Bird of the Month Febrary 2026

 Sashiba

The Japanese name (Sashiba) sounds better than Grey-faced Buzzard.

Photo taken at 7:58 AM in Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Pentax K1  F/9  1/2500  420 MM

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Okinawa - Months of the Year Memories in Photos

 Who Needs a Calendar?

Today, I randomly selected photos from each month of the year for publishing.

Next, I fooled around with different calendar-making tools found on the internet.

And, that's what convinced me, I DON'T WANNA MAKE ANY DAMN CALENDARS!

Someone else might enjoy making calendars from my photos so, here ya go.

JAN: Sea Glass Beach in Nago

FEB: Trail in Mountains of Ogimi

MAR: Grey Heron in Kin Town

APR: Nanataki Falls in Ogimi

MAY: They Flew Together in Kin Town

JUN: Teru Teru Bozu: Seen anywhere in Japan

JUL: Ie Island from Motobu

AUG: Cinnamon Bittern in Kin Town

SEP: Eastern Spot-billed Duck in Kin Town

OCT: Beach at the Mouth of Ie River in Sosu

NOV: Grey-faced Buzzard in Kin Town

DEC: Heart Rock on Kouri Island

Words for Calendar Makers

Those who may be ambitious enough to create calendars may download these photos.

The images are copyrighted and saved at internet resolution but, may be printed.

For your personal use only. Do not try to profit from someone else's photography.

Print and hang your calendar or, give them away for free to friends and relatives.

Curious About Locations?

Links below each photo should give an idea of where these photos were taken.

They'll give an idea of locations on Google Maps.

Have a safe and healthy Holiday Season. Hopefully, next year will be more enjoyable!

Chasing the Cinnamon Bittern of Kin Town

 Okinawa's Rainy Season Ended

Heat and humidity have me getting up and out with the camera before sunup.

My air-conditioned room is usually about 30% humid.  Outdoors it's over 90% after sunrise.

Each morning I hike to an area where two of these birds hang out.

Getting into position before 6:30 gives me time to stretch, exercise, and drink coffee.

Birds aren't on any kind of schedule. They might appear anytime between 7 and 9 AM.

They really don't come just to pose for the camera. They stretch and wiggle around a bit.

It doesn't do much good to cuss and talk to them but, I do anyway.

And, I get this look like, "Is there a problem Mister?"

Nobody wants pictures of stupid-looking birds so, I move on.

This Cinnamon Bittern had a better attitude and a terrific background.

The time was 7:19 AM and the hike home would be over before ten.

The Black-crowned Night Heron in Flight

 Just A Second

Here are three photos of this bird taken at 6:55 AM today.

My camera was mounted on a tripod and equipped with a 300 MM lens.

Getting ready to hike farther down the road, I folded the tripod before the bird appeared.

It's a fast mover. I was on auto-focus and used the tripod as a monopod.

In less time than it takes to let out a good sneeze, the bird disappeared.

End of Story

Strange Birds Spotted in Kin Town

Helmeted Guineafowl

These birds are natives of Africa but, some are domesticated in locations around the globe.

How and when these characters arrived in Kin Town, Okinawa is a mystery.

For about a week, I've been tracking them down and observing their behavior.

Early morning and late afternoons they may be seen in different parts of town.

 

On a morning walk with the dog and no big camera handy, we first saw the birds.

Thanks to iPhone 7 and a curious dog this scene was quickly composed.

The mutt is normally afraid of his own shadow but, wanted to see what all the racket was about.

The birds, when they saw him coming, squawked, gobbled, honked, and squealed.

They ran around like a couple of lunatics and as the dog got close, flew a short distance away.

When he approached again, they escaped into the forest nearby.

Getting an Identification

Luckily, a young man was leaving his house and saw me taking shots with the cellphone.

He grabbed his phone and began zooming in on the dog and birds, too.

Asking him if he knew what the birds were, he didn't know. First time for both of us.

He walked back to his front door and showed the photos to somebody.

When he returned he said, they were Horohoro tori.

At home, I did some internet research and found out the birds were Helmeted Guineafowl.

It Was Time for a Real Camera and Big Lens

It didn't take long to figure out, Mr. Canine couldn't be with me as I was photographing birds.

As long as they would squawk and run away, he'd chase them, just for fun.

A little kitten, could raise its back, and be ready to scratch, and the dog would get scared.

But, something runs, and he'll chase!

