When we went down to the beach for supper this evening we heard an unfamiliar bird call and soon noticed four American oystercatchers. The two in these pictures had evidently claimed this rock while the other two kept flying in large circles around them. Eventually the intruders gave up and flew away, leaving this pair to do some grooming in peace.
This was all very exciting to me because I’ve never seen these shorebirds on our beach before. The range map I consulted indicates they may be here for the summer and breeding – they don’t live here year round.
Last summer I had so much fun identifying new kinds of gulls visiting our beach. This year the gulls are not as numerous, but we’ve been seeing more cormorants, egrets, and now these striking sojourners. Welcome to “our” shoreline, oystercatchers!
How neat!!! I so enjoy finding new birds, and have never seen these before! Thanks for sharing!!
You’re welcome, Lauren!! I’m so glad you understand the thrill of spotting a new kind of bird!
This is so very cool, Barbara. What an exciting moment for you! To see something new in your world… We’ve seen them in Florida a lot, and I like their oystercatcher-ness. 🙂
Kathy, I haven’t been on a beach in Florida since I was a child! I wonder if I ever saw an oystercatcher back then…
Yesterday we went back to the beach with our niece and her children, but we didn’t see them. But then, just as we were leaving I heard their call again, and then saw them fly over to the same rocks. So we all piled out of the car and the kids took turns with the binoculars getting a good look at them. I wonder if these oystercatchers know what celebrities they have become! 🙂
Cool. Waaaaaay Cooooool! Thank you for sharing 🙂
You’re welcome, my friend! 🙂
The birds are beautiful! Your photography is amazing too. I’d never have known what Oystercatchers are … thanks for intro. them to me. As you know from my blog, I’m an avid birder. But one who will never have the chance to see Oystercatchers in my neck of the woods. 😉
Thank you, Arti! I love the photos of the birds on your blog, too – my interest in birds is fairly new. My parents were avid birders and sometimes I can’t quite believe how much I love watching them now because I found it so boring when I was a child. 😉
They sure are unique looking Barbara and you can’t miss those neon-orange features!
They do stand out! It was such a thrill the first time I saw them — I couldn’t wait to get home and identify them. 🙂
I swear they grow in the dark!
🤣