the right eye in the accident, along with fractures to the right wing and leg. Thanks to the dedicated treatment by the veterinarian and the devoted care of the rehabilitation staff at Ishigaki Yaima Village, it was finally possible to release her on 1 August. The fractures healed completely, but unfortunately she lost the sight in her right eye. Even so, she flew off in fine form.

Once set on the ground, the Crested Serpent Eagle known as Kare took off without a moment's hesitation. A blue band engraved with the number "5" for individual identification is fitted on the left leg. This is a valuable record, so please let me know if you spot it in good health.

Typhoon No. 3 passed through without causing major damage, but even after it reached the western side of Taiwan the wind continued to make itself felt in the Yaeyamas.

In the rice paddies, wader numbers increased considerably — Wood Sandpipers were present in flocks of several dozen wherever I went. Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, and Long-toed Stint were all up in numbers too, making for a lively scene.

A Common Greenshank still largely in summer plumage.

A banded Ryukyu Scops Owl whose breeding I confirmed two years ago has been relocated after two years.

This individual is a female, one of 134 birds banded on Hateruma Island for research in 2021. The sighting was also published in the newspaper on 23 September 2023.

Here's hoping I can keep observing her. ^^

I confirmed incubation beginning at a fifth Ryukyu Scops Owl site. The Ruddy Kingfisher female near my home has not been seen much lately, so she may also be incubating.

The rescued Crested Serpent Eagle, Mitchan, keeps getting driven off by the territorial male in this area, but comes back undeterred and keeps searching for food. I hope she builds up her strength properly this summer, gets through the winter, and grows into a fine adult.

The Lesser Whistling Duck is still present. Its reactions to passing vehicles and crows have settled down and its daily routine has become predictable, so a long stay looks likely. If it summers over, it will be a treat for many birders.

A male Ryukyu Scops Owl keeping watch over the nest. This is the third consecutive year breeding at the same site.

In the rice fields, two Crested Serpent Eagles were fighting over a snake. I knew how it would end, and sure enough the resident male — the territory holder — won decisively. See the video for the full story.

The male on the right holds the territory; the female on the left is "Micchan," who has been in wildlife rehabilitation before. He just made a pitiful cry and was no match for her.

The shorebird passage seems to be reaching its peak and the rice fields are extremely busy. Greater Painted-snipe — the only snipe that breeds on Ishigaki — are active as a couple.

Four Curlew Sandpipers in various stages of moult from summer to winter plumage are present. Also here: the third Little Stint of the season, three Broad-billed Sandpipers, the season's first Temminck's Stint, along with Red-necked Stint, Long-toed Stint, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, and Pacific Golden Plover — all in one area.

Curlew Sandpiper in breeding plumage. Beautiful frosted patterning.

The Greylag Goose that appeared about ten days ago is still here. Alongside the Greylag Goose, Ishigaki currently hosts a Lesser White-fronted Goose, a Greater White-fronted Goose, a Taiga Bean Goose, a Tundra Swan, and a Common Crane — quite an unlikely lineup for a southern island.

The juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle was the ninth individual of the season. A very active bird, it was catching prey in the rice paddies and mown grasslands.

Caspian Terns have also been coming in over the past few days. They usually stay for a while each year but rarely winter over. On the coast, Siberian Sand Plovers, Kentish Plovers, Little Ringed Plovers, Pacific Golden Plovers, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Common Greenshanks, and Ruddy Turnstones are present in fluctuating numbers.

I had already seen a flock of five Greylag Geese at the end of last year on Okinawa Island, but this was my first encounter with the species on Ishigaki Island.

1カ月ほど前に掲載した標識付きのリュウキュウコノハズク が巣立ったヒナを連れて再び現れました。

最初は足環が見えていなかったのですが、とても特徴的なメスなのでもしやと思い、しばらく見ていると左足につけられた標識を確認することができました。営巣木から約70メートル東に離れたところにいました。

近くには巣立ってしばらくしたヒナを1羽見つけることもできました。

I was able to notice it because this type is rarely seen on Ishigaki Island. An adult female Ryukyu Scops Owl.

