Even the birds had nowhere to hide during Typhoon Trami

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Admin11

I have experienced many typhoons in the last twenty-five years. Typhoon Trami was by far the strongest storm of the year. Its normal to see marine life washed ashore but this was my first time finding shorebirds washed ashore.

The images might be disturbing to some of the viewers but this is how I naturally found the birds on local beaches. A variety of egrets, terns, snipes, pigeons, and herons could not cope with the harsh conditions.

An abundance of marine debris also washed up. A disgusting amount of single-use items like styrofoam, plastic bottle caps, water bottles, lighters, combs, razors, cigarette butts, and floats littered the shoreline.

Our trash is a serious problem on our shorelines. What are you doing to make a difference? Have a great day.

The Red-eared slider – Introduced animals of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Admin11

The Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is found throughout the Ryukyu Islands to include Mainland Japan. It was introduced in the 1950s by the pet trade market and is still sold in pet shops here in Okinawa.

Scientific name: Trachemys scripta elegans
Common name: Red-eared slider turtle
Distribution: Introduced to most of Japan and the Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Ponds, drainage ditches, rice paddies and farm fields.
Diet: Insects, fish, frogs, snails, and plants
Average size: 20-28cm
Color: Brown and yellow with a bright red temporal blotch

Before you purchase one of these turtles make sure you are committed to taking care of it for a very long time. They can live for over thirty years. A big problem is people frequently abandon these aquatic turtles in local ponds and rivers. The introduced turtles compete with all native animals. Eventually, causing a negative impact on the environment.

I often find the Red-eared slider sunbaking on logs and rocks

The Red-eared slider Okinawa © Shawn Miller

We found this Red-eared slider painted silver at the Comprehensive park. Cruel, not cool!

Silver painted turtle- Comprehensive Park © Shawn Miller

These turtles are considered the most abandoned pet in the world. The local zoos often end up taking care of these abandoned reptiles.

Abandoned turtles- Okinawa city zoo

I found this cute hatchling crossing the road in Yomitan.

Turtle hatchling © Shawn Miller

An Albino turtle I photographed at a local Pet shop in Okinawa.

Albino Red-eared slide © Shawn Miller

Photographed on white for the Meet Your Neighbours Biodiversity Project. All images are used for educational purposes

MYN technique © Shawn Miller

A large Red-eared slider catching some rays at the Ginowan convention center pond. A balancing act!

A balancing act © Shawn Miller

Check out that balance- Turtle Yoga with a smile!

Turtle Yoga pose, Comprehensive park © Shawn Miller

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature

Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature

Meet Your Neighbours project – Okinawa, Japan

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Admin11

Founded in 2009, Meet Your Neighbours is a worldwide photographic initiative created by Niall Benvie and Clay Bolt. The project is dedicated to reconnecting people with the wildlife on their own doorsteps and enriching their lives in the process. These creatures and plants are vital to people: they represent the first, and for some, the only contact with wild nature we have. Yet too often they are overlooked, undervalued.

There are seventy-five worldwide contributors to this powerful project. I am currently the Japan contributor to this project. All images are used for conservation awareness and educational purposes. Below are some of my favourite images.

Okinawan green tree frog

Percnon planissimum – crab

Cherry blossom -Mt Yaedake

Crabs with beach trash homes

Porcelain crab ( Petrolisthes hastatus ) -Okinawa

Ryukyu odd-tooth snake ( Dinodon semicarinatum )

Scopimera ryukyuensis – Ryukyu Islands

Fern – Ryukyu Islands

Blueberry hermit crabs (Coenobita purpureus)

Gray faced buzzard eagle

Princess habu -MYN technique

Charybdis japonica -Yagaji Island

American bullfrog – Izena Island

Chinese cowrie

Okinawan Habu- MYN field studio technique

Okinawan mud lobster

Sesarmops intermedius

Air breathing marine slug

Unidentified earthworm – MYN and under Blue light Kume Island

Hawkmoth – MYN

Geograpsus grayi

Blueberry hermit crabs (Coenobita purpureus)

Have a great day!

Endangered – The Black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) Okinawa, Japan

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Admin11

The Black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) is a common winter visitor in southern Okinawa. The spoonbill is currently endangered and has an estimated population of less than 3000. It’s biggest treats are habitat loss, pollution and pesticides. The Black-faced spoonbill is currently listed critically endangered on the IUCN red list of threatened species.

Scientific name: (Platalea minor)
Distribution: Okinawa, Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan
Habitat: Mud flats, mangroves and wetlands
Diet: Fish
Average Size: 73.5 cm

The Black-faced spoonbill in flight

The Black-faced spoonbill is a magnificent animal.

The beautiful Black-faced spoonbill

The Black-faced spoonbills work as a team when hunting for fish.

