foraging Pied Oystercatchers

[Davis <>]

Hi all.

Just thought I'd report an interesting sighting that occurred on Friday
19th June 1998 at Matilda Bay in Western Australia. I saw some black and
white birds foraging around a litter bin, high up on the grass (approx. 100
m from the Swan River) at Matilda Bay near the University of Western
Australia. I realised upon close inspection that the birds were actually
Pied Oystercatchers. I was astonished and was able to get very close to
them (wish I had a camera!). I normally associate this species with feeding
on mudflats and beaches and thought this observation rather unusual. Has
anybody else documented such behaviour?

Cheers,

Robert Davis