標識付きのリュウキュウコノハズクが子育て中。大学の研究者の方に聞いたら、波照間島で標識を付けた個体だそうです。メスが出生地から拡散することはよくあることとのこと。

6月9日に孵化した卵の殻を見つけたリュウキュウアオバズク のヒナは大きくなっているようで、メスが巣の外に追い出されていました。よく見ると巣穴からヒナの顔が見えました。巣立ちはまもなくのようです。

昨年、2羽が巣立ったカタグロトビ のペアは今年も同所で繁殖中。オスが見張り代に立って目を光らせています。

A banded female Ryukyu Scops Owl.

家族旅行で年末年始を沖縄本島で過ごしたついでに昨年の11月22日から滞在中のハイイロガン5羽を見てきました。正月の夜には4時間ほど夜探にでかけ、リュウキュウオオコノハズクやヤンバルクイナ、ヤマシギなどを観察しました。

出だしが悪く、やんばる夜の御三家コンプリートは厳しいかと思われたのですが、午前2時過ぎまで粘ってなんとか。オオコノハズクは鉄板ポイントを何カ所か回るも見つけられずでしたが、小雨が降り出すと鳴き声も3個体聞け、姿も3個体見ることができました。繁殖期のさえずりと思われる鳴き声も録音できました。下の動画から聞くことができます。

ヤンバルクイナは2羽、ヤマシギも2羽でした。久しぶりの長時間夜探は疲れました…。^^;

三角池では、2013年に韓国で標識された個体含めて15羽のクロツラヘラサギが所狭しと採餌していました。

A Grey-lag Goose — a first record for me, seen on New Year's Eve. I think it's an adult, but I'm not sure.

今季初のオグロシギとコアジサシを確認。

タマシギは先日の同じエリアの巣作りカップルとは別のペア。タマシギは一妻多夫ですが、ここはメスのなわばりが隣接しているのでしょうか。

コアオアシシギとタカブシギはここ数日で結構な数を確認しました。タシギとチュウジシギはそこそこいるのですが、今季はハリオシギがまだ確認できていません。まもなく5月になってしまうので今季は厳しそうです。

海岸にはたくさんのメダイチドリとその群れの中にオオメダイチドリやトウネンなどが混じっています。ホウロクシギもやってきましたが、警戒心が強いので浜で遊ぶ子どもたちを警戒してすぐに飛び立って行きました。

First Black-tailed Godwit of the season. An adult male, starting to come into breeding plumage.

春の渡り中のシギやチドリを台風2号が直撃したため、飛翔力が高く天候が良ければ石垣島に降りずにノンストップで行ってしまうような大型のシギが多く降り立ちました。また、波が高いことから沖合の岩礁での休憩ができず、いつもより多くのシギとチドリが海岸に身を寄せていました。

この日、一番の収穫はコオバシギ。スポッターさんに教えてもらって現場に出向いたのですが、散歩の人に飛ばされてロストしたとのこと。近くを探してみると200メートルほど西の海岸に降りていました。

別の海岸にはオオソリハシシギ。こちらはノンストップで1万1000キロを飛べるとあって天候に恵まれた年は会えませんが、今回は台風の影響で4羽が飛来しました。

ホウロクシギも台風の影響が出だしてから立て続けに確認。この日は2羽が砂浜で採餌していました。

沖縄本島や宮古島では多くみられますが、なぜか石垣島では少ないチュウシャクシギも到着。オバシギ3羽とハマシギは数日前から場所を変えつつ滞在している模様。キアシシギは一気に数を増やして30羽ほどをカウント。ダイゼンは越冬組は抜けて渡り組が到着。キョウジョシギ、ムナグロ、アオアシシギ、メダイチドリなども台風で足止めを食らっていますが、これからどんどん北上していきます。

Adult Red Knot. Mid-molt from winter to summer plumage.

見慣れない場所に右足に緑色の足環を付けたカンムリワシがいました。汚れて記号が読めないのが残念。

A banded Crested Serpent Eagle on a narrow lane in the village. I think it's a male, but I have no idea whose bird it is or where it came from.