The Black-faced spoonbill-community hunting

Out of all the birds at the mudflats, the spoonbills are the most consistent hunters. They rest most of the day, but when its time to fish they always catch one fairly quickly.

The Black-faced spoonbill-hunting

The Spoonbills in flight

Black-faced Spoonbill in flight

Black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor)

The Spoonbill landing – The art of conveying Motion !

Th Black-faced spoonbill -landing

Let’s Protect the beauty of Okinawa!

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.

The Art of Wide-Angle Macro Photography by Shawn Miller

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Admin11

Wide-angle macro photography is popular with wildlife photographers. The technique allows the photographer to document the animal in its natural habitat and show the full scene it lives in. The photographs have great impact and deliver a bug eye perspective using a wide angle lens. I generally use off-camera flash with a custom soft box to make these photographs. Lately, I have been testing a variety of on-camera flashes to achieve a different perspective. One of the biggest challenges is lighting the subject evenly with soft diffused lighting.

The most popular lenses used for wide angle macro photography ( WAM )

Tokina fisheye 10-17mm f3.5-4.5
Nikon fisheye 10.5mm f2.8
Sigma fisheye 15mm f2.8 E
Venus Laowa 15mm f4 – (Manual focus only)

The Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye is my favorite lens in my bag and has been my go-to lens for the project “Crabs with Beach Trash Homes”

Tokina fisheye lens

Below are some of my favorite wide-angle macro images photographed in Okinawa-Japan.

Fighting pose – Preying mantis, IPhone 6s © Shawn Miller

Hermit crabs of Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Geograpsus grayi with eggs © Shawn Miller

Ishikawa’s Frog – The most beautiful frog in Japan © Shawn Miller

Horn-eyed ghost crab at sunset -Nikon 10.5mm © Shawn Miller

Herping in the yanbaru forest © Shawn Miller

Crabs with trash homes – Sesoko © Shawn Miller

Golden habu on a fence © Shawn Miller

Ghost crab – Nagahama beach © Shawn Miller

Pryer’s keelback feeding on a white jawed frog © Shawn Miller

Baby loggerhead leaving the nest © Shawn Miller

Invasive insects – Coconut rhinoceros beetle © Shawn Miller

Blue rock-thrush with wings spread © Shawn Miller

Princess habu -Yanbaru © Shawn Miller

Kuroiwa’s ground gecko crossing the road © Shawn Miller

Okinawan green tree frog © Shawn Miller

Giant stag Beetle (Dorcus titanus) -Ie Island © Shawn Miller

Okinawa tip-nosed frog ( Rana narina ) © Shawn Miller

Hermit crab at sunset © Shawn Miller

Land crab crossing the road at night © Shawn Miller

Hermit crabs with beach trash homes © Shawn Miller

On the move- Black-breasted leaf turtle © Shawn Miller

Asian long-horned beetle © Shawn Miller

Crabs with trash homes-Yomitan © Shawn Miller

Road dweller- Namie’s frog- Stella 2000 © Shawn Miller

Praying mantis @Hedo Point

zanpa lighthouse and hermit crabs

If you would like to learn more about this technique I recommend Wide-Angle Macro: The Essential Guide by Clay Bolt and Paul Harcourt Davies https://www.e-junkie.com/shop/product/482943.php

Using the Light & Motion Sola red light feature to document the marine life of Okinawa

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Admin11

I have been using the Light & Motion Sola series underwater lights for over two years now. They are the most reliable lights I have ever used underwater. The Sola photo series 800 and 1200 offer a red light feature. This feature enables the user to photograph the marine life without disturbing them. Most marine animals do not see or react to the red light.

I decided to put the Sola red light to the test on some marine subjects. I first setup a small studio saltwater aquarium to place the specimens in.

Aquarium setup - Documenting the Marine Life of Okinawa

Aquarium setup – Meet Your Neighbours Project

I wanted to photograph some marine gastropods with their shell and body showing. I first tried using white light, but they immediately retreated back into their shell. As soon as I turned on the red light the marine snails crawled around as if it was nighttime. This red light feature allowed me to get the documentation photograph that I planned.

Cowrie shells are one of many beautiful marine animals found in Okinawa. Photographing the animals on white isolate the subject without any distractions.

Chinese cowrie ( Ovatipsa chinensis )

The animals are handled with care and then released back into the the environment without harm. The Images are used for conversation awareness and educational purposes.

Teres cowrie shell ( Blasicrura teres pellucens )

I usually use the Sola Red light underwater. This is my underwater rig with the Light & Motion Sola 600 mounted on top of my Ikelite underwater housing.

