Sunday 2 August 2009

Pied Oystercatcher

Pied Oystercatchers were busy feeding on Main Beach Stradbroke Island during our recent visit.

Click on photos to enlarge.



Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris)
Pied Oystercatcher looking for pipis



Found one



Let's just get out of the water first



Found another one, now to get it out.



Still trying



Just a bit more



Got it.

Here is a link to more information on the Pipi
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/areas/systems-research/wild-fisheries/outputs/2008/972/status_short/Pipi.pdf

12 comments:

mick said...

Great series of photos. I like the way you have caught the light glinting on the water.

Neil said...

Thanks Mick glad you liked the series.

gwendolen said...

Hehe, tug of war going on there. The refection photo is wonderful, Neil.

Heather said...

Persistent little birds, aren't they? Guess you have to be if you want to eat! Nice BPW post.

Neil said...

Thanks Gwendolen and Heather for your comments.

Larry Jordan said...

Nice captures Neil. I really like that 5th shot. It looks like that bird is really struggling to get that pipi. By the way, I had to look up "pipi". I guess that's an oyster Down Under eh?

Bob Kaufman said...

Great series of shots, Neil, capturing the way the Oystercatcher catches the oyster, er, the "pipis".

Kelly said...

You've got to love those orange, carrot bills! I'd love to see one of these birds...one of these days! Wonderful series...

MaineBirder said...

Love this series on the Oystercatcher... excellent photos!

Neil said...

Thanks Everyone for your comments,
This is Tarzan on behalf of Neil. A Pippi comes under the classification of a mollusc. It is a bivalve just like the oyster and they are both filter feeders. However the Oyster is sedentary commonly attached to rocks, whereas the Pippi is found commonly along the surf beaches of eastern Australia. They are also commonly called surf clams or eugarie.

Arija said...

Great shot sequence, he had a nice catch but gor his feather ruffled by the wind.

Neil said...

Thanks Arija for your comments.