Bird photography opportunities were few in number this year -- refuge wildlife biologists suggested otherwise in conversations, but there was no mistaking the dearth of birds compared to past years.  Even the resident laughing gulls were reluctant to perch on the beach parking lot fence, a reliable staple during prior visits.  To make matters worse, tides were out during the most productive morning hours, leaving our favorite location, a small sheltered notch in Little Tom's Cove, hardly more than an ugly mud flat. 

But, there were a couple of reliable subjects.  A pair of oystercatchers had decided to nest on a dune next to the beach parking lot.  Oystercatchers usually fly if you no more than look at them.  But, according to refuge staff this mated pair are legendary for nesting close to the beach, once picking a dune directly on the beach.  As with the island's endangered nesting piping plovers their chosen site was roped off, affording them some degree of separation from passers-by.

The male typically took up station in the middle of the parking lot while his mate was on the nest, moving aside only to let cars pass.  With patience and a bit of luck we were able to watch nesting behavior we've rarely seen.  The female occasionally stood up to turn her eggs, and once the male arrived to swap places with the female, giving her a much needed rest break.  And once, a curious willet landed nearby and watched me for half an hour.

A pair of piping plovers made for a challenging and sometimes frustrating chase.  These tiny birds are in constant motion and are skittish enough to rarely permit a close approach.  Since their endangered status places them behind a protective barrier the choice is entirely theirs.  Nevertheless, their inate curiosity sometimes brought them close enough to provide opportunities.  It wasn't until I started looking at image files on the computer that I saw that one of the birds sported a transmitter, complete with long wire antenna trailing behind from its back.

Getting close to piping plovers is a special treat -- not only are they endangered but their preferred habitat, coastal sand and gravel or crushed shell near-beach borders, is under constant threat from weather, overwash and ocean tide and current driven shoreline disruption.  But for the bird watcher and photographer perhaps the most compelling aspect is their beautiful voice.  One never forgets what David Allen Sibley describes as their "peep-lo" call, a plaintive two-note greeting. Different birds express it each in their own unique way -- with the Assateague piping plovers, the call is a haunting, soft and silibant cry, more like a woodwind than a chirp.  Just sea and sky, camera and bird -- magical!

Other opportunities did present themselves.  In addition to the ubiquitous willets there are plenty of rabbits on the island, and they often dine in the early morning.  When approached, they tend to freeze at first, making for a good pose.  However, too close and they are gone in a flash.  We did also encounter a couple of wader feeding scenarios -- nothing like what typically occurred a couple of decades ago but still worthwhile.  These included snowy and great egrets and white ibises.

Morning hours have usually been far better than afternoons in recent years.  Consequently we only made one afternoon visit, mainly to verify, once again, that the Wildlife Loop is a barren wasteland as far as bird opportunities go.  No change this time, but we did make a visit to the beach to look for piping plovers.  One was there, but sun angle strongly backlit the bird, so no eye spark appeared in the resultant images.

However, it was not a wasted trip as a casual conversation with another beach-goer provided information on a pair of killdeer near the north parking lot.  Although nothing turned up that afternoon, a couple of subsequent mornings found them foraging for food.  The area behind the north lot is perpetually roped off in breeding season, and the killdeer never came close enough for frame-filling images.  Nevertheless it was a new opportunity, and a much appreciated one at that.

Finally, we were able to get some Oyster Bay sunrises, including silhouetted kayak launches by daughter and spouse.  Those scenes can be magical in the predawn light.