American Oystercatchers

American Oystercatchers are large shorebirds with black heads, brown backs, white undersides, large red bills, yellow eyes and have pink legs with black toenails.

How An American Oystercatcher Ruined A New Pair Of Pants

By |2023-11-22T17:10:48-07:00November 6th, 2020|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today's post is about an American Oystercatcher image taken in 2009 at Egmont Key in Pinellas County, Florida and the story behind it.

Photographing A Foraging American Oystercatcher In The First Light Of Dawn

By |2022-08-15T05:43:06-06:00May 16th, 2020|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The soft light of dawn has a special quality to it and I believe that it is evident in both of these American Oystercatcher photos.

Photographing Shorebirds at Eye Level

By |2021-05-17T07:15:37-06:00April 6th, 2018|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Black-bellied Plovers, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Curlews, Marbled Godwits, Pinellas County, Piping Plovers, Ruddy Turnstones|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Taking photographs of shorebirds at eye level was very fulfilling for me and the images that resulted from my down & dirty technique have always made me feel an intimate connection to the birds.

Spring Means Nesting Birds and Chicks – Please Give Them Space

By |2021-09-23T16:13:44-06:00March 24th, 2017|Categories: American Coots, American Oystercatchers, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Madison County, Montana, Nesting Birds, Pinellas County, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Why? Because the image is never as important as the well being and safety of my subject, especially when it comes to nests and chicks.

The State of North American Birds and its Not Good News

By |2021-01-28T15:47:24-07:00July 1st, 2016|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Greater Sage-Grouse, Mountain Plovers, Pinellas County, Reddish Egrets, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These four birds, an American Oystercatcher, a Greater Sage-Grouse, a Reddish Egret and a Mountain Plover are all facing the risk of extinction without serious conservation measures to reduce declines in populations and habitat destruction.

Dreaming of Oystercatchers

By |2020-05-16T10:20:54-06:00June 23rd, 2016|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last night I spent some time dreaming of oystercatchers. I could hear them in my dream and see them scurrying along the waves.

Juvenile American Oystercatcher On The Shore Of The Gulf

By |2020-11-06T05:36:01-07:00January 21st, 2016|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I watched this juvenile American Oystercatcher on the shore of the Gulf grow up in 2008 at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach.

An American Oystercatcher’s running lift off

By |2020-11-06T05:51:40-07:00June 9th, 2015|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

American Oystercatchers are one of my favorite shorebirds to photograph along the Gulf of Mexico because of their unusual appearance.

American Oystercatcher Family

By |2020-11-06T05:30:53-07:00March 10th, 2015|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It has been five and a half years since I photographed American Oystercatchers at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida and oddly enough I still dream about these shorebirds.

Birds of the Shore: American Oystercatchers

By |2020-11-06T05:45:53-07:00September 8th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

American Oystercatchers are specialized in that their diet consists of bivalves and they do use that flashy orange bill to pry some of them open.

A morning spent at Fort De Soto six years ago today

By |2020-11-06T05:54:28-07:00September 4th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Black Skimmers, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Piping Plovers, Sandwich Terns, Semipalmated Plovers, Wood Storks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Six years ago this morning I was photographing birds at Fort De Soto County Park and I wanted to share a few images and memories of that day.

American Oystercatcher in sea foam

By |2016-12-07T12:09:27-07:00June 13th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Florida Botanical Gardens|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Just a simple post of an American Oystercatcher about to be awash in sea foam at Fort De Soto's north beach taken back in September of 2008.

Ethics for Nests and Chicks

By |2018-03-09T07:19:29-07:00March 9th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Harassment, Nesting Birds, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

I feel that as a bird photographer I need to care for my subjects every time I am in the field and that is amplified when there are young, defenseless chicks.

Long billed Birds and Preening

By |2021-09-09T04:06:18-06:00March 7th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews, Roseate Spoonbills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Preening in birds is essential for keeping their feathers clean, arranged correctly and for some birds it is a way to distribute oils from the uropygial gland which helps to keep the feathers clean and healthy.

