In May 2017, I posted photos of an Oystercatcher named T2 because he was banded and the band showed T2. He had been a regular of the beaches at Long Beach Island, and last year he and his mate, Lady Hamilton, had their first brood on the beach at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park after many unsuccessful tries. It was major news for birdwatchers. This year T2 has not been seen and some said he may have died, reason unknown.
Yesterday, I went to Barnegat Lighthouse to see if I could photograph the many birds that usually live there. To my surprise, I saw a couple of Oystercatchers, but there was no T2.
Oystercatcher at Barnegat Light State Park.
The very handsome pair walked back and forth across the sand. After a while one of them prepared to lay down.
Oystercatcher preparing to lay down.
It looked like it was sitting down to incubate. There was a rope and a keep off sign, and I did not want to disturb them so this is as close as I could get with a telephoto lens.
Oystercatcher incubating. Note that their nest was very near the water line at high tide.
The other one stood nearby and took a nap.
Oystercatcher napping.
So T2 and his mate may be gone, but another pair of Oystercatchers have taken their place at Barnegat Lighthouse.
Update 31-Jul-2018: I’ve added two more photos of these Oystercatchers.
Oystercatchers.
Oystercatcher.
neihtn 
Lovely pictures of these colorful birds, Hien!
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Thank you Helen!
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Such beautiful birds and your images are lovely as always! Sorry to hear that T2 and his friend aren’t about ..
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Thank you Julie! Are you in the midst of winter now? Over here it is sweltering, but the Oystercatchers seem to like it that way.
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We are in the midst of winter… nice and chilly this morning with more rain! 🙂
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Lovely photos. It would be very sad if T2 has died, so soon after having a family.
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Someone found a carcass of an Oystercatcher, but it did not the T2 band, so it was probably a different bird. But the rumors of his demise persist.
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Gorgeous Oystercatchers,Hien!Lovely all your close-ups,they display amazing details.Wonder if their nest near the water line at high tide,is safe.But,I reckon,they know what they do,their insticts never fail … 🙂
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Doda, this Oystercatcher couple is very photogenic indeed! The other pair, the one with T2 last year, had their nest much further inland, with plenty of dune grasses around it. Perhaps these younger ones haven’t learned that yet.
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Om,it’s very upsetting,they might lose it …
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Great set of Photos!
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Thank you John!
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I’m glad another pair is trying to nest at Barneget Light. So sorry to hear about the plovers, above. Hopefully they will succeed at less populated places. The pressures of too many people are really tough to deal with.
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I am just concerned about their nest being so close to water. If we have a big storm and very high tide, it would be wiped out. Fingers crossed.
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Here’s hoping they’ll be fledged by the time the weather picks up!
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Great photos! I have never seen this bird before , thanks for the introduction!
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You are welcome!
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Oh wow!!! Par excellent images, Hein! I SO appreciate those who are able to capture birds because I now know what it entails. What glorious pictures!! Thank you so much for all the time, and yes I do know how time consuming this all is, in order to share with us these beautiful birds. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
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Such long orange beaks. We have Oystercatchers in South Wales but I’ve never been able to get a good look at them in the way you have with your zoom lens. Great photos, Hein.
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Thank you Emma! I added two more photos to this post, one showing the two together.
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Thank you!
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Good news and your shots are so clear – one wouldn’t know that you weren’t close!
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Thank you Eliza!
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It’s sad when a pair does not return, but always nice when a ‘new’ pair comes along. These are awesome photos, Hien, of a beautiful couple. I hope you are able to capture the chicks after birth!
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Thanks Donna! I will try to get a picture of the chicks, but their nesting area is roped off and close to the water and some rocks.
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This is sad, Hien. I don’t do well with this whole chain of life thing. Crows ate the babies…..I don’t know if the birds mourn, but I sure do.
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I am with you! Those crows can be very destructive in many ways. The city of Trenton had to conduct a week long effort to chase 30,000 crows that were making life miserable for Trentonians. Those birds have now moved into neighborhood like ours that are close to Trenton.
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It’s sad to hear about T2, but at least another pair have moved into the area. Great images, even if you did keep your distance.
There’s been a pair of piping plovers nesting on the beach in Muskegon State Park the last few years, and each year, officials rope off the area to keep the plovers safe. This year, they arrested a woman who stepped over the ropes to get closer to the plovers, I hope that they trow the book at her.
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There was a nesting pair of Piping Plovers near where the Oystercatchers are. They even had two babies this year, but Crows ate both babies. Now the Piping Plovers have abandoned their nest and gone somewhere else.
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That’s sad news, here, they put a snow fence over the roped off area for the plovers to help stop the crows, gulls, and other avian predators from getting to the plover chicks. I hope that the same pair tries again next year.
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