Underwater setup with sola 600

If you would like to test the Sola Photo 1200, please let me know. Friends and supporters – Save 20% off your first Light & Motion purchase https://prz.io/648x6bGC1

Learn more about the Light & Motion Sola series. https://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/sola

Learn more about the Meet Your Neighbours Project. https://meetyourneighbours.net/okinawa-neighbours/

Have a great day-

Slow Down! – Let’s Protect The Okinawa Rail

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Admin11

The Okinawa rail is a flightless bird found in northern Okinawa. It is a protected species and declared a living natural treasure. It is currently listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an endangered species. In 2012 populations of this endemic bird were estimated at 1500 by the Environment Ministry. As of October 2016 populations have declined to 480 mature individuals according to IUCN assessment.

Scientific name: Hypotaenidia okinawae

Common Name: Okinawa Rail

Distribution: Northern Okinawa

Habitat: Forests

Diet: Small insects, worms, snails and fruit.

Average Size: 31cm

Threats: Habitat loss and the threat of Jungle crows and mongoose.

The rail is often found feeding on the side of the road. It feeds on worms, snails, and insects.

Okinawa rail posing ( Hypotaenidia okinawae)

When defending its territory, the rail will become aggressive and flare its wings.

If you are lucky you can catch the Okinawa rail feeding on the fruit of the cherry tree.

Okinawa rail feeding ( Hypotaenidia okinawae)

They roost high above the ground to avoid predators like the habu snake.

Okinawa rail roosting ( Hypotaenidia okinawae)

In 2014 I stumbled upon Scientists handling an adult Okinawa rail in the wild.

Awareness signs are posted along the main roads in northern Okinawa for their protection. I think they should also include speed bumps in the designated crossing areas for the rails.

The speed limit is only 40km/h so watch your speed for the protection of the wildlife. The rails are often seen feeding on the side of the road.

I have observed these birds crossing the road on many occasions. They have no problems crossing when people are driving the speed limit. Speeding decreases your reaction time, slow down and pay attention to all crossing wildlife.

An Okinawa rail that was killed by a speeding motor vehicle on Route 2 in northern Okinawa.

What to do if you find an injured rail.

People often ask me what is the purpose of conservation photography? Having the ability to affect some form of positive change in the environment and make a global difference with the photographs. Hopefully, the images will inspire people to care more about nature and make a positive difference in the environment.

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.

Facing extinction – Ishikawa’s Frog (Odorrana ishikawae)

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Admin11

Ishikawa’s frog (Odorrana ishikawae) is the most beautiful frog found in Japan. It is only found in northern Okinawa and currently on the endangered species list. It is one of the many endemic species facing extinction due to habitat loss. Ishikawa’s frog is a designated living national treasure of Okinawa.

Scientific name: Odorrana ishikawae
Distribution: Northern Okinawa-Japan
Habitat: Forest streams
Diet: Insects, worms, and millipedes
Average Size: 90mm -120mm

This is my favorite frog on Okinawa. I have only seen about a dozen in the last three years.

shikawa's Frog (Odorrana ishikawae) Yanbaru forest ,Okinawa

They live around mountain streams in the Yanbaru forest. They hide in cracks and crevices in the rocks making it hard to photograph them at times.

Ishikawa's Frog (Odorrana ishikawae) Yanbaru forest ,Okinawa

They are also masters of camouflage. The unique pattern helps them blend into the moss and leaves on the riverside.

The Ishikawa’s frog was featured in Amphibian Love – an artbook for the frogs. Artist Leah Jay created this book to show the beauty and fascinating variety of amphibians, and bring attention the the Amphibian Extinction Crisis.

If you are lucky you might find a blue Ishikawa’s frog. The blue morph is absolutely beautiful.

Blue Ishikawa's Frog (Odorrana ishikawae) © Shawn Miller

Blue Ishikawa's Frog (Odorrana ishikawae)

A large blue and green morph.

A juvenile Ishikawa’s frog searching for food. (Wide angle perspective)

herpetologists dream come true - the find

Sometimes they can be seen crossing the road!

Be careful and pay close attention to crossing wildlife.

People often ask me what is the purpose of conservation photography? Having the ability to affect some form of positive change in the environment and make a global difference with the photographs. Hopefully, the images will inspire people to care more about nature and make a positive difference in the environment.

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.

Okinawa Nature Photography

沖縄自然写真 By Shawn Miller

Tag Archives: animals in okinawa

Even the birds had nowhere to hide during Typhoon Trami

The Red-eared slider – Introduced animals of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Meet Your Neighbours project – Okinawa, Japan

Endangered – The Black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) Okinawa, Japan

The Art of Wide-Angle Macro Photography by Shawn Miller

Using the Light & Motion Sola red light feature to document the marine life of Okinawa

Slow Down! – Let’s Protect The Okinawa Rail

Facing extinction – Ishikawa’s Frog (Odorrana ishikawae)