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

Light & Motion Sola Photo 1200 – The Ultimate Focus Light For Night Divers

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Admin11

The Light & Motion Sola Photo 1200 is the most popular modeling light used for underwater macro photography. I have been using Sola lights for over seven years now. All Light & Motion lights are easy to use, lightweight, and reliable. My favorite feature of the Sola Photo 1200 is the red light option. This feature enables the user to photograph marine life without disturbing them. Some marine animals do not see red light.

Sola 1200 focus light

Best features of the L&M Sola Photo 1200

Factory sealed body ensures flood-free performance
Compatible with a ball mount, ys mount and loc-line
SOS mode – Emergency function
Adjustable light output -1200 lumens (white light max)
Red light feature

Nauticam housing – Nikon D500

Nudibranch and Sola 1200

The red light feature works outstanding underwater. Get creative with blending red and white light during your dives.

Sea cucumber Art

The red light feature works great for photographing nudibranch’s, sea turtles, and cephalopods during night-dives. These animals are less affected by the red light.

Nauticam and Sola 1200

Check out the eye of the cuttlefish. The pupil is wide open (dilated)

Photographed using the Sola 1200 (red)

With white light, the pupil is constricted. The cuttlefish looks irritated by the bright light.

Photographed using the Sola 1200 (white)

Below are a few photographs of my dive buddies using the red feature.

Motion sickness (In camera triple exposure)

Multiple exposure Ie Island

Scuba-diving with a spin

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 this product and accessories offered at the Light & Motion Website.

Shawn Miller Underwater by Russell Gilbert

I want to thank Tokina, Light & Motion, Nightsea, and Black Fin Grouper for all their continuous support over the years.

#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

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 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

Birding and Plastic Dreams by Shawn Miller

Posted on May 17, 2019 by Admin11

Birding is one of the most popular hobbies for all ages. I find it enjoyable and extremely relaxing. It doesn’t matter where I go on Okinawa, I seem to find beautiful animals and trash. The animals have been forced to live with our single use waste. Below are some of my documentation photographs of animals surrounded by our waste.

Plastic Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Birding Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Birding Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Birding Okinawa © Shawn Miller

You can see how a bird could accidentally confuse single use plastic for actual fish. Now days, majority of marine birds have some form of plastic inside their stomachs.

Plastic pollution © Shawn Miller

This Gull arrived on Okinawa February 2016 with oil residue on its feathers. It spent most of the day bathing in the salt water trying to shake of the oil.

Birding © Shawn Miller

Plastic bag © Shawn Miller

Crab trash @Shawn Miller

Jungle crow and plastic

Even the endangered Okinawa rail (Gallirallus okinawae) has to deal with our waste.

Okinawa rail (Gallirallus okinawae) © Shawn Miller

Roadside streams are a great place to photograph waterbirds. This may look like a small waterfall but it’s actually a huge piece of plastic, beautiful isn’t it?

Plastic waterfalls © Shawn Miller

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. We all have the ability to make a difference by reducing the amount of single-use items we use daily.

The truth hurts © Shawn Miller

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

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 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.

Hummingbirds on Okinawa By Shawn Miller

Posted on April 16, 2017 by Admin11

I’m sorry to disappoint you but we do not have any hummingbirds on Okinawa. We do have hawk moths that resemble hummingbirds. The hawk moths are also called hummingbird moths. They are extremely fast and challenging to photograph.

I used a slow shutter speed to convey motion in the wings of the Hummingbird hawk moth (Macroglossum corythus)

Hummingbird hawk-moth

I often find the insects feeding early morning and or late in the evening. They feed using a long proboscis to drink the nectar.

Hummingbird hawk-moth

They are hard to see since they are small (35 -45mm) and move extremely fast. They can be heard creating a humming sound as they fly by. They hover for a short period of time collecting the nectar and move on to the next flower.

Hummingbird hawk-moth

The Convolvulus hawk moth ( Agrius convolvuli ) is the largest hawk moth I have seen on Okinawa.

Convolvulus hawk moth

The Impatiens Hawk moth feeds in the evening. I found this moth resting on a plant.

Impatiens Hawk Moth (Theretra oldenlandiae)

Photographed on white for the Meet Your Neighbours project

Hawkmoth – MYN

Impatiens Hawk Moth (Theretra oldenlandiae) larvae photographed on white using the MYN studio technique.

Impatiens Hawk Moth (Theretra oldenlandiae) larvae

Green Pergesa Hawk moth larvae ( Pergesa acteaus)

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

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.

Ryukyu Kajika frog – Amphibians of the Ryukyu Islands

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Admin11

The Ryukyu Kajika frog ( Buergeria japonica ) is found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. It is the most common frog found on Okinawa.

Scientific name: Buergeria japonica
Common name: Ryukyu Kajika frog
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Forests, mountain slopes, drainage ditches and farm fields.
Diet: Small Insects
Average size: 25mm-40mm
Color: Olive green, brown and golden yellow

This small frog is a master of camouflage. I often find it on rocks, plants, trees, drainage ditches and even our trash.

Ryukyu Kajika frog on tatami mat

Ryukyu Kajika frog -macro

Ryukyu Kajika frog – Kume Island

Ryukyu Kajika frog

Ryukyu Kajika frog- manhole cover

This is the only frog on Okinawa that is capable of living on the shoreline next to the ocean. I have photographed them as close as five feet away from the saltwater.

