Is this Oystercatcher feeding on winkles?

[Geoff F]

Salcombe Harbour, S. Devon, today. The mudflats were covered and a single Oystercatcher was scrabbling about on rocks around the 2 hours of ebb line. It was poking into crevices and seemed to be doing well. Am I correct in assuming that it was feeding on winkles. There are a few around here. Regularly see Oystercatchers on the mud but rarely on rock this far up.

[dunlin]

Hi geoff,
Nice pictures of juvenile oyster catcher. According to my book they eat bivalve molluscs as well as other invertebrates. so it could be eating winkles.

.......cheers mark n.........

[VinceS]

Hi Geoff, as i understand oystercatchers can have two different bill types. Those with a blade-like tip feed on mussels and cockles and those with a more pointed bill probe for worms in the mud flats. I would guess it is feeding on winkles.

[Bub-les]

It looks like a winkle in the beak

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

I think they feed on a variety of things, not just Oysters Here in Grimsby we get them in the middle of town on playing fields