This crowsized bird with the brilliantly coloured beak can be found on rocky shores, where they search for mussels and worms. We had seen them quite frequently at the Tsawassen Ferry Terminal and figured they would be the perfect subject to test the D1X with the 80 - 400mm VR lens. This pair of Black Oystercatchers was photographed at low tide early in the morning. The shutterspeed was 1/250 sec. at f8, handheld exposure. The birds are quite skittish and when approached too closely will fly off with loud calls, but it won't take long for them to return to the same area. Black Oystercatchers do not migrate, but they will only nest on offshore islands, and the best time to watch them is in the winter months when they feed and rest in small flocks along the mainland coast.
Black Oystercatchers