Ryukyu Kajika frog- skin discoloration

Beach-dwelling Kajika frog

A beautiful Kajika frog in the jungles of Iriomote Island.

Kajika frog -Iriomote Island

Photographed on white for the Meet Your Neighbours Project

Ryukyu Kajika frog – MYN

The males turn a golden yellow during mating season. The season stretches from April to September on Okinawa.

Ryukyu Kajika frog – Amami Island

Ryukyu Kajika frog – mating

Ryukyu Kajika frog – drainage ditch

The eggs are laid in slow-moving and still water sources. The eggs will develop into tadpoles and eventually transform into baby frogs. I often find tadpoles thriving in farming water buckets.

Juvenile Kajika frog

The summer months provide a great opportunity for natural predators.The frogs come together in large numbers.

Crab feeding on frogs

Pryer’s keelback feeding

Never give up

Never give up -Okinawa, Japan

If you see frogs, there is a possibility that snakes are nearby. The snakes patiently wait for frogs in drainage ditches and still water sources. The Kajika frog is the Hime habu’s favourite meal.

Hime habu – GoPro

Have a great day!

Asian grass frog – Amphibians of the Ryukyu Islands

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Admin11

The Asian grass frog ( Fejervarya kawamurai) is found on Mainland Japan and most of the Ryukyu Islands. The warty frog is fairly common on Okinawa. It’s biggest threats are pesticide exposure and habitat loss.

Scientific name: Fejervarya kawamurai
Common name: Asian grass frog, marsh frog and common pond frog
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands and Mainland Japan
Habitat: Rice fields, ditches, marshes, parks and farm fields.
Diet: Insects
Average size: 45mm-75mm
Color: light brown with a white belly

Asian grass frog – Canon 70d * 60mm macro

Wide angle macro – Canon 70d *Tokina fisheye

Asian grass frog- Macro

Asian marsh frog – drainage ditch

Asian marsh frog

Asian grass frog feeding

Asian marsh frog – Okuma resort

Asian grass frog -MYN

Egret feeding -the last goodbye

Have a great day!

Protecting Okinawa’s endangered beetles – Yanbaru forest

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Admin11

Poaching has been a big problem in northern Okinawa. The endemic animals of the Yanbaru forest are highly valued in the exotic pet trade market. The Okinawan Ministry of the Environment and the wildlife protection center are working hard this year to prevent the poaching of these endangered species. The Okinawan’s are spreading the word in the news, local papers, flyers and even monitoring the forest roads at night.

Poaching flyer -Yanbaru

August through September is when people search the forest for the rare Yanbaru long-armed scarab beetle (Cheirotonus jambar). If you see anyone taking this protected species please contact the authorities. I have yet to photograph a live animal. It is one of the rarest beetles in the world.

Rarest beetle in Japan -Yanbaru long armed scarab beetle, wildlife center

The giant Okinawan stag beetle (Dorcus titanus okinawanus) is also a high prized specimen in the pet trade.

Giant okinawan stag beetles

Giant okinawan stag beetle

Beetle collectors use fruit filled net traps to lure in the beetles.

Yanbaru beetle trap (Dorcus titanus okinawanus)

The beetles hooked shaped arms get caught in the netting.

Giant stag beetle (Dorcus titanus okinawanus)

Over the years, I have found a few traps with dead beetles attached.

Female okinawan stag beetle

In 2019 I found this undescribed beetle in the Yanbaru forest.

Unidentified beetle ,Yanbaru

Beetle collecting is popular on Okinawa. Its important to be familiar with the specific beetles that are protected species. Let’s protect the wildlife of the Yanbaru forest for future generations.

The Okinawan Woodpecker (Dendrocopos noguchii) – Critically Endangered species

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Admin11

Pryer’s woodpecker (Dendrocopos noguchii) is the prefecture bird of Okinawa and designated as a natural treasure of Japan. They are a rare species only found in the northern part of Okinawa and are currently listed critically endangered on the IUCN red list of threatened species.

- Scientific name: (Dendrocopos noguchii)

- Common name: Okinawan or Pryer’s woodpecker

- Distribution: Northern Okinawa

- Habitat: Yanbaru Forest

- Diet: Beetle larvae, moths, spiders, centipedes and fruit

Average Size: 30cm – 35mm

Shawn Miller featured – WILDLIFE AS CANON SEES IT -Published National Geographic May 2015. Bringing awareness to the endangered species of the Ryukyu Islands one image at a time.

Woodpecker featured Nat Geo May 2015 –

The woodpecker can rotate its head 180 degrees to capture the difficult insects. This is the first and only time I have observed this occurring.

Pryer’s woodpecker 180 head twist

This woodpecker is unique. It feeds its young only one insect at a time.

Okinawa woodpecker

Pryer’s woodpecker in flight

Both parents stay busy feeding the chicks. The nests can have up to three chicks.

Pryer’s woodpecker feeding chick

The woodpeckers biggest threats are deforestation and natural predators.

The woodpeckers natural threat – Jungle Crow

My favorite image of The Pryer’s woodpecker.

Pryer’s woodpecker (Sapheopipo Noguchii) Yanbaru forest

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

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

Marine Life Washed Ashore – Typhoon Vongfong

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Admin11

Super Typhoon Vongfong was considered to be to be the strongest storm of the year. We were very lucky the strength of the storm died down before it landed on the Island of Okinawa. The typhoon brought heavy winds and rough sea conditions. A fair amount of marine life could not cope with these harsh conditions.