The other day, “06880” reported on the return of oysters to Sherwood Mill Pond.
Yesterday, an alert “06880” reader sent along this photo, from Compo Beach:
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It’s an oystercatcher. The woman who spotted it has lived here for 19 years. This is the first one she’s ever seen.
She went to eBird — of course! — and found there has never been a reported sighting in Fairfield County.
AllAboutBirds says:
A large, boldly patterned bird, the American Oystercatcher is conspicuous along ocean shores and salt marshes. True to its name, it is specialized in feeding on bivalves (oysters, clams, and mussels) and uses its brightly colored bill to get at them.
The woman who spotted it adds: “It’s really beautiful, with an unusual high- pitched loud tweet.”
Here’s a better photo (from Wikipedia, not Compo!):
If you see one, tell us.
Better yet, tell Jeff Northrop, over at Hummock Island Oysters on the Mill Pond.