The Canon 70D Is Back In Action!

Posted on July 18, 2019 by Admin11

Last month, I received a memory card lock error on my Canon 70D Body. I sent it off to Canon USA for repair. Canon replaced the shutter assembly and a few covers. They informed me that my 70D shutter exceeded the normal life expectancy at a total of 156,642. I purchased this camera body in January 2014. This camera body has been the most durable and reliable camera body that I have owned so far.

Canon 70D: Favorite features

Fully-articulated touchscreen
High ISO capabilities
Responsive auto focus system
Lightweight and compact

Below are some of my popular photographs taken with the Canon 70D. Featured in National Geographic, BBC, WWF, IUCN, and Scientific publications.

: Planet or plastic -NatGeo

: Okinawa Woodpecker

: BBC – fluorescence Okinawa

: WWF -Crabs with beach trash Homes

: Japanese workbooks – Okinawa nature

: Kuroiwa’s Ground Gecko

I often use the Canon 70D to photograph fluorescence in the Yanbaru forest. This is a custom setup I use to photograph flowers and animals.

Fluorescence photography setup -Shawn Miller

The equipment I use for my Series “Crabs With Beach Trash Homes”

Canon 70D
Tokina 10-17mm
L&M Stella 2000
Canon 270ex flash

Shawn Miller – Crabs with beach trash homes. photographed by David Orr

Thanks to Canon USA for the great customer service and quick turnaround!

Ryukyu flying fox – Bats of Okinawa

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Admin11

The Ryukyu flying fox is the largest bat found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. This large bat often startles people on night walks. No need to worry, it is not a threat to humans. This large fruit bat feeds on fruit, seeds and nectar. It is currently listed as vulnerable on the IUCN list of Threatened species.

Scientific name: Pteropus dasymallus
Common name: Ryukyu flying fox and fruit bat
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Dense forests and neighborhood parks
Diet: Fruit, seeds and nectar
Average size: 300-350mm
Color: Brown and orange

These large fruit bats are nocturnal and feed during the night.

Ryukyu flying fox

Ryukyu flying fox in flight

They can also be found during the day hiding high up in trees.

Ryukyu flying fox

Fruitbat in Ryukyu pine tree

On rare occasions, they can be found feeding on the cherry blossoms in daylight.

Ryukyu flying fox

Ryukyu flying fox feeding on cherry blossoms

A mother and young found in a secluded part of the Yanbaru forest.

Ryukyu flying fox feeding

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

The King of the Yanbaru forest – Holst’s frog

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Admin11

The Holst’s frog ( Babina holsti ) is a rare species found in northern Okinawa. It is currently listed endangered on the IUCN red list. It is designated as a natural monument by the Okinawa Prefecture. This large amphibian is decreasing in numbers due to habitat loss.

Scientific name: Babina holsti (Boulenger, 1892)
Distribution: Northern Okinawa-Japan
Habitat: Forest streams
Diet: Insects, worms, snails and small reptiles
Average Size: 100mm -125mm

The King- Holst’s frog

The Holst’s frog is the largest frog found on Okinawa. It hides in holes, crevices and small caves in the day.

Searching for food

This is a size comparison photograph taken with the iPhone 6s. This is a good size frog but they do get larger than this.

Comparison – Iphone6s

The juveniles have a dark brown patch on the top section of the body. They blend in very well with their habitat.

Juvenile Holst’s frog

They are sometimes found searching for food on the back roads of Northern Okinawa.

Juvenile Holst’s frog – Yanbaru

Be careful and pay close attention to crossing wildlife!

Crossing wildlife

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 Ryukyu Robin, Endemic birds of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Admin11

The Ryukyu Robin (Larvivora komadori namiyei) is a subspecies endemic to northern Okinawa. It is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN red list of threatened species. Its main threats are habitat loss and the introduction of invasive species.

Scientific name: Larvivora komadori namiyei (Stejneger, 1887)
Distribution: Northern Okinawa
Habitat: Dense leaf littered forests
Diet: Earthworms, spiders, insects and fruit
Average Size: 140mm

The Ryukyu robin in its natural habitat. The male has the distinctive black throat and face.

Male Ryukyu Robin, Yanbaru forest © Shawn Miller

The female Ryukyu robin perching on a guide rope at Hiji falls, Okinawa.

Female Ryukyu robin (Larvivora komadori) © Shawn Miller

A male Ryukyu robin searching for insects on the ground.

Male Ryukyu robin © Shawn Miller

Ryukyu robin © Shawn Miller

Ryukyu Robin -Yanbaru forest © Shawn Miller

Time for a nap on a fern tree.

