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

The Glossy Ibis is still here. A Javan Pond Heron in beautiful summer plumage has also turned up. Both are unwary and easy to observe and photograph.

I recorded the first Common Greenshank, Long-toed Stint, and Black-winged Stilt of the season. Young Purple Herons have also started to appear — breeding seems to have concluded successfully.

A Crested Serpent Eagle was on the forest road, likely in the middle of raising chicks. I expect fledglings to appear from late August onward.

The other day I went to check on a recently fledged Ryukyu Scops Owl and found the parent locked in a battle with crows — apparently holding its own against four of them.

The Glossy Ibis seems to have a favourite paddy — it is always in the same spot.

This year on Ishigaki Island, Ryukyu Scops Owls began fledging a little earlier than usual. This nest was the last among the ones I have been monitoring to produce fledglings. One of the two chicks fledged. Nearby, the parent bird was standing by.

A juvenile Ryukyu Scops Owl that apparently fledged last night. Downy feathers still remain.

The Ryukyu Scops Owl I have been watching continuously for many years appears to have begun incubating again safely this season. The chicks should fledge around late June.

A male Ryukyu Scops Owl keeping watch.

Breeding is progressing steadily for Ruddy Kingfisher, Ryukyu Scops Owl, Northern Boobook, and Japanese Sparrowhawk alike.

Two pairs of Ruddy Kingfishers breeding near home. This season's nests are out of sight from the house, so I can't tell exactly how things are going, but since they're carrying food I assume all is well.

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.

A check on breeding Ryukyu Scops Owls, Northern Boobooks, Ruddy Kingfishers, and Black-naped Terns in a different area of Ishigaki Island from last time. Everything appears to be progressing well.

The female is incubating, the male standing watch — a pair of Ryukyu Scops Owls. They took over the tree hollow where a Brown Hawk-Owl had nested last year… ^^;

Breeding is going well for the Ryukyu quartet: Ryukyu Scops Owl, Northern Boobook, Ruddy Kingfisher, and Black Paradise Flycatcher. Temperatures on Ishigaki Island have not been rising this season and insect activity has been sluggish, so I am a little worried about the effect this may have on chick-rearing.

I found a Ryukyu Scops Owl sitting motionless in the forest in the rain. A Brown Hawk-Owl was incubating right nearby. I wonder if there's no conflict between them.

The island's resident birds have entered breeding season. The Ryukyu Scops Owl has already laid eggs and the female appears to be incubating. The male was standing guard nearby.

The Northern Boobook has not yet laid eggs, but the pair appears to have bonded.

The Japanese Sparrowhawk is breeding in the same location as previous years, though the female has been replaced.

The Black-winged Kite, which has been breeding near my home for several years now, looks set to begin incubating again this year.

A Ryukyu Scops Owl I've known for a long time. It seems incubation has begun again this season, with the male standing guard.

When it comes to quality ducks on Ishigaki Island, the Ferruginous Duck stands out. This season it arrived alone. Not particularly wary, so an easy bird to watch.

While doing some birdwatching in the rice paddies with my daughter, a juvenile Black-winged Kite landed on a branch right in front of us. My daughter, who loves raptors, was thrilled — but afterwards when I tried to start the car, nothing happened. Had to call a tow truck and send it off to the garage. ^^;

A male Ferruginous Duck. No juveniles or adults could be confirmed….

It's a hectic schedule at year-end, but I happened to pass nearby during work so I stopped to check on the Common Hoopoe. It was foraging in its usual spot. There are a lot of feral cats around, so I worry about it coming to harm.

In the paddies the Pied Avocet was still present. There were also Long-toed Stints, Wood Sandpipers, Black-winged Stilts, and Common Greenshanks.

In the evening I checked for owls for the first time in a while. No Long-eared Owl or Short-eared Owl found. Ryukyu Scops Owls were fairly numerous. At this time of year moult is complete and they are in fresh winter plumage — well worth a look.

A Eurasian Hoopoe in wintering mode, searching for food at its usual spot.

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. ^^

Continuing to observe the Ryukyu Scops Owl chick after fledging. It was in a somewhat more visible spot than before. The female parent was nearby keeping watch.

