American Oystercatcher Eggs

Spotted behind a large dune in a brushy area on Cape Lookout National Seashore, NC.

Cape Lookout consists of three islands, all of which are accessible only by boat, but commercial ferry services regularly run tourists and vehicles to the islands. Oystercatcher nests are very vulnerable to these vehicles that drive up and down the beaches and right through their nesting locations. But, as you would imagine, not only oystercatcher nests are vulnerable. Loggerhead, leatherback, green and Kemp's Ridley sea turtles, as well as piping plovers all nest in the same vulnerable areas on the beach.

I worked on the outerbanks (Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras National Seashores) for a few months and many locals and visitors treat the National Park Service employees with little respect because laws have been passed which forced the park service to close nesting areas along the beaches. There is a back road that works just fine and are conveniently accessible every mile. For some people, driving through endangered animals nests before they even get a chance at life is more convenient and point-proving than taking the back road for a mile or two!! Ahhh, ignorance...