Mangrove Forests of Okinawa

Posted on March 22, 2020 by Admin11

Mangrove forests are one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. The beautiful forests support a huge diversity of species that humans depend on for survival.

Benefits of Mangrove forests 

Provide nursery areas for small fish
Provide coastal protection from storms
Clean toxins out of the fresh water
Reduce carbon dioxide

Coastal development, rising sea levels, and pollution are the mangrove’s biggest threat. The roots act as nets catching plastic bags, fishing ropes and other marine debris.

Over time the toxic plastic smothers the trees.

Mangrove roots protect small fish, crustaceans, and sea birds from predators.

My two favorite crustaceans of the mangrove mud plats are the Okinawa mud lobster (Thalassina anomala) and the Ryukyu soldier crab (Mictyris guinotae).

Mangroves trees can survive in freshwater and saltwater. They are a valuable ecosystem and must be protected.

Our waste is having a massive impact on the coastal forests of the Ryukyu Islands. This post is not to make people feel guilty or lose hope. It is to inspire people to change. Make The Switch 4 Nature!

My Mission: To Protect and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands for Future Generations. – If you would like to join my journey, check out my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/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

Gigantic Banana Spiders on Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Posted on November 23, 2019 by Admin11

The golden orb weaver (Nephila pilipes) is the largest spider found on Okinawa. They can be found in parks, forests and gardens. This massive spider is fairly common on Okinawa.

Always look up!

They usually make their web up high in trees. I have also seen their web in the middle of a trail at eye level.

Scientific name: Nephila pilipes
Common Name: Golden orb weaver / banana spider
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Forests, gardens and parks
Diet: Insects
Average Size: Female 17-20cm

Their web is extremely strong. They have been know to catch small bats, cicadas and a variety of large insects

This species displays sexual dimorphism, The female is much larger than the male.

Nephila pilipes fluoresces under ultraviolet light. The fluorescence serves as a warning sign for large animals. Making a spider web this size takes a lot of time and effort.

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

Designated Flora and Fauna of Okinawa Prefecture

Posted on October 20, 2019 by Admin11

Okinawa is a subtropical paradise with warm weather and beautiful beaches. The Island has some of the best scuba diving in the world. Okinawa is rich in natural scenery. We have a variety of endemic species only found here.

Designated Flora and Fauna of Okinawa Prefectural

(1) The Double-lined fusilier (Pterocaesio digramma) was designated as Okinawa’s prefectural fish in 1972. The Gurukun (local name) is the most popular fish served in local restaurants. The small fish has two distinctive bright yellow lines running along the body. Found in large schools over coral reefs.

Double-lines fusilier – Nightdive

They can change color and pattern to avoid detection on the reef.

Banafish (Pterocaesio digramma)

(2) The Deigo flower (Indian coral bean) was designated as Okinawa’s prefectural flower in 1972. The elegant flowers bloom in March, April and May. The sweet smell attracts a variety of insects, fruit bats, and birds during the season.

Deigo tree

Deigo tree

The sweet smell attracts a variety of insects, fruit bats, and birds during the season.

Deigo flower (Indian coral bean)

(3) The Okinawan woodpecker (Dendrocopos noguchii) was designated as Okinawa’s prefectural bird in 1972. This beautiful woodpecker is a living natural treasure of Japan. Populations of the critically endangered species are declining rapidly.

Okinawan woodpecker (Dendrocopos noguchii)

A few photographs of the Okinawa woodpecker (prefectural bird) feeding on the Deigo flower (prefectural flower).

Okinawan woodpecker and Deigo flower

Okinawan woodpecker and Deigo flower

The Okinawan woodpecker was featered in National Geographic for the series Wildlife as canon sees it (May 2015)

Okinawa Woodpecker by Shawn Miller

(4) The Ryukyu pine tree (Pinus Luchuensis Mayr) was designated as Okinawa’s prefectural tree in 1972.

Zakimi pine forest

Nento Hiramatsu is the oldest pine tree located on Iheya Island. This beautiful pine tree is listed as a living natural treasure of Japan.

Nento Hiramatsu, Iheya Island

The beautiful Ryukyu Pine forest at Zakimi Castle.

Ryukyu Pine trees – Zakimi

The Okinawa woodpecker (prefectural bird) searching for insects on The Ryukyu pine tree (prefectural tree). The Okinawa woodpecker is native to the Yanbaru forest in northern Okinawa.

