I'm going away for a few days so It will be a while before I make any new blog posts.

My last big trip away was to Miyakejima, an active volcanic island about 180km south of Tokyo. I wrote all about that in a previous post which you can read here.

Chrysanthemum Pacificum

Miyakejima Island

This time I am off to Yanbaru, the jungle covered northern part of Okinawa island. Yanbaru is one of the largest remaining sub-tropical rainforests in Asia and is home to over 4000 species of insects, birds, animals and plants. 

 

Wide Load

A Hermit Crab, native to Okinawa

It's my first time visiting Yanbaru, and I'm hoping to get a glimpse of the elusive Pryer's Woodpecker, a critically endangered bird that was only discovered in the 1970's. I don't think I will come back with any decent photos of that, but hopefully I'll find some interesting frogs and birds to photograph.

Okinawan Jungle Crow リュウキュウハシブトガラス

Okinawan Jungle Crows on Iriomote island.
Much smaller and cuter than their mainland cousins, they are a classic example of island dwarfism.

A few years years ago I visited Iriomote-jima Island, another island in the Okinawan island chain that is also more famous for its jungles than its beaches. We were rained out for most of the time then because of a typhoon, but still managed to find things to do.

Ryukyu Tree Lizard

Ryukyu Tree Lizard (Endemic to the Yaeyama islands)

The weather forecast isn't looking to good for this week either. A new typhoon has just formed south of Okinawa, and looks to be heading straight for the islands right in the middle of our holiday!
Oh well. Looks like our bathing towels and snorkels will stay in our bags again. 

Snorkeller's Delight2012

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