I have come across a very noisy Pair of what i belive are Oystercatchers here at favourite hidden fishing spot along a rocky hedland here in the PIlbara WA. I invetsigated this morning on the internet and I think i may haave found Black African Oyster Catchers ! Is there recorded Info on them coming this far? or am i mistaken for the sooty oystercatcher, I seem to think they had red legs as well as eyes and beak. Is this the only distiguishing feature between the two (legs)? Cheers!
Kai
Hi Kai,
Welcome to the forum.
What colour were the legs of your Oystercatcher? My understanding is that both the African and the Sooty Oystercatcher have pinkish-red legs. So if your bird had pinkish legs, I would suggest it's a Sooty Oystercatcher. Juvenile Sooties have dull greyish legs.
A "favourite hidden fishing spot" sounds lovely! What other birds do you see there?
Andy.
Andy,
Thanks, I will go back this weekend and take a photo, I seem to think they were red! the bill and eyes were definiteley red. I am , however, colour blind! Red/Green which meens that one should not rely to heavily upon my observations. My fiance was with me and she thinks they were red too... and shes not colour blind. I was just wondering if there are any recorded sightings of the African Black Oystercatcher here in Australia. If so/not the closest place to Africa is right here! and the most likly one would presume.... but an oystercatcher is not an albatross and its a long way to fly.
Cheers
Kai
Other birds there are Ospreys (which we regulary see catching fish!) and other little white long legged shore birds that i am yet to identify... they seem to run and the stop run and then stop. At the top of the cliffs there is lots of spinifex and therefore lots of crested spinifex pigeons that make a drrrruuuuuoooop sound as they beat thier wings very fast as though the action of beating thier wings actually makes the sound. Also Comerandts? is that how you spell it. quite a few birds diving into the ocean for fish but too far out to recognise. all this whilst catching "Blue Bones" black spotted tuskfish , very yummy, and watching whales breach in the distance.
Sounds like a lovely spot with lots of lovely birds!
I still think that if the legs were red, it's the typical Sooty Oystercatcher. When I said "pinkish-red", that includes "red". Both the Australian and the African have pink/red legs and eyes. So I would say that it's probably the typical Sooty Oystercatcher, rather than an African Oystercatcher.
How lovely that you see whales!