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

A Common Hoopoe has arrived on Ishigaki. Numbers are lower than in spring, but several have been confirmed this season too.

The first Dusky Thrush of the season also confirmed. I heard a Pale Thrush calling but could not see it. Daurian Redstarts and Amur Stonechats are increasing.

Lesser White-fronted Goose, Taiga Bean Goose, and Greater White-fronted Goose are still present. Common Starling, White-cheeked Starling, White-shouldered Starling, Asian Glossy Starling, and Japanese Waxwing are also lingering and dropping in.

A Eurasian Hoopoe in the distance.

Lesser White-fronted Goose, Siberian Pipit, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, and Caspian Tern all photographed for the first time this season in one go. Red Collared Doves continue to stay at multiple locations.

Common Snipe numbers are growing as birds settle into wintering mode. Dunlin, Green Sandpiper, Black-winged Stilt, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, and Common Redshank are also wintering in the island's paddies, though in small numbers.

Among raptors, Crested Serpent Eagle is becoming easier to find, and Common Kestrel, Grey-faced Buzzard, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, and Peregrine Falcon are all increasing.

Pale-capped Pigeon male juvenile. Spooked by raptors and not coming down into the paddies.

Two Ruddy Shelducks, two Lesser White-fronted Geese, a Common Crane, and a Greater White-fronted Goose are all on an extended stay. On this day I couldn't find the Greylag Goose or the Taiga Bean Goose. They were quite wary, so perhaps they've retreated to the Ampar wetlands area.

Two female Ruddy Shelducks. Both are adults.

Found a Little Curlew while travelling for work. I always keep a 600 mm lens in the company car for moments like this. The Little Curlew was foraging in a pasture among a flock of Pacific Golden Plovers. Two Oriental Pratincoles were nearby as well.

In a separate paddy field, a Lesser White-fronted Goose, a Taiga Bean Goose, and a Greater White-fronted Goose are still present. The first Northern Pintail of the season has also arrived.

Adult Little Whimbrel in late breeding plumage.

A Red Collared Dove arrived, male and female, and were feeding on unharvested rice alongside Oriental Turtle Doves.

The first Amur Stonechat of the season confirmed in the paddy field area. In strong winds it appeared to be foraging, moving from branch to branch.

Geese and ducks are increasing. Garganey in particular seem numerous this season — they are being recorded all over the paddies. A Mallard also arrived, which is unusual for Okinawa. The two Lesser White-fronted Geese have now been here two weeks, joining up with Taiga Bean Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese to form a group of 26.

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

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.

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

Twelve Greater White-fronted Geese joined the group of two Lesser White-fronted Geese and one Taiga Bean Goose that arrived on 8 October, making for a lively gathering all at once. I forgot to photograph them, but several Northern Shovelers also arrived.

Two Lesser White-fronted Geese that have been present for four days.

With a strong north wind blowing, two Lesser White-fronted Geese and one Taiga Bean Goose arrived. Lesser White-fronted Goose is quite rare on Ishigaki-jima, but following last year, this is the second consecutive year they have appeared.

Two Lesser White-fronted Geese arrived together. They looked tired, perhaps having just come in from migration.

Pied Avocet in the rice fields.

日を追うごとに寒くなる石垣島ですが、ガンの仲間も増えてきました。石垣島や沖縄では非常に珍しいカリガネもやってきました。ほかにはヒシクイが5羽、オオヒシクイが1羽、マガンが25羽の群れと別の場所に2羽滞在中。

先日の大陸から八重山にかけて吹き付けた強い北西の風に乗ってやってきたのかもしれません。

Lesser White-fronted Goose (front) and Tundra Bean Goose.