Okinawa woodpecker and Ryukyu Pine

I love the natural shapes of the Ryukyu Pine trees. (Natures fine art)

Ryukyu Pine on Ie Island

My Mission: To Protect and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands for Future Generations

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

House Geckos of Okinawa

Posted on September 22, 2019 by Admin11

The house gecko is the most abundant reptile on Okinawa. They can be found in apartments, buildings, public restrooms, outdoor phone booths, and vending machines. In many countries, they are considered good luck in the home.

Scientific name: Hemidactylus frenatus
Japanese name: Yamori
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Forests, apartments, and public restrooms
Diet: Insects and small spiders
Average Size: 50mm-67mm

Interesting facts about house geckos –

They have the ability to lay eggs on vertical walls
They have no eyelids
They can walk upside-down
When threatened they can release their tail
They communicate by making loud chirping sounds

House geckos have amazing night vision.

Their tongues are used for grooming, catching food, and searching for a mate.

They have specialized walking pads with tiny hairs called setae. These hairs allow them to stick to surfaces and even walk up vertical walls.

Geckos are often found around artificial light sources (vending machines). The lights attract insects during the night. A buffet for the geckos!

Geckos and other wildlife are found in public restrooms. The light source attracts a variety of insects. Always check the scene before you sit down, you never know what’s hiding behind the toilet.

During the day, geckos seek shelter in warm areas. House geckos are responsible for high repair costs on air conditioning units. They crawl on the AC circuit board and cause it to short circuit. Repair costs are very expensive.

House geckos usually lay only two eggs. This is a good example of a communal nesting site. These eggs were laid on a vertical concrete wall.

Geckos are often found crossing public roads during the night. Please pay attention to crossing wildlife. The ants took advantage of the roadkill.

I often find geckos on local beaches near the coastal forest. Juvenile Ryukyu odd-toothed snakes (Akamata) prefer to feed on these sand-dwelling geckos.

Even the geckos have to adapt with our waste. I found this gecko under a piece of marine debris washed ashore in northern Okinawa.

My Mission: To Protect and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands for Future Generations

If you would like to help me make a difference Please check out my Patreon Site https://www.patreon.com/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

The Chinese soft-shell turtle – Aquatic turtles of Okinawa

Posted on July 15, 2019 by Admin11

This year we have had an abundance of rain on Okinawa. Locals have been finding a great deal of turtles on the road, specifically the Chinese soft-shell turtle ( Pelodiscus sinensis ). This soft shell turtle was originally introduced as a food source. This species is currently listed as vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List.

Scientific name: Pelodiscus sinensis
Common name: Chinese softshell 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: 30-35cm
Color: Olive gray

An adult soft turtle found in the farm fields at night.

A large female I found laying eggs on the bank of a small water source.

A closeup of a soft turtle infested with leaches. Stop staring!

Meet chunky

The beautiful farm fields of Okinawa, prime habitat for aquatic turtles.

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.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature

Frogs of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Posted on June 23, 2019 by Admin11

Individuals that study amphibians are know as herpetologists. The act of searching for these beautiful animals is known as herping. Okinawa has twelve species of frogs. They all have the ability to live in the water and on the land. Most are nocturnal and feed on insects during the night. They are found in local parks, forests, streams, puddles, and on the road at times.

If you would like to learn more about a specific frog, I attached a link above each photograph. Links in red are endangered species.

Rana ulma – Ryukyu brown frog

Babina holsti – Holsts frog

Odorrana ishikawae – Ishikawa’s frog

Limnonectes namiyei – Namie’s frog

Hyla halowelii – Hallowell’s tree frog

Odorrana narina – Ryukyu Tip-nosed Frog

Rhacophorus viridis viridis – Okinawa green tree frog

Rana limnocharis limnocharis – Asian grass frog

Polypedates leucomystax leucomystax – White jawed frog

Microhyla okinavensis – The Ornate narrow-mouth frog

Buegeria japonica – Ryukyu Kajika frog

Rana catesbeiana – American bullfrog

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.

World Oceans Day 2019 – Okinawa, Japan

Posted on June 9, 2019 by Admin11

June 8th 2019, is designated as Wold Oceans Day. It’s a day encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment. We can all do a better job making a difference, our lives depend on it.

