looduskalender.ee

The web camera has shown that oystercatcher flocks are here. Male and female birds both have a black and white plumage, and a long and straight red beak. The eyes are red as well, surrounded by an orange circle, and the legs pale red, as if they had been bleached by the seawater. Oystercatchers are also called "meriharakas”, "sea magpie”, because of their similar plumages. On the shore the oystercatchers have seagulls, terns and velvet scoters as neighbours, but their nesting habits are very different. We will return to this when spring has advanced some more.