Hunting without the dog and carrying the Pentax, tripod, and 560 MM lens, worked.

A few things learned about these birds leads me to belive they are alright.

A local, described the meat as tasty. And some on Facebook claim the taste as, gamy.

"Horohoro" in Japanese means, a gurgling bird sound.

The critters eat just about anything, including ticks!

To learn more about Helmeted Guineafowl visit eBird and, you can listen to their sounds.

The only way these birds could have arrived in Kin Town, is somebody brought them here.

The closest zoos are miles away so, I don't think they are escapees.

There is a place in Japan raising Helmeted Guineafowl on Yoron Island.

That's more than a few miles away so, it's unlikely the birds flew here. Maybe, they were pets.

Somebody got tired of them and didn't want to eat them, and turned them loose.

They Also Do Crazy Stuff

On another non-camera walk with the dog, I was in an area the birds aren't normally seen.

On a sidestreet overlooking the ocean, not far from a restaurant, the Guineafowl appeared.

The restaurant's chef was ready to chase the birds away with a broom.

My unleashed canine spotted the birds and ran towards them, chasiing them away.

The chef had noticed a bird, looking at its reflection on the side of a black car.

The creature saw another male bird, looking back at him, and began scratching the car door!

This photo was taken with the iPhone, zoomed and in a rush to shoot before the dog ran it off.

Are there any birds like this in your neck of the woods?

 

Sunday Camera Walk in Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

 Springtime Can't Come Soon Enough

Lately, I've been skipping the long walk to a secluded beach for catching the sunrise.

It's better to drink lots of coffee in the warmth of the kitchen before packing up to hike.

It's 7 AM and a few minutes before the sun appears rising over the ocean.

At 8:02 this Light-vented Bulbul made an appearance.

It would be 9:02 before this Grey-faced Buzzard posed for me before the Kin Powerplant.

It was 9:53 when a Zitting Cisticola let me take a rushed shot with the camera.

Finally, 20 minutes from home (and breakfast) a Brown-eared Bulbul showed its face.

The time was 10:41 and I wanted to be home before noon!

After all, Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. Eh?

Wordless Wednesday: Ducks Not in a Row

 

Great Cormorant Flying Over Kin Town, Okinawa

 Photographed Today with Pentax 560 MM Lens

There won't be a review of this new lens until it's been fully evaluated.

Lately, I've been backpacking the monster each morning, as I do my 10,000 daily steps.

Plenty of ducks migrate to Okinawa for winter. They were sort of avoiding me today.

All of a sudden, two strange-looking birds flew overhead and I wasn't sure what they were.

Here's a favorite image of one I used to get an identification. I'm not exactly a bird expert.

So, I wind up jumping through all sorts of Internet hoops, to get you this information.

English Name: Great Cormorant

Scientific Name: Phalacrocorax carbo

Japanese Name: Kawa-u (カワウ)

More of these birds may be seen in this 2012 post from the other side of this island. 

Wordless Wednesday: No Wesley But Here's A Snipe!

 

Grey-faced Buzzard - Migratory Visitor to Okinawa

 

 

Spotted Today in Kin Town

They've been on the island for a few days now but, this morning was the first time I saw one. 

It's always nice to see these characters, they are raptors and eat bugs, snakes, and mice.

It would really be cool to see one grab a mongoose and fly off with it. Not gonna happen.

Crows don't appreciate these birds coming to vacation for the winter.

This one hopped around on the wire, yelling at the guest about being here.

The buzzard just stared at him like, "How'd you like your face shredded, knucklehead?"

The crow finished his little speech and flew off to be a nuisance somewhere else.

MORE ABOUT GREY-FACED BUZZARDS

Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) Flying in Kin Town

 Some Fast Moving Birds

Not sure if they go by kilometers or miles per hour, all I know is they are speed demons.

These characters don't survive on a diet of fish. They eat bugs, crabs, and even little chicks.

Somewhere in California, one of these Terns lived to be over 20 years old.

Learn more about these birds at Cornell All About Birds.

Wordless Wednesday: Let Us Reflect

 

Endangered Species Images: The Yellow Pond Turtle

 

Active at Night and When It's Raining

This reptile was out running on the road as I was hurrying to find shelter from the rain.

Yesterday some sudden squalls drenched me and the dog when we were miles from home.

Knowing anyone driving in the storm, wouldn't notice a turtle on the highway, I rescued it.