I have traveled to many of the outer Islands in the Ryukyu Island chain. Every Island has an abundance of marine debris washed ashore from Japan, China and Korea. Below are some of the documentation photographs taken on Iheya Island.

This post is not to make people sad, guilty or lose hope, It is to bring awareness to the ongoing trash problem in our oceans and on our shorelines.

Learn more about making a difference, TEDx talk | Adapting to or Changing Environment by Shawn M Miller

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 Eyes of the Underwater World by Shawn Miller

Posted on May 2, 2019 by Admin11

Okinawa offers some of the best Scuba-diving in the world. I really enjoy the art of underwater macro photography. Macro subjects can always be found, it just takes some imagination and good framing to create beautiful underwater abstracts. Animal eyes are challenging and exciting areas to focus on. Below are some of my favorite photographs of vision taken on the Island of Okinawa.

Longsnout flathead © Shawn Miller

Crowned puffer © Shawn Miller

Leopard flounder © Shawn Miller

Reef squid © Shawn Miller

Coral scallop © Shawn Miller

Get Fa-Millerized with the Nature of the Ryukyu Islands – – – – SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Amami Woodcock- The Birds of The Ryukyu Islands

Posted on April 29, 2019 by Admin11

The Amami woodcock (Scolopax mira) is considered a prefectural bird of Amami Island. They are a rare species mainly found on Amami and Tokuno islands. These ground dwelling birds are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list of threatened species.

Scientific name: Scolopax mira
Distribution: Amami, Tokuno and Northern Okinawa
Habitat: leaf littered forests
Diet: Beetles, crickets, moths, spiders, and worms
Average Size: 34cm – 36mm
Threats: Habitat loss and the introduced mongoose.

The Amami woodcock is a master of camouflage. It crouches down low and limits its movements in the leaf litter. When predators approach the woodcock will fly away in most cases.

In this case the female has chicks that she has to protect.

We managed to see one sub-adult, it quickly followed its mothers lead and fled the scene.

The mongoose is the biggest threat to the wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands. It was introduced to the Ryukyu Islands in the1900’s In order to reduce the venomous habu populations. All the islands are still battling this never ending problem.

All the photographs of the Amami woodcock were taken from the car through the back seat window. In the beginning, I had difficulty with the cameras auto-focus system. I adapted by mounting a Light&Motion GoBe light with a 500 search head to my tripod collar. This allowed the auto-focus system to be extremely responsive using the Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM.

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.

Learn more about the Light&Motion GoBe Exploration light https://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/gobe

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.

Get Fa-Millerized with the Nature of the Ryukyu Islands – – – – SUBSCRIBE BELOW

The Power of the Sunflower by Shawn Miller

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Admin11

Have you ever seen an unhappy person at a Sunflower festival?

Sunflower Festival, Kitanakagusuku Village

The Sunflower is a powerful plant that brings joy and happiness to all. Flowers are a source of Nature Therapy, sometimes just looking at them relieves stress and anxiety. Every year I visit these beautiful fields on Okinawa with friends and family. I strive to create a unique piece of art with my camera. Please enjoy some of my favorite photographs composed over the years.

Himawari Matsuri

Sunflower fluorescence photography

Ryukyu Sunflower Art

I have also photographed corals that resemble sunflowers. One of the most beautify animals underwater is sunflower coral (Tubastraea cocinea). It is generally found in shallow water under reef ledges at most dive locations on Okinawa.

sunflower coral simplicity

Composed flower coral

Hopefully this post will brighten up your day!

Brighten up your day!

Have a wonderful day!

If you didn’t have the chance to view the Cherry Blossom Festival last year, check this out! https://okinawanaturephotography.com/cherry-blossoms-of-okinawa-by-shawn-miller/

Get Fa-Millerized with the Nature of the Ryukyu Islands – – – – SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Okinawa Nature Photography

沖縄自然写真 By Shawn Miller

Tag Archives: Know your Nature with Shawn Miller

Mangrove Forests of Okinawa

Gigantic Banana Spiders on Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Designated Flora and Fauna of Okinawa Prefecture

House Geckos of Okinawa

The Chinese soft-shell turtle – Aquatic turtles of Okinawa

Frogs of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

World Oceans Day 2019 – Okinawa, Japan

The Eyes of the Underwater World by Shawn Miller

Amami Woodcock- The Birds of The Ryukyu Islands

The Power of the Sunflower by Shawn Miller