AJC photographer Curtis Compton began taking photos of Georgia birds in 2005 after returning from a lengthy assignment in Iraq where he covered the deployment of the Georgia National Guard. The following photos were taken over almost a decade on Georgia's barrier islands. 070320 LITTLE TYBEE ISLAND, GA.: American Oystercatchers line up at low tide on a oyster rake along the Bull River at Little Tybee Island, Ga., on Tuesday, March 20, 2007. CURTIS COMPTON /ccompton@ajc.com
