oystercatchers

I heard the piping call of Oystercatchers, looked where they were and when I saw them, one flew away. The piping call stopped, but the two remaining ones did not show intention to leave, and where more or less mimicking each others movements. A nice opportunity for me to make some pictures.

Oystercatcher with chicks

Small group of roosting birds at hide-tide alongside the estuary

Oystercatchers

For some reason nearly all the Oystercatchers and Lapwings took to the air and I managed to get a picture of them that I'm not too displeased with.

... well I guess that's a bit harsh on them, they've probably been very busy and are now having a break. A wee group of Oystercatchers resting up on the bog bean. Perhaps they thought it was dusk, even though it was only lunch time!

Four more Oystercatchers flew in to join the flock on the bogbean. A shame they all completely ignore the raft for their breeding attempts. The Black-headed Gulls aren't interested in it either... and it was installed espcially for them.

A week later and I was back at Kinnordy again. This time I stopped at the far end first to see what was about in the marshy end. An Oystercatcher was sitting on a gate at the far side of the meadow, but flew down as I was clicking (heard that one before? LOL)

I don't know what set them off, but suddenly all the Oystercatchers took flight, nothing else around to frighten them, that I could see.

One of my better efforts at getting Oystercatchers in flight, even then I didn't manage as big a crop as I'd have liked. Numbers of these were beginning to build in March but it remains to be seen if they'll stay to breed this year. Although it's nice to see them, the otters came through last...

It would appear the Oystercatchers had taken ownership of the bog bean island and evicted a Coot!! Beginning of March visit to Kinnordy and numbers of Spring arrivals are building, though the winter visitors seem to have left.

This raft was installed in the hope that Black-headed Gulls would utilise it for nesting and be safe from the pesky Otters who have been devastating the for the last 10 years. From thousands of fledglings, we've been lucky to have one hatch!!! Sadly they've not made use of the raft and for...

Walking along the beach and getting nearer this group when they all decided to fly a semi-circle around me and land further down the beach. Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Sanderling (I think) and Oystercatchers. http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=354013

Oystercatchers

On a rocky slipway at Corsewall point were these two Oystercatchers, apart from Heron, the only waders I saw that weekend!

Early May saw me back at Kinnordy in brilliant sunshine. Bright light either blows the whites on my pictures or seems to bring everything a bit closer... I was lucky with these Oystercatchers!;)

580 - 820 g; wingspan: 84 cm. A large dumpy all-black wader with short, pink legs and an orange bill.

.... or Dribble I was actually taking a picture of the centre bird and was going to crop the other two out of this image, when I saw all the water pouring out of the bill of the left hand one. Couldn't pass that over for SF LOL.

Oystercatchers