Dayna Yalowicki writes:

>On a recent trip to the Long Beach Peninnsula, I was standing inside the
>North Head lighthouse when I observed what I think was a Black
Oystercatcher.
> It was down on the beach running in and out with the waves munching on
>whatever was left behind on the sand. I find it peculiar that I have never
>seen this bird mentioned on Tweeters before and am wondering if I have the
>correct I.D. The bird was large (about gull size) and all black with a
VERY
>reddish-orange long beak. Anybody know what I was looking at? Thanks in
>advance.

Sounds like a Black Oystercatcher to me! I was at Cape Alava/Sand Point last
week and saw a number
of them.

Tom Benedict
tbenz at halcyon.com