American Oystercatcher

Gallery: AvianPosted June 20, 20081,782 views38 comments

Haematopus palliatus

This image was taken in April not long after the sun came up in a county park.

I like the pose and the behavior of the bird in the image as well as showing the bird in it's habitat. I also think it shows the feathers & details on the back very nicely, even though it is not a typical pose. Once thing about the AMOY that always tickles me is that it looks like they have had a manicure with black nail polish applied.

I have seen these birds nest twice this year, they lost their first clutch to what appeared to be raccoons, the second clutch has hatched and two out of three chicks have made it so far. Hopefully I will be able to share some of the images of the chicks soon.

D200, laying on the sand, f6.3, 1/500, ISO 200, 80-400mm at 400mm. Cropped slightly for composition.

Your comments & critiques are sincerely appreciated. Thanks for looking.

Comments

38 comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on June 20, 2008 at 1:07 PM

Splendid. Your soft morning light and low viewing position pays off once again. This is a very intimate image, and very natural looking.

Well done.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Strand on June 20, 2008 at 1:43 PM

Great posting on your oystercatcher Lia. I appreciate the detail and colors you have recorded. He has a great pose and complemented with the nice BG. CONGRATULATIONS!

Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments

Comment posted by Colin Smale on June 20, 2008 at 3:28 PM

This is a very nice picture showing behaviour, well caught, nice composition.

Registered on November 10, 2003, 48 Posts, 1158 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on June 20, 2008 at 4:24 PM

Excellent, Lia. Great behavior shot and beautiful light.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Ginex on June 20, 2008 at 5:15 PM

Nice job, Lia. Detail and exposure is excellent, Your low and close technique really works well.

Registered on October 16, 2007, 80 Posts, 353 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on June 20, 2008 at 6:03 PM

Wonderful behaviour shot Lia . The colours on this are perfect too

Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments

Comment posted by Mack Barham on June 20, 2008 at 6:22 PM

Excellent image - I lkie the low angle and the bill just touching the oyster!

Registered on August 12, 2005, 537 Posts, 1107 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on June 20, 2008 at 6:28 PM

One of your very best Lia. The low angle, the light, the shells, the wave in the background and the behavior - all excellent. As Richard said, the intimacy with the bird is just wonderful.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Ray Sanchez on June 20, 2008 at 6:35 PM

Lia.
This is very nice as presented. Your sea birds have low angle,nice light, and some wave action in the back. You have arrived at a nice style. By the way, what state are you from?
Congrats.

Ray Sanchez
Corpus Christi, Tx.

Registered on March 22, 2006, 46 Posts, 594 Comments

Comment posted by Jose Suro on June 20, 2008 at 7:37 PM

Did super on this Lia. Great behavior shot and the sidelight adds depth and detail. Well done! Looks like North beach?

Best,

Jose

Registered on June 24, 2006, 267 Posts, 2273 Comments

Comment posted by Danny Shelton on June 20, 2008 at 9:22 PM

Great capture. Perfect exposure and quite sharp.

Registered on October 2, 2007, 14 Posts, 1029 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on June 20, 2008 at 9:36 PM

Awesome image, you must be able to get very close to these birds, I guess they are learning to trust you. Excellent capture of behaviour and habitat.

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on June 20, 2008 at 10:10 PM

Another stunning surfside photo Lia. I wish I could be at the beach as much as you seem to be. Looks like he "caught his oyster". What an excellent composition. The eye being the focus, the orange bill leading to the seashell and the body providing a nice diagonal.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Jose Anselmo d'Aff on June 20, 2008 at 11:33 PM

Ops Lia! You did it again! (Layed on the sand...). Great shot. Congrats

Registered on April 28, 2008, 38 Posts, 156 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Conway on June 20, 2008 at 11:56 PM

Lia,

The others have not left much for me to say. I love the mood and how intimate this is. Quite wonderful.

Peter

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments

Comment posted by Larry McFerrin on June 21, 2008 at 12:14 AM

Lia, My only nit is you haven't been leaving any room for any nits here lately. Another great image. Congrats.

