photoartflightOystercatchers protecting their chicks
Posted on June 18, 2014
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.
American Oystercatchers at Nickerson Beach
Posted on June 11, 2014
I was following this family of American Oystercatchers as they wandered along the sand dunes. The adult pair separated and 2 of the chicks went with the other adult Oystercatcher and went farther away in the grasses. They were in and out of the grasses so it was hard to get clear shots of them but this adult and chick came closer and were in an area with less grasses to interfere with my photos. I thought it added a little interest as to their habitat, but I would have liked it without the grasses. The adult was finding food and feeding the chick as it went along. If you are in the area it is a great place for photography.
American Oystercatcher with chick, Canon EOS 1D MkIV, Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS lens, Canon 1.4X Series III Teleconverter, f/8, 1/1600 sec, +0.33 exposure compensation, ISO 400
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