On a recent trip to California, I did some birding along the coast. One day I went out specifically looking for the Pacific Loon (which unfortunately I did not see on this trip).   😦

Anyway, I did find a couple of Black Oystercatchers on the rocks of a small jetty just off of the beach.

It was the first time that I had seen this bird for this year, so I was happy to see and add them to my yearly bird count… Often times when I go looking for them I will hear their loud call first, then see them flying around the rocks.

They usually forage around low tide, then they will rest at high tide. When they eat, they actually eat the mussels out of the shell, but leave the shell in place.

The Black Oystercatcher can be found on the entire West Coast of the US.