I have always thought about this bird species, the African black oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini) as in danger of becoming extinct. But recently, I saw that due to intense conservation focus and teaching local people about them, their numbers are in fact climbing again. In fact, they have been removed from Threatened to Least Concern on the IUCN database. I am obviously trusting the sources on this, as the only other confirmation I could find was from another article that was published in 2014.
We recently visited the black oystercatcher wine farm, and it was so lovely that we saw these two black oystercatchers a couple of days afterwards! I immediately knew I had to get the camera when I saw the black birds on the beach. The orange eyes and beak screamed to me black oystercatcher! I have never actually had the chance to photograph them.
At first, it was only the first one, but soon its fellow friend showed up. Maybe they are a breeding pair? Apparently, they can live up to 35 years old and breed for 25 years! This incredible and probably why the conservation attempts are successful, especially if the public helps as well.
These bird friends always look so strange to me with their longish beaks and the contrasted colours of black and orange. They look like cartoons rather than actual birds in some sense.
Even though this is the case (for me), they are really beautiful birds and it would be such a loss to our diversity if something happened to them. It is success stories in the making like this that makes me want to give up the academic lifestyle so that I can actively help.
Just before I could take another couple of images, a wave crashed close to them and this scared them off. I managed to snap a couple of nice action photographs with the old lens of mine.
In the end, it is up to us to take a position on how we want to live. Seeing so many animals on the threatened list makes me wonder why not more people are actively changing their ways of living. But then again, modern life with its constant change and ever-increasing prices can leave people numb to action.
Alas, whilst the beauty surrounds us, we should spend time appreciating it, documenting it, and teaching others about the beauty so that meaningful change might happen. We need to be the change we want to see in the world.
I hope that you enjoyed the photographs of this very special bird.
For now, happy birding, and stay well.
All of the photographs are my own, taken with my Nikon D300 and Tamron 300mm zoom lens. The musings are also my own unless stated otherwise and/or hyperlinked.