Though my recent week in Weymouth only produced one new bird for my year list, I did still enjoy every visit to RSPB Lodmoor, as many of their local birds are different from those I see when birding close to home.

Although small numbers of Oystercatchers are a regular sight along the south Wales coastline, they rarely breed here; I know of only one pair that have tried for many years at an odd location, under one of the dolphins in Cardiff Bay (I blogged about this in Chicks of Cardiff Bay, June 2024).

So, it was wonderful to be treated to some close views of this well-grown juvenile Oystercatcher interacting with its parents each time I visited Lodmoor. The young one seemed perfectly able to feed itself but its parents were still supplementing its food intake – long thin worms, pulled from the mud, seemed to be the most common snack.

Though the juvenile was almost as big as its parents, its beak and legs had still to acquire their adult colours. And, as is common with the young of all creatures, including humans, the young’un spent a lot of its time snoozing. I only hope it lives long and prospers!