This is the moment a group of friends saved an oystercatcher bird that had its beak stuck - in an oyster.<br /><br />The metal detectorist pals found the stricken wading bird in Canvey Island, Essex, on Saturday morning.<br /><br />Dave Isbell, Dan Perkins and Gary Smith - known as the Treasure Island Tector Squad -saw the bird's bill stuck in an oyster.<br /><br />They have a long beak and specialise in eating shellfish, particularly cockles and mussels.<br /><br />They were able to help free it with a key fob before the grateful bird flew off.<br /><br />Gary said: ''When we are unable to detect on farmers' land we go out into the estuary to detect and find shrapnel, bullets and old bottles.<br /><br />''Just after sun broke I could see an oyster catcher with an oyster - not having ever having seen an oyster catcher eating oysters.<br /><br />''I watched and soon realised there was something wrong. I approached the bird and it did not make any attempt to fly off, they are usually spooked quite easily.<br /><br />''I shouted over to Dan to ask if he had a knife to assist with the removal of the oyster as the bird had its beak caught.<br /><br />''I expect the oyster was open and in attack mode closed up on the bird (hazards of being an oyster catcher I expect.<br /><br />''Unfortunately Dan only had a few keys so I used his key fob to slowly gently as possible pry open the oyster.<br /><br />''It was really quite hard to even move it a few millimeters and not wanting to hurt the bird.<br /><br />''Eventually I managed to get a few millimeter more to free the bird who gathered it's thoughts and said thank you as it flew off.''