American Oystercatcher Lift Off

By |2020-11-06T05:57:04-07:00February 20th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

One of two species of oystercatchers in North America the American Oystercatchers quickly stole my heart after I first saw them because of their colors, long bills, pink legs and their Goth-like black toenails.

Adult and juvenile American Oystercatchers feeding side by side

By |2022-05-13T16:44:11-06:00October 27th, 2013|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In 2008 I spent several months during the summer watching an American Oystercatcher family from the time the chicks were tiny until one of the chicks became independent.

Missing Fort De Soto

By |2023-01-15T06:17:36-07:00August 7th, 2013|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Brown Pelicans, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Greater Yellowlegs, Marbled Godwits, Pinellas County, Ring-billed Gulls, Roseate Spoonbills, Semipalmated Plovers, Short-billed Dowitchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some days I find myself missing Fort De Soto so much it hurts, the birds I found there and the entire experience of just being there. It is just such an amazing place, how could I not miss it?

Five years ago today at Fort De Soto

By |2020-11-06T06:03:46-07:00July 6th, 2013|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Egrets, Pinellas County, Reddish Egrets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Five years ago today I headed to the north beach of Fort De Soto County Park despite knowing that there were looming storms off of the coast hanging just off shore over the Gulf of Mexico and I am glad that I did because the light that day on the beach was exquisite.

Adult American Oystercatcher among Sea Purslane

By |2020-11-06T04:47:06-07:00June 27th, 2013|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

I like to include habitat in my images when I am able to do so, especially when the habitat doesn't obstruct the view of my subject or when the habitat helps to define a sense of place.

Please… give nests and chicks respect

By |2020-03-12T16:04:08-06:00May 30th, 2013|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Chukars, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Nesting Birds, Utah, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Fluffy little chicks are adorable, they make people "ohh" and "aww" and those that hit the ground running not long after hatching are especially appealing to some folks. But they need respect and they need space so we don't endanger them.

American Oystercatchers in Florida

By |2020-11-06T04:43:37-07:00September 25th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge, Egmont Key State Park, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I don't get to see or photograph Oystercatchers here in Utah but I still dream about these shorebirds and can hear their calls when I look at the thousands of images I took of them.

Three and a half months with a young American Oystercatcher

By |2021-04-08T03:53:31-06:00July 4th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Nesting Birds, Pinellas County, Wildlife Ethics & Etiquette|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In 2008 I had the great pleasure of observing and photographing a family of American Oystercatchers from the day after the chicks hatched until three and a half months later.

American Oystercatcher In A Tidal Lagoon

By |2020-11-06T06:24:27-07:00July 4th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been working up images for a long post and this American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) image is a clue as to what that post will be about.

American Oystercatcher – Friday Photos

By |2020-11-06T06:18:55-07:00April 13th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These two photos are of the same adult American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) in sequential order taken at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida. I was laying in the sand while I created the images to get a low angle and the bird was on a ridge elevated slightly higher than my location.

American Oystercatcher Feeding

By |2020-11-06T06:16:53-07:00March 12th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've always liked this photo because it shows how this American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) is using its long bill to pry open a shell.

Birds with “Blown Eyes”

By |2021-08-26T17:18:19-06:00February 27th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Glacier County, Great Horned Owls, Montana, Pinellas County, Yellow-crowned Night Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I recently read about a congenital condition in humans called "iris colobomas" which is also found in other mammals and birds and have begun to wonder if that might not be the cause of the abnormal pupils I see in some species of birds instead of an injury to the eye.

American Oystercatchers Feeding

By |2022-07-06T17:56:26-06:00February 19th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was laying down in the wet sand with my lens about an inch from the surface of the beach when I photographed these shorebirds, one needs to watch out for those rogue waves because they don't only wash away the bird's prey... they can soak your lens & camera too!

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