Northern Boobooks are fledging one after another, but at a nest where the chicks are still small the male parent was standing guard close to the nest.

Black Paradise Flycatcher breeding also appears to be going well — the chick that fledged from the pair I have been watching for some time has grown considerably. The adults will probably begin a second breeding attempt, so the fledgling may end up acting as a helper.

The Ryukyu Scops Owl fledgling had moved to a more visible position, giving me a full view of the bird.

I confirmed the first Ryukyu Scops Owl fledging of the season. It is a tree cavity that has been used for breeding year after year. The pair may be the same birds, but without banding there is no way to be certain. Only one chick fledged this season, so if it is the same pair, ageing of the parents could be a factor.

A fledgling Ryukyu Scops Owl.

On Ishigaki Island, Ruddy Kingfisher, Ryukyu Scops Owl, Northern Boobook, Black Paradise Flycatcher, Malayan Night Heron, Black-naped Tern and many other birds are right in the middle of the breeding season.

A male Ryukyu Ruddy Kingfisher singing.

I spotted the second Pheasant-tailed Jacana of the season while out birding with my daughter. ^^ The bird was some distance away, so I showed her on the camera monitor — she was delighted: "So cute!!" The individual from a few days ago was in transition to first-summer plumage, but this one appeared to be an adult. The video has the sound of my daughter breathing through her nose. ^^;

The Ryukyu Scops Owl on watch duty was perched in a lower tree than usual. I expect the chicks will fledge around the end of this month.

I found a new Ruddy Kingfisher nest — it looked as though they were still digging it out. In the video you can hear the male and female calling back and forth as they excavate the nest hole.

The second Pheasant-tailed Jacana of the season. It appeared to stay for only one day.

I visited a scrubby woodland I rarely go to, and a pair of Black Paradise Flycatchers were moving about. They perched on the same branch at times, suggesting pairing is already done. I expect they will breed, and I will keep watching to see how things develop.

Ryukyu Scops Owls are incubating at several sites, but the chicks still appear to be small. Meanwhile, the pair that began breeding early already has well-grown chicks, and the female is out of the nest box. Fledging should be soon.

A recently fledged Ryukyu Minivet visited our garden. It appeared to be taking insects alongside Warbling White-eyes and Cinereous Tits.

A female Japanese Paradise Flycatcher.

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.

Hearing an Asian Koel calling, I scanned with binoculars and spotted a male singing from the top of a she-oak. It looked approachable, so I eased the car forward carefully. Even at 100 metres it showed no sign of alarm. I kept closing in. The track ended about 20 metres short, so I continued on foot, using the undergrowth as cover, and managed to get right beneath the she-oak where the Asian Koel was singing. It seemed unaware of me, and I had a close, impressive view of both the bird and its call. Asian Koel have been recorded here before, but from around 2020 the number arriving on Ishigaki Island in May has increased considerably.

After about ten minutes of observation, a female Asian Koel called from a nearby thicket — there appeared to be two individuals. The male then disappeared, seemingly drawn by the female's call, so I searched the area. A Large-billed Crow, thought to be a likely host for Asian Koel brood parasitism, also appeared to be building a nest nearby. This could be a real chance to confirm breeding!!

Black Drongo have been turning up in good numbers across Ishigaki, Okinawa Main Island and elsewhere in the Nansei Islands this season. The peak has passed, but I counted two birds on this day. I think they will be wrapping up soon.

The Ryukyu Scops Owls that breed near my home every year appear to have started incubating again this year. The chicks should fledge in early July.

A male Large Hawk-Cuckoo. I was able to observe it at quite close range for an extended period.

Both the Ryukyu Scops Owl and the Northern Boobook have entered their breeding season. Incubation has started at multiple sites for each species. Fledging should be observable around late June.

A male Ryukyu Scops Owl. This pair has started breeding at almost the same time as last year. Three Ryukyu Scops Owl nests confirmed.

I found my eighth Ryukyu Scops Owl pair of the season. I had gone to check on a brood of Northern Boobook chicks that had fledged a few days earlier when I came across them by chance. Both the male and female were outside the nest, so I suspect the chicks are due to fledge very soon.

Ryukyu Scops Owl, female.