Ryukyu robin resting © Shawn Miller

Luscinia komadori komadori is a subspecies found on Amami Island. The flank is white and black.

Luscinia komadori komadori, Amami Island © Shawn Miller

These small birds are often seen early in the morning feeding on insects on the road. Watch your speed and pay particular attention between dusk and dawn.

Watch your speed! © Shawn Miller

A male Ryukyu robin that was killed by a speeding motor vehicle on Route 2 in northern Okinawa.

Okinawa Roadkill – January 17th, 2016 © Shawn Miller

Let’s protect the beautiful wildlife of Okinawa, Japan.

Have a great day!

Fluoro fingerprinting by Shawn Miller

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Admin11

On February 16th 2015, I went out reef walking at night during low tide. I brought my Light and Motion Nightsea blue light in search of marine life fluorescence. I stumbled upon an interesting find in the world of science. I call it Fluoro fingerprinting.

I flipped over a rock, a small sea cucumber fell off and began to fluoresce under blue light. I found another sea cucumber and photographed it using the blue light and yellow excitation filter but it did not fluoresce.

Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis under blue light

I gently touched it with my finger and it fluoresced bright green, leaving the print of my finger on the surface of the sea cucumber.

Fluoro fingerprinting. Okinawa-Japan

I checked my finger and noticed it fluoresced light green under blue light.

Fluoro fingerprinting

I was excited about this find and posted it Flickr for some Identification help and explanation. Curt Fieldler emailed the photograph to Dr. Alexander Kerr from the University Of Guam Marine lab and he was kind enough to assist.

Dr. Kerr stated that the species is known to have green pigment that I have seen in other Sea cucumbers. As far as the fingerprint, It seems to indicate that touching the surface of the Sea cucumber exposes the underlying carotenoid, perhaps by mobilizing the the melanin pigments. So I think you have made an interesting find.

The next step was to photograph Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis in a studio aquarium using the Meet your neighbours isolation technique. I wanted to show the animal stretched out displaying the tube feet and feathery feeding tentacles.

Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis -MYN

The last step was to photograph Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis in its natural environment during the daytime.

Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis in natural environment

Learn more about capturing fluorescence https://www.nightsea.com/

Learn more about the lights used https://www.lightandmotion.com/

Learn more about Meet your Neighbours Project https://meetyourneighbours.net/

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

Kuroiwa’s Ground Gecko, Endangered species of the Ryukyu Islands!

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Admin11

Kuroiwa’s Ground Gecko is a beautiful lizard found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. It is currently listed endangered on the IUCN red list of threatened species. This lizard is decreasing in numbers due to poaching, deforestation, and the threat of feral cats. The lizard is high valued in the illegal pet trade market and needs to protected. This is one of my favorite reptiles to photograph on my night adventures in Okinawa.

- Scientific name: Goniurosaurus kuroiwae

- Distribution: Okinawa Islands

- Habitat: Leaf littered forests

- Diet: Worms and insects

Average Size: 110mm -130mm

Shawn Miller Featured- Wildlife As Canon Sees. National Geographic October 2017

This is the first ground gecko I photographed in 2010. I found it under a piece of carpet in Onna Village. Illegal dumping is a huge problem in Okinawa.

In the daytime, they live in caves, crevices, and holes in the ground

They come out to feed at night.

When they feel threatened they will stand up on all fours and try to intimate you with a stare down.

They have some strange looking feet –

When I approached this ground gecko it stayed in place. I found three Mosquitoes sucking the blood right out of it. the first time I observed mosquitoes on a lizard.

The juveniles have vibrant orange stripes down the back and rings around their tails.

Juvenile ground gecko

This beautiful Goniurosaurus kuroiwae orientalis was photographed on Ie Island.

Goniurosaurus kuroiwae orientalis

A wide-angle macro perspective of a ground gecko in central Okinawa.

The Banded ground gecko (Goniurosaurus splendens) is endemic to the Island of Tokunoshima. It is designated as a living natural monument in Kagoshima prefecture.

Toyama’s ground gecko (Goniurosaurus toyami) is endemic to Iheya Island. It is currently listed as critically endangered.

Pay attention to crossing wildlife!

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

Okinawa Nature Photography

沖縄自然写真 By Shawn Miller

Tag Archives: wildlife photographers in okinawa

The Canon 70D Is Back In Action!

Ryukyu flying fox – Bats of Okinawa

The King of the Yanbaru forest – Holst’s frog

The Ryukyu Robin, Endemic birds of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Fluoro fingerprinting by Shawn Miller

Kuroiwa’s Ground Gecko, Endangered species of the Ryukyu Islands!