Photo by Judy Benson

American Oystercatcher

American oystercatchers are large, eye-catching shorebirds, with long, slender bright orange bills, red-ringed yellow eyes, spindly pink legs, black heads, dark brown sides and white chests. They can be found in warmer months on salt marshes, on sandy and rocky beaches and mud flats, probing for clams, oysters, barnacles, insects and worms. Oystercatchers migrate in flocks to North Carolina as far as South America in the winter. Males and females share responsibilities for incubation of eggs and feeding of young. In the early 20th Century, oystercatchers were nearly hunted to extinction for food and feathers. After this became illegal in 1918, the population rebounded. But the species now faces threats as human development and sea-level rise encroach on oystercatcher habitat.

Resource: American Oystercatcher Working Group: https://amoywg.org/

What do you love about this particular creature?
What do they reveal to you about God and our faith?

Among shorebirds, the American oystercatcher is like a holy surprise, flagging our attention with its swordlike orange bill, red-rimmed laser eyes and bold black-and-white body contrasting with the muted tones of the rocks and sand. While terns, plovers, ospreys and gulls sport earthy hues that blend with the beachscape, oystercatchers stand out, seeming to shout, “Look at me!” with their high-pitched calls. Spotting one while paddling near shore in a kayak is always a bit startling, but joyful. Seeking God in the everyday can be like that, too. Grace moments can be found in chance encounters at the grocery store, when the jazz combo at the nightclub plays “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” when the young stranger sharing the hospital room with your dying mother comes over to join your family in prayer.

Author - Judy Benson

Judy Benson is a writer and editor for a non-profit coastal environmental organization who feels blessed to live in southeastern Connecticut, a short drive from Long Island Sound.

God of creatures plain and showy, let us pay attention to the holy surprises that await us in the rough and smooth places of our lives. Thank you for helping us to preserve the American oystercatcher from extinction, so this species continues to glorify you and bless the people who encounter it. Guide us in actions that will lessen the threats it faces. Thank you, God, for the witness of oystercatchers to the glory of your creation. Amen.