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WATCHABLE WILDLIFE
Black Oystercatcher |
Story and Photo by Jeffrey Rich
A striking black bird with red bill and pink feet, the BLACK OYSTERCATCHER (Haematopus bachmani) is a contrast in color. It is a unique bird in many ways: Its bill is strong enough to pry limpets off rocks and to open mollusk shells; its diet doesn’t usually include oysters, which makes the name a bit confusing; and its narrow tidal habitat is one of the skinniest niches in the birding world.
Oystercatchers can be seen along the rocky Pacific coast, but not on the sandy beaches. They have a very narrow habitat extending only from the low tide feeding areas to drier spots just above the high tide mark.
Since they rely on the edge of our coastline, this makes them vulnerable to disturbances, such as oil spills. It is estimated that the total population is 10,000 individuals.
PHOTOGRAPHING
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How to Identify Black Oystercatchers
The next time you are along the Pacific coast—anywhere from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to Mexico’s Baja Peninsula—look for a chunky, black shorebird with a long, lipstick-red bill. Males and females look alike and both have the long red bill and pink legs. If you get a good view in your binoculars, the yellow eyes with an eye ring that matches its bill will knock your socks off. Oystercatchers hang out along rocky coastlines and are often heard before being seen.
Oystercatchers can be very noisy and have a variety of calls. One of the most common calls is a threatening one that signals an intruder. It is best described as a piping, whistled pew, pew pew. During the breeding season this sound is often heard as they protect the nesting territory. This Web site has a link to video footage of an oystercatcher calling: www.pacificwildlife.ca/bloy/behaviour.htm.
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| Where to spot black oystercatchers >>> |
Olympic National Park. (360-565-3130; www.nps.gov/olym)
Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge has oystercatchers, and is accessible along the Three Capes Scenic Route, 10 miles west of Tillamook. (541-867-4550; www.fws.gov/oregoncoast)
In the colder climes such as Alaska and Canada, oystercatchers migrate south. Not enough research has been done to know exactly where they go. During fall and spring migrations, oystercatchers are seen in flocks of less than 25.
Black oystercatchers are often easily found near Victoria, British Columbia, at Clover Point, McNeill Bay, and Ogden Point. (250-953-2033; www.tourismvictoria.com) |
Along the Washington and Oregon coasts, oystercatchers live in the same area year-round. A group of four will probably be a family group still staying near the nest. More commonly you’ll see only one or two. Black oystercatchers can be spotted almost anywhere along rocky shorelines of the Pacific Coast. Here are just a few great places to find them:
To spot black oystercatchers, go to any rocky coastal area in: |
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OYSTERCATCHERS
After observing a pair of oystercatchers for a few hours, I located their nest with two eggs. One adult would be incubating while the other was off resting, feeding, or harassing an intruder. I set up a remote camera near the birds’ nest to create a unique angle of the bird on the nest with a wide-angle lens. Usually when I locate a nest I set up my blind, but in this case I slowly moved only the camera into position. When the bird on the nest moved off the eggs, I moved the camera closer. It took most of two days to get the shot, but I didn’t want to bother the birds and this technique worked. Once the camera was in position, I sat in my car about 50 yards away looking through my binoculars. When the bird on the nest was in a good position, I tripped the shutter. |
PARENTAL INSTINCTS
Like most shorebirds, the black oystercatcher nests on the ground just above high tide and marks the nest by scraping out a small depression. They toss shell pieces and pebbles into the nest, and the female lays two to three eggs. The nest I photographed had two eggs, which were speckled and well camouflaged. The male and female work together to “build” the nest and then they share duties incubating the eggs for about 4 weeks.
The young are born covered with down and are able to move about, leaving the nest within a day or two. But they stay in the general location while the parents bring food to them, until they are ready to fledge. One parent stays near the young and protects them while the other is hunting. The chicks fledge 35 to 40 days later and follow the parents to foraging areas nearby.
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Jeffrey Rich is a photonaturalist whose pictures capture intimate moments of wildlife. He leads photo tours throughout the United States and currently teaches science at Stellar Charter School. (www.jeffrichphoto.com)
Northwest Travel March/April 2007 |
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