Oyster Catchers

We are making progress on our northward journey, and are currently anchored in Tenedos Bay in Desolation Sound. This morning, in flat calm water, we kayaked for miles along the shoreline. When the water is still like this, it is possible to paddle in a leisurely and absent-minded fashion, hugging the rocks and tidal flats and getting great views of birds, flowers, and sea critters.
These rare Black Oyster Catchers have become favorites. Our bird book suggests that they look like crows smoking carrots, an image which, once imagined, can't be forgotten. They poke around the intertidal zone and on rocky outcrops, stepping carefully and deliberately on their skinny pink legs. It seems as if they might topple over at any moment, since their bills seem way too big for them. Great entertainment!