Registered on March 30, 2008, 34 Posts, 272 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on June 21, 2008 at 1:26 AM

Wonderful Lia! What tremendous plumage detail in both the blacks and whites. Kudos!!!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on June 21, 2008 at 4:05 AM

Nice one Lia. I can't seem to get close to Oystercatchers here, even on my belly - I'll have to try harder. That's a serious shell it's investigating

cheers Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Satie Sharma on June 21, 2008 at 5:03 AM

Beautiful shot, Lia. Lovely low perspective and behavior makes this special.

Registered on November 11, 2003, 189 Posts, 5335 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on June 21, 2008 at 5:32 AM

My thanks to everyone who has commented on this image.

Doug, Rob and John, I lay down in the sand and creep along slowly until I come close to the shorebirds when photographing them, all the while trying not to make them nervous. The birds aren't tame and I hope they don't become that way, because that would put them at risk of harm from some people who don't care about birds at all.

Of the shorebirds I photograph using a scale of 1-10, 1 being easy to get near, 10 being the hardest, I would rate the Oystercatcher a 9.

Rob & John, I didn't get to see any Aussie Oystercatchers on my trips down under, but I must say you have some rather large and beautiful Plovers among other incredible birds. The Plovers really caught my eyes though.

I look forward to seeing your Aussie Oystercatcher posts, I find them fascinating birds, with very unique eyes.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Inglis on June 21, 2008 at 7:00 AM

Hi Lia,

Beautiful image! Love your choice of composition and the pose is awesome! I’m looking forward to seeing some younglings!

Registered on October 23, 2007, 26 Posts, 2832 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on June 21, 2008 at 10:12 AM

I know what you mean about the black toenails. Sort of the Goth looking bird

Lia, this is just fantastic.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by David Sparks on June 21, 2008 at 11:49 AM

Wow! I don't have anything to add to the comments of others. Just want to say that the shot is excellent technically, but the action you captured would make it a great shot even if wasn't so good from a technical aspect.
David Sparks

Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Mason on June 21, 2008 at 1:33 PM

Just superb Lia - nothing more to say.

Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments

Comment posted by Derrick Lipinski on June 21, 2008 at 6:48 PM

Beautiful, sharp capture, Lia. The exposure is right on!

Registered on October 5, 2007, 58 Posts, 2039 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on June 21, 2008 at 8:12 PM

Fantastic photo...top notch on all counts. Congratulations! Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Avi Hirschfield on June 22, 2008 at 8:58 AM

LIA EXCELLENT SHOT. The detail in the blacks is great@ the eye contact with you watching to see whats happening next is great

Registered on November 1, 2003, 518 Posts, 2114 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on June 22, 2008 at 11:30 PM

Superb Lia. The detail is just spectacular. The pose is wonderful. One of your best.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on June 23, 2008 at 10:03 PM

Hi Lia,

There's a lot to like about this photo. I think you did a great job with the composition - your use of the frame is excellent. And I absolutely love the fact that the subject is doing something (other than posing). In a perfect world (and I'm being exceptionally picky here) I think I would like it even more if the foreground was just a tad sharper. But consider this a trivial point - the image is excellent...

Cheers and thanks for sharing...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on June 23, 2008 at 11:07 PM

great light and eye contact, congrats on the EP!!!

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on June 24, 2008 at 12:28 AM

Was there ever a doubt? Congratulations on the EP, Lia

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on June 24, 2008 at 3:45 AM

Congrats on another EP! Very well deserved.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on June 24, 2008 at 12:23 PM

Congratulations on the EP, I missed this when it was posted but it is certainly worthy of being the EP.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Barry R. Byrd on June 24, 2008 at 8:27 PM

Registered on December 20, 2005, 136 Posts, 970 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on June 24, 2008 at 9:31 PM

Congratulations on a well-deserved EP.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on June 25, 2008 at 9:53 PM

Just had to make a second comment Lia, to congratulate you on the EP. It's a wonderful image and unusually deserving. Besides, I wanted to be the one to make your 40th comment!

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Bertl Menegoni on June 28, 2008 at 1:13 PM

Congrats for your patience and feeling to get that close to your models.
Great post Lia.
Bertl

Registered on November 19, 2007, 24 Posts, 265 Comments

Comment posted by raymond j barlow on July 2, 2008 at 9:40 AM

congrats Lia, wonderful image!

Registered on March 29, 2007, 218 Posts, 964 Comments