Subject: [Tweeters] Oystercathcer shows me how its done
Date: Jul 30 18:33:40 2005
From: Rob Sandelin - floriferous at msn.com


Spent three days up at Cape Alava in Olympic National Park. Lots of
interesting mammal stuff as usual and brown pelicans for the first time in
27 years. While hanging around camp, an oystercatcher pulled into the
intertidal rocks in perfect bino view. They are the goofiest looking birds
with those flesh colored legs and neon red bill. Anyway this bird was a
model of foraging efficiency, plucking 17 limpets off the rocks in 8
minutes. Have you ever tried to get those things off the rocks? They clamp
down and you can't get them off. However, the Oystercatcher would deftly
pull them off the rock by quickly pecking them from the side. I tried this
and it worked, but you have to give a fast and strong push to the side. I
thought briefly about eating one, you know escargot, to complete the
experience but decided against it. As soon as I put the thimble shaped snail
down a pair of oystercatchers flew by and yelled in their shrill little
voices what sounded like, Chickenchicken chicken chicken....

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer, Teacher

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