Oystercatcher

One of the most noticeable and easily identified wading birds is the oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) - it is black and white with an orange beak and orange legs. Its sharp call is very distinctive as is its habit of feeding on mudflats in flocks that can number in the tens of thousands. When I was a young birdwatcher I marvelled at the enormous gatherings on Morecambe Bay and I also monitored the bird's habitat spread from the seashore to include river valleys: in my case, the valley of the River Ribble. On a recent visit to Weymouth we came upon a few birds feeding on a freshwater RSPB reserve only a stone's throw from the seashore. The soggy nature of the marshland made this the dirtiest oystercatcher I've seen.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P900

More typical avocet

For anyone unfamiliar with the avocet the previous photograph must look decidedly odd, and possibly indecipherable. So by way of illumination for anyone who doesn't know the bird, and to compensate for my uncharacteristic shot, here is an avocet in a more typical pose as it steps out of the water to rest on the adjacent mud bank.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P900

Inelegant avocet

The avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), a black and white wading bird with spindly legs and a curious, long, upturned bill, has for many years been the symbol of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). They brought it back from near extinction in the UK to the point where, in some locations, it is now relatively common. This photograph was taken at Frampton Marsh RSPB reserve in Lincolnshire, a place where they breed and where there were a few dozen birds on the day we visited. My photograph is taken from the "wrong end" and though characteristic of the species as it sweeps its bill from side to side feeding, the shot makes a quite elegant bird look decidedly awkward.

 photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P900