Miyakojima is the least interesting of larger Ryukyu Islands (all but one native mammals are extinct), but I checked it out it anyway.
The only remaining forest on the island is Ono Forest, with a trail network radiating from 24.804706 N 125.315014 E. The Southern Ryukyus subspecies of Ryukyu flying fox is extremely common there, as is Oriental house rat. I also saw one house shrew.
Elsewhere, found a Japanese weasel in Shimajiri Mangroves (24.877879N 125.288292E), and one flying fox in Ihema Wetland (24.935413N 125.242212E). Polynesian rats have been collected on Miyako in the 1950s, but I didn’t see any. Hihashi Henna lighthouse (24.722569N 125.468869) is good for seawatches: the guy at the ticket office said he sees dolphins a few times a year, but I don’t know what species.
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New Trip Report: England
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Here’s a new report from Vladimir Dinets. England, 2018: Vladimir Dinets, 10 days with species including Badgers, Water and...
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Chasing the Transylvanian Lynx, 2022
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Some of my very earliest memories are of a family road trip to the south of France. My three-year-old...
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Earlier this month I spotted a vole in the Swiss Alps at around 2300m high together with a group...
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Advertising: Wolverines Photography Tour to Finland, May 2022
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Here’s a great report with excellent photos from Lennart Verheuvel, a first time contributor. Svalbard, 2017: Lennart Verheuvel, 1 week...
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This island is nevertheless interesting. It is a good spot for birdwatchers and the best place to see a guaranteed Japanese Weasel (unfortunately introduced, but so beautifull).
I’m not sure it’s guaranteed. I saw only one in 24 hours. Introduced populations of Japanese weasel in all central and southern Ryukyu Islands have declined, probably because the climate is getting too hot for them (but there are other possible explanations). And birding is much better on Ishigaki and Iriomote, which also have endemic microbats and an endemic cat subspecies. That said, Miyako is an excellent place to see non-feral Oriental house rat, and I did photograph one bird never recorded in Japan before (Chinese crested tern, it’s all over Japanese news now).