American Oystercatcher

— When you have a beach nearly all to yourself, there is nothing better than sitting back and enjoying nature and its surroundings. That is precisely what we were doing recently in Port Aransas, Texas. We used to go there every summer for a long weekend. The problem with that is that the crowds are everywhere. One can hardly enjoy peace and quiet, much less the pleasure of observing wildlife. This year, however, we went in mid-October. Not only was the weather beautiful, but the city was also quiet. No crowds in restaurants or beaches.

One afternoon, I spotted this beautiful American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus). Thanks to the superzoom of my Nikon Coolpix P610, I was able to safely admire this beauty from a good distance. It probably never even noticed me. What got my attention was how much the American Oystercatcher stood out from other birds in the area. As described by the Audubon Society, this “very large, unmistakable shorebird” lives along the Atlantic and Gulf Coast beaches.