prying

American Oystercatcher Feeding

By Mia McPherson|March 12th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: adult, American Oystercatcher, beach, coastal island, feeding, Gulf Coast, Gulf of Mexico, Haematopus palliatus, mollusk, oystercatcher, oystercatchers, prying, sand, shell, shore, shorebirds, water, waves|

I've always liked this photo because it shows how this American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) is using its long bill to pry open a shell.

American Oystercatchers Feeding

By Mia McPherson|February 19th, 2012|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: adult, American Oystercatcher, beach, clam, digging, eating, feeding, Gulf Coast, Gulf of Mexico, Haematopus palliatus, oystercatcher, oystercatchers, prey, prying, shell, shore, shorebirds, shoreline, spring, waves|

I was laying down in the wet sand with my lens about an inch from the surface of the beach when I photographed these shorebirds, one needs to watch out for those rogue waves because they don't only wash away the bird's prey... they can soak your lens & camera too!