American Oystercatcher, Haematopus palliates
Fort Desoto State Park, Saint Petersburg, Florida
The American Oystercatcher is one of the
most beautiful shorebirds in the Americas.
I photographed this one at Fort Desoto State Park in Saint Petersburg,
Florida. When I arrived there were few birds on the beach. Another
photographer was working a small group of feeding birds that included a Reddish
Egret and a few shorebirds. I found a Great Egret, but soon after
shooting a few shots it flew to spot where the reddish was feeding.
After
the egret flew I moved to the tideline where I found a Willet probing the sand
for mollusks. Things were pretty slow and I though about leaving
whenI Looked down the beach and saw an American Oystercatcher fly in and
begin probing the sand with its orange beak.
American Oystercatcher, Haematopus palliates
Fort Desoto State Park, Saint Petersburg, Florida
It had been years, I mean film days, since
I had photographed an oystercatcher. Like lighting I was down the beach
in a flash. With the oystercatcher so
busy feeding, it paid me no attention.
I began shooting about fifty feet away,
but wanted to be closer. As I scooted
along the sand toward the oystercatcher I shot a few more frames, fearing that
the oystercatcher would take flight. As I got closer and closer, instead
of flying away it became completely comfortable with my presence and began
moving toward me. I could not believe my good fortune. As it fed
along the tideline I shot frame after frame. At times it came so close
that could not focus the camera lens.
After shooting more than a thousand frames
I left the oystercatcher to its activities. It was one of the best mornings
I’ve had in a long time. I had been totally immersed with a bird that
accepted my presence without fear. Very
few people get such an experience, and I hope I get a lot more.
Nikon
D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/1250 sec. @ f9, ISO 640
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