{"id":5281,"date":"2012-07-04T14:25:32","date_gmt":"2012-07-04T20:25:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=5281"},"modified":"2025-08-24T13:01:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T18:01:40","slug":"american-oystercatcher-in-a-tidal-lagoon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/07\/04\/american-oystercatcher-in-a-tidal-lagoon\/","title":{"rendered":"American Oystercatcher In A Tidal Lagoon"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve been working up images for a long post and this American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus<\/em>) image is a clue as to what that post will be about.<\/p>\n

\"AmericanAdult American Oystercatcher in a tidal lagoon – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1\/1250, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I had a marvelous time on March 22, 2009 photographing this bird and several other oystercatchers in a tidal lagoon at Fort De Soto’s north beach.<\/p>\n

By that time in March the water was already warm but it felt refreshing to lay in the shallowest water on the shoreline to get the lowest angle possible.<\/p>\n

American Oystercatchers are very distinctive shorebirds with\u00a0long reddish bills, pink legs, bright yellow eyes\u00a0combined\u00a0with\u00a0black, brown and white plumage.<\/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’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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":153345,"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":[4004,3974,5132,4136,22,3997,1666,5988,3816,4891,3975,274,9906,4140,3996,1667],"class_list":["post-5281","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-coastal","tag-foraging","tag-haematopus-palliatus","tag-lagoon","tag-long-red-bill","tag-oystercatcher","tag-oystercatchers","tag-shore","tag-shorebird","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-tidal","tag-tidal-lagoon","tag-water","tag-yellow-eyes"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-adult-mia-mcpherson-1439.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-1nb","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8068,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/04\/10\/american-oystercatcher-with-prey\/","url_meta":{"origin":5281,"position":0},"title":"American Oystercatcher With Prey","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"American Oystercatchers were among my favorite shorebirds to photograph at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach 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 with prey, 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-1300.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-1300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-mia-mcpherson-1300.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-1300.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":70033,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/05\/16\/photographing-a-foraging-american-oystercatcher-in-the-first-light-of-dawn\/","url_meta":{"origin":5281,"position":1},"title":"Photographing A Foraging American Oystercatcher In The First Light Of Dawn","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 16, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The soft light of dawn has a special quality to it and I believe that it is evident in both of these American Oystercatcher photos.","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 foraging in the light of dawn, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-foraging-dawn-mia-mcpherson-4885.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-foraging-dawn-mia-mcpherson-4885.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-foraging-dawn-mia-mcpherson-4885.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-foraging-dawn-mia-mcpherson-4885.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":40117,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/06\/23\/dreaming-of-oystercatchers\/","url_meta":{"origin":5281,"position":2},"title":"Dreaming of Oystercatchers","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Last night I spent some time dreaming of oystercatchers. I could hear them in my dream and see them scurrying along the waves.","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 sandy flat at the north beach of Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-preening-mia-mcpherson-6962.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-preening-mia-mcpherson-6962.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-preening-mia-mcpherson-6962.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-preening-mia-mcpherson-6962.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4398,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/02\/13\/funny-birds\/","url_meta":{"origin":5281,"position":3},"title":"Funny Birds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 13, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm always looking for great action or interesting poses when I am out photographing birds and usually I am not disappointed and once in awhile I get some very funny images. Mondays just seem like a great day for some humor.","rel":"","context":"In "American Oystercatchers"","block_context":{"text":"American Oystercatchers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-oystercatchers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Roseate Spoonbill Funny Face, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/roseate-spoonbill-mia-mcpherson-5329-.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/roseate-spoonbill-mia-mcpherson-5329-.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/roseate-spoonbill-mia-mcpherson-5329-.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-pastel-colors-dawn-mia-mcpherson-4886.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-pastel-colors-dawn-mia-mcpherson-4886.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-pastel-colors-dawn-mia-mcpherson-4886.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/american-oystercatcher-pastel-colors-dawn-mia-mcpherson-4886.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":5281,"position":5},"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, 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