Tag Archives: Black Oystercatcher

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Craig Tooley photographed a Black Oystercatcher feeding her chick. Can you see the tiny, well-camouflaged chick? Follow the mother's beak down to the chick's tiny beak. There is a second chick on the left side of Craig's photo.

Black Oystercatchers are so distinctive with their long orange-red beak and pink legs! They nest in rocky areas above high tide. They are being studied to see how they cope with sea level rise.

They are talkative birds. One contributor to my column described them as "chattery." You can hear their call at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's great website, allaboutbirds.org. Here's the link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Oystercatcher/sounds

Here is one of my favorite Oystercatcher photos, which was taken by Craig, a "dancing" Black Oystercatcher.

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com

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Black Oystercatchers are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. They are quite noisy - Jackie Gai dubbed them "chattery" - and fun to watch. Look for them along our rocky shores. Cece Case recently photographed one wading in a tide pool. Oystercatcher wading by Cece Case (Large) You can't miss this shorebird's distinctive red-orange bill! Its legs are yellow as is its eyes. The rest of this bird is pure ebony. Thanks to Cece for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

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Bettye Winters heard and then saw a very noisy Black Oystercatcher on the rocks at the north end of Manchester State Beach. As she watched a wave washed over the rocks and the Oystercatcher disappeared. It then reappeared a short distance away on another rock. I wonder if this bird was surprised to be washed off the rocks like that. He/she needs to heed the warning we humans are taught - never turn your back on the ocean!

If you look closely you can see an orange Sea Star, aka Starfish, on the rocks to the left.