photoartflightOystercatchers protecting their chicks
This family of Oystercatchers was wandering across the sand dunes, when all of a sudden a Common Tern seemed very interested in the chicks. It kept diving down to get the chicks, hitting them and trying to get them. The adult Oystercatchers were trying to protect their chicks to a point, but also just wandered off here and there not paying attention to some of the attacks. Some of the chicks got knocked over, but eventually started moving again. All the chicks in this family survived this series of attacks and moved on, but another family of Oystercatchers I was watching lost all three of their chicks to the Terns, so I did not post any of those photos here. All of these are cropped in quite a bit, but thought it was an interesting story showing their survival.
Oystercatchers moving on after the Terns left Canon EOS1D MkIV, Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS, Canon i.4X Series III Teleconverter, f/8, 1/1600, +0.67 exp. comp, ISO 400, Fairly Heavy Crop.
Common Tern Attacking Canon EOS1D MkIV, Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS, Canon i.4X Series III Teleconverter, f/8, 1/1600, +0.67 exp. comp, ISO 400, Fairly Heavy Crop.
Tern Pulling Up After Hitting Oystercatcher Chick Canon EOS1D MkIV, Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS, Canon i.4X Series III Teleconverter, f/8, 1/1600, +0.67 exp. comp, ISO 400, Fairly Heavy Crop.
Squawking at the Attacking Tern Canon EOS1D MkIV, Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS, Canon i.4X Series III Teleconverter, f/8, 1/1600, +0.67 exp. comp, ISO 400, Fairly Heavy Crop.
Warding Off the Attacking Tern Canon EOS1D MkIV, Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS, Canon i.4X Series III Teleconverter, f/8, 1/1600, +0.67 exp. comp, ISO 400, Fairly Heavy Crop.
Diving Tern Canon EOS1D MkIV, Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS, Canon i.4X Series III Teleconverter, f/8, 1/1600, +0.67 exp. comp, ISO 400, Fairly Heavy Crop.
Tern Diving Again Canon EOS1D MkIV, Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS, Canon i.4X Series III Teleconverter, f/8, 1/1600, +0.67 exp. comp, ISO 400, Fairly Heavy Crop.
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