Variable Oystercatcher

Description:

Medium sized wading bird, black body and wings, red straight beak and red legs. Red ring around the eye. Most often black all over, but the chest can also be mottled.

Habitat:

Seen on coastal beach in the tideline

Notes:

Years ago these beaches were full of different oyster catchers and dotterals and terns, and they nested there also. But now because of recreational vehicles speeding up and down , you don't see them there much at all, they have actually moved their daily foraging inland to the farm land .. and must be finding grubs and snails etc in the pastures. You still see them on the beaches, but not like before.