The plastic bag I carry in my pocket (just in case somebody poops) was the perfect size.

Plenty of times, I come across turtles which have been crushed, on my morning hikes.

Not Really a Turtle Expert

At home, some research had to be done to help identify this critter.

From past experience, I knew a photo of the turtle's underside would come in handy.

Counting the black spots on this character's belly reminded me, I've seen this before.

That specimen was running around on a sunny day in a plowed field.

Some images were uploaded to iNaturalist and, I reported sighting a Yellow Pond Turtle.


Some experts over there confirmed my observation by giving it a Research Grade.


After being such a good model, I thought the turtle deserved some sort of reward.


So, I released it in some natural environment, distant from that dangerous road.


Far enough away that it probably won't have to breed with any immediate family members!

Just in case you didn't know the difference between amphibians and reptiles.

Return of the Pacific Golden Plover to Okinawa, Japan

Early This Year

These birds are usually winter visitors to the island. Like November through April.

The year 2020 has pulled a few surprises so, maybe this is just another one.

The scientific name for these birds is Pluvialis fulva.

In Japan, they're called Munaguro (ムナグロ).

More about these birds in this previous post.

Bird Photo: Common Greenshank: Tringa nebularia

Aoashishigi (アオアシシギ) in Japan

Camera: Pentax K3

Lens: Sigma 50-500 at 500MM

Exposure: f/11  1/250   ISO 100

Location: Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time: AUG 19 2020 7:59 AM

VIEW AT CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY

Wordless Wednesday: It's Lunchtime!

Bird Animation from DEC 2019

They're Gone But Will Return in Autumn

Grey-faced Buzzards (Butastur indicus) AKA Sashiba, in Japan are migratory visitors.

They visit Okinawa from late October until March each year.

Going through my image files, I found this batch and decided to post an animation.

This character frequented my neighborhood within 500 meters of my house, all winter.

Since migratory birds are gone, I walk somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 steps daily.

When the weather turns cold again, I'll be looking forward to seeing my Sashiba friend!

Black-crowned Night Heron Photo of the Week

Early in the Morning

It took a few days of waking up before 4 AM to walk to where this character could be seen.

Sunday, I captured a photo of one flying in a white sky on a day it would rain.

Monday, the image would show you where birds poop comes from.

Yesterday, I stood in one location for two hours and not one Night Heron showed up.

Today, at a little past 7 AM this Heron AKA Goisagi (ゴイサギ) flew overhead.

The position the photo was taken from was near the entrance to Kin Blue Beach.

Learn more about the Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) at All About Birds.

Just Ducky: Couple of Eurasian Wigeon's

First Time I've Seen These in Kin Town

Yesterday, I ran across a few dozen of them. They got spooked and flew away.

In-flight, it seemed like they may have been some sort of geese.

My internet searches turned up nothing helpful so, I started asking friends.

There's even a helpful group in Holland (on Facebook) I sent photos to for ID.

Out in the wetlands again today, I shot a few hundred more photos.

My contacts came through and, I did some more internet searching. Here's what we've got:

Latin Name: Mareca penelope

Common Name: Eurasian Wigeon

Japanese: ユーラシアヒヒ (Yūrashiahihi)

The photo was taken this morning around 9 AM.  It was a long, exhausting day.

For now let's just say, "The bird with the redhead is the guy."

Learn more about these birds at All About Birds.

This Bird Made My Day

A Hectic Week with Springlike Weather

Daylight temperatures have been mild this week and we've been going outside without jackets.

It could be a sign that winter is over but, you never know when you're living on an island.

This afternoon skies got cloudy several times and there was a good chance it would rain.

The past few days I spent lots of time going to the dentist and a massage expert.

No need to give you the gory details, let's just say appointments kept me busy.

A Few Minutes Break in the Clouds

Several dozen shots were composed, of this bird, perched on poles under darkened skies.

When I spotted the critter perched in a tree, I moved closer and set up the tripod.

Clouds were rapidly moving across the background. I wanted some blue sky.

The Pentax K1 was equipped with a 1.4 converter and 300 MM lens.

The photo above was taken at 4:39 PM with an exposure of f 5.6 1/4000 ISO 800.

Exposure was adjusted to f 9 1/1250 ISO 800 and the bird launched while it was still 4:39 PM.

The Grey-faced Buzzard is a migratory bird, visiting Okinawa from October until March.

Hopefully, I'll be able to capture more images of them in-flight before they depart.