{"id":4447,"date":"2012-02-19T10:28:15","date_gmt":"2012-02-19T17:28:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=4447"},"modified":"2025-07-19T05:09:22","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T10:09:22","slug":"american-oystercatchers-feeding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/02\/19\/american-oystercatchers-feeding\/","title":{"rendered":"American Oystercatchers Feeding"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been going through some of my older files and reculling them the past few days. I’ve kept far more images than I should have but I have learned a lot since those photos were taken and have become more discriminating about which files I truly want to keep. When I came across the folder these American Oystercatcher images were in I decided to share a few.<\/p>\n

\"American\u00a0American Oystercatcher with Pen Shell\u00a0–\u00a0<\/strong>Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1\/500, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I came across this American Oystercatcher as it was foraging along the shoreline just beyond where the waves break. The Gulf must have been rough during the night\u00a0\u00a0because all kinds of shells and turtle grasses had been pushed onto the shore, because the tide was going out the shorebirds had discovered that some of the mollusks were still alive and were poking around looking for something to eat.\u00a0 This bird was tugging on the Penn Shell to see if the meat was still inside.<\/p>\n

\"AmericanAmerican Oystercatcher probing for Coquinas –\u00a0Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1\/750, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the oystercatchers were digging in the sand with their bills searching for prey that might have been covered in the sand. This bird was really getting into it!<\/p>\n

\"American\u00a0American Oystercatcher prying open a shell –\u00a0Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

American Oystercatchers use their long, thin bills to pry open the shells of clams, oysters and other bivalves, the one above worked on the Calico Shell for several minutes before a rogue wave washed it back into the Gulf.<\/p>\n

I was laying down in the wet sand with my lens about an inch from the surface of the beach\u00a0when 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! That never happened to me but it always<\/em> pays to be cautious.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my American Oystercatcher photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":150470,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,27,25,704],"tags":[4004,3974,4039,1264,10612,4286,4040,173,4077,22,5988,3816,4106,1262,1263,4891,274,4188,165,4119],"class_list":["post-4447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-oystercatchers","category-avian","category-florida","category-fort-de-soto-county-park","tag-adult","tag-american-oystercatcher","tag-beach","tag-clam","tag-digging","tag-eating","tag-feeding","tag-gulf-coast","tag-gulf-of-mexico","tag-haematopus-palliatus","tag-oystercatcher","tag-oystercatchers","tag-prey","tag-prying","tag-shell","tag-shore","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-shoreline","tag-spring","tag-waves"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/american-oystercatcher-shell-mia-mcpherson-6248.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-19J","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":153665,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/08\/29\/american-oystercatcher-images-from-florida\/","url_meta":{"origin":4447,"position":0},"title":"American Oystercatcher Images From Florida","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I am sharing a group of American Oystercatcher photos today that were taken at Fort De Soto County Park and Egmont Key from when I lived in Florida.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Oystercatcher feeding in early morning light, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-feeding-adult-mia-mcpherson-6254.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-feeding-adult-mia-mcpherson-6254.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-feeding-adult-mia-mcpherson-6254.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-feeding-adult-mia-mcpherson-6254.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4617,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/03\/12\/american-oystercatcher-feeding\/","url_meta":{"origin":4447,"position":1},"title":"American Oystercatcher Feeding","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Oystercatcher with incoming wave from the Gulf, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-feeding-mia-mcpherson-6278.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-feeding-mia-mcpherson-6278.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-feeding-mia-mcpherson-6278.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-feeding-mia-mcpherson-6278.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10000,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/10\/27\/adult-and-juvenile-american-oystercatchers-feeding-side-by-side\/","url_meta":{"origin":4447,"position":2},"title":"Adult And Juvenile American Oystercatchers Feeding Side By Side","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 27, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2008 I spent several months during the summer watching an American Oystercatcher family from the time the chicks were tiny until one of the chicks became independent.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult and juvenile American Oystercatchers at Fort De Soto, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatchers-mia-mcpherson-8466.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatchers-mia-mcpherson-8466.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatchers-mia-mcpherson-8466.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatchers-mia-mcpherson-8466.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4781,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/04\/13\/american-oystercatcher-friday-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":4447,"position":3},"title":"American Oystercatcher – Friday Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 13, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"These two photos are of the same adult American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) in sequential order taken at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida. I was laying in the sand while I created the images to get a low angle and the bird was on a ridge elevated slightly higher\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Oystercatcher on a ridge of sand next to the Gulf of Mexico at Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6183,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/09\/25\/american-oystercatchers-in-florida\/","url_meta":{"origin":4447,"position":4},"title":"American Oystercatchers in Florida","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 25, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I don't get to see or photograph Oystercatchers here in Utah but I still dream about these shorebirds and can hear their calls when I look at the thousands of images I took of them.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Resting American Oystercatcher juvenile near spartina at Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-7865.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-7865.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-7865.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-chick-mia-mcpherson-7865.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5281,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/07\/04\/american-oystercatcher-in-a-tidal-lagoon\/","url_meta":{"origin":4447,"position":5},"title":"American Oystercatcher In A Tidal Lagoon","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been working up images for a long post and this American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) image is a clue as to what that post will be about.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Oystercatcher in a tidal lagoon at Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-adult-mia-mcpherson-1439.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-adult-mia-mcpherson-1439.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-adult-mia-mcpherson-1439.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-adult-mia-mcpherson-1439.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4447"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4447\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}