American Oystercatchers make “divot” nests, basically a depression in the ground which in this case was a mound of shells.
While one adult sat on the nest the other paced around…
…what else is there to do until the young hatch?
I didn’t get a very good picture of the overall scene, but this gives you an idea of how vulnerable these birds are.
Marsh edge of Kiawah River, SC
June 1, 2022
A pair of American Oystercatchers were standing on a dike between two brackish ponds, with no oysters in sight for their breakfast.
They didn’t stay long, and is sometimes the case when photographing birds in flight, they were too close to cut one out of the picture, and too far apart to make a really pleasing composition. But it is birds in flight and you can see their eyes so I went with it.
One of the birds was banded, a project of The American Oystercatcher Working Group (http://amoywg.org/).
Bulls Island is an uninhabited 5000 acre barrier island off the coast of South Carolina with multiple ecosystems including maritime forest, fresh and brackish water impoundments and salt marsh.
April 2, 2022
Not just people like walking on the beach.
There’s something about having sand between your toes that is satisfying.
Oystercatcher U5 was reported to the American Oystercatcher Working Group.
The American Oystercatcher Working Group seeks to develop, support and implement range-wide research and management efforts that promote the conservation of Atlantic coast American Oystercatchers and their habitats through individual and partnership-based initiatives guided by recommendations of the Working Group’s membership. http://amoywg.org/
This American Oystercatcher had been standing in the surf. He got a running start then smoothly took off with one full beat of his wings.
It was just after dawn and he was flying directly into the sun, which I think must not affect birds’ eyes the way it does mine.
The incoming tide created a nice series of waves behind the bird.
He let out a squawk for good measure before he disappeared down the beach.
Low over the incoming surf a pair of American Oystercatchers flew down the beach.
Botany Bay Island, SC, August 4, 2019
The American Oystercatchers I featured in yesterday’s post, American Oystercatchers Flying In, landed fairly close to me but back lit by the just risen sun. I continued down the beach past them, then turned back to see what they were up to.
They were strutting around in the low surf. True to their name, they mostly eat oysters or will probe for other food.
There was no oyster bed here and these two didn’t seem interested in hunting. They soon took off.
Just after the sun came up on Sunday I heard these two coming and fortunately for me they were flying towards the sun.
They flew out over the ocean, past part of the dead tree “boneyard” before touching down in the surf.
Click on any image for a larger view.
