On Seeing Pied Oystercatchers

Black and white birds of orange bills and orange feet of human kind quite shy And quite beautiful to look at they walk more than they fly Known as pied Oystercatchers from oyster shells they take the meat And sand flies and sea lice they find amongst the sea weed they also like to eat Birds one does not see often at least not every day Their flute like notes quite beautiful and distinctive one might say Amongst other sea side waders easy to recognize To distinguish them from other sea birds does not take discerning eyes Alone or in pairs or small flocks not gregarious in any way I've never seen them far from the ocean shore by saltwater they like to stay Inconspicuous by their shyness birds of the ocean shore As they fly you hear them whistle above where the surf waves roar I've yet to see them in large numbers though they are not considered to be rare And of the threat from humans and their dogs they seem all too aware.