To describe my lifelong fascination with flight and with creatures that fly I like to echo the words of John James Audubon who in 1839 wrote of himself as "...one who never can cease to admire and to study with zeal and the most heartfelt reverence, the wonderful productions of an Almighty Creator."
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Black Oystercatcher pair at Boiler Bay
At Boiler Bay State Park on the Oregon Coast today I spent about 15 minutes watching a pair of Black Oystercatchers. They acted very much like they were nesting, even though (according to the book) this is much later in the season than they are known to do so. The bird down between the boulders seemed to be incubating eggs, since not once in that time did it stand up, even though it occasionally stretched its neck up as far as possible to watch a ground squirrel that was about 10 ft. away. The mate (resting higher on a rock) seemed to be keeping watch, and scolded loudly when the squirrel was moving around nearby. Maybe an earlier nesting attempt had failed, so they are trying again. (?)
At Boiler Bay State Park on the Oregon Coast today I spent about 15 minutes watching a pair of Black Oystercatchers. They acted very much like they were nesting, even though (according to the book) this is much later in the season than they are known to do so. The bird down between the boulders seemed to be incubating eggs, since not once in that time did it stand up, even though it occasionally stretched its neck up as far as possible to watch a ground squirrel that was about 10 ft. away. The mate (resting higher on a rock) seemed to be keeping watch, and scolded loudly when the squirrel was moving around nearby. Maybe an earlier nesting attempt had failed, so they are trying again. (?)
1 Comments:
Looks like you have a very beautiful day down there today. I like your pictures of the Oystercatchers. I always think they are so cool.
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