Wash Wader Ringing Group

Participation

Anyone with an interest in our work is welcome to come to our fieldwork and join in. There is usually a good mix of experienced and less experienced participants and the aim is to get everyone fully involved with all aspects of our work. For some more information about field trips please read Welcome to the Wash - Enjoying your trip

The group aims to visit the Wash and catch waders throughout the year, subject to there being suitable tides.

Winter - Weekend visits are arranged approximately once a month, with additional single tide visits for mist netting. Cannon netting is usually on the east Wash beaches or at sites in the Terrington area. Mist netting is normally at Terrington although a site at Wolferton is occasionally used. Most commonly caught species are Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Sanderling, Turnstone, Grey Plover, Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot.

Summer - Longer visits are arranged during the peak autumn passage period.  These make use of opportunities to catch flocks roosting on the saltmarsh and harvested arable fields. During these visits there are often two separate teams.  Cannon netting is the main catching technique but mist netting is often used on one or two evenings if it is dark enough. Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit and Ringed Plover are additional species to those listed above which are frequently caught on these visits. The mist netting sessions often catch a greater variety of species, including gulls, the occasional duck, and Curlew Sandpiper.

If you can come, please get in touch, preferably at least two weeks in advance, by email to enquiries@wwrg.org.uk

Colour - Mark Resighting

The Group is now colour-marking three wader species (Turnstone, Grey Plover & Bar-tailed Godwit) and fieldwork may include devoting time to looking for colour-ringed birds where this is mentioned above. The mix of time spent between catching and resighting will depend on weather and recces.

Sanderling Geolocator Project

Additional cannon netting attempts may be made at short notice if an opportunity to recapture one of the birds fitted with a geolocator arises. Members will be kept informed via email circulation.

Costs

A charge is made to cover the cost of food and running expenses including rings. In 2011 prices will be held at £4 per tide / catching attempt attended (reduced to £2 when attending for a single tide and not taking advantage of the food / accommodation or other facilities provided by the group). During the longer visits in July, August and September a slightly higher rate is charged (£6 per tide / catching attempt with reductions for students) which enables car drivers to be reimbursed by the group for fuel used whilst ferrying people and equipment about. Families are welcome to bring children and charges for children are by negotiation.

Membership of the Group

Full membership of the Wash Wader Ringing Group is open to anyone at an annual subscription rate of £6 per year (£4 for un-waged persons).  Although members will have priority, non-members are welcome to participate in fieldwork but will be asked to become a 'Temporary Member' at a charge of £1 per fieldwork visit. A Temporary Member who shortly afterwards becomes a full member will have the charge of £1 deducted from their initial subscription. 

Group members receive reports on WWRG fieldwork by email and get updates on the fieldwork programme (e.g. the dates marked as ‘possible’ and if additional visits to catch geolocator sanderling are arranged). If you are a member and do not already receive these, please ensure that enquiries@wwrg.org.uk has your email address.