NAC and PI did a comprehensive recce of Terrington (E)

West of the ‘white barn’ 7000 Dunlin and 900 Curlew on the saltmarsh, but not right on the tide edge, just to the left of the barn. Nothing using the strimmed patch further west.

‘Greenshank’ borrow pit towards Ongar Hill. Flock of 30 Greenshank but in centre of pit. Also in this area, a flock of dunlin near the saltmarsh edge and 1000 Curlew on higher saltmarsh.

Inner Bund. Medium sized grey waders seen flying to roost on back of bund.

Decided to strim a new area on the saltmarsh where the 7000 Dunlin had been seen. This done equipment for two nets was assembled at base and setting done during the afternoon with assistance from early arrivals.

Various recces were done on the evening tide:-
Heacham South (LW): 150-200 mainly Oystercatchers but with some grey waders approached the beach on a broad front, over the mudflat. The grey waders soon left and once on the beach the Oystercatchers were affected by dog walkers and left.

Terrington (W) seawall / borrow pits (MS): 50 Redshank and 10 Greenshank on one pit but not in an easy to catch situation.

Greenshank pools (MS): No birds.

Terrington (E) (NC/KP): Tide too low to push most birds on to the saltmarsh but a substantial flock of Curlew with some Redshank on a catchable site near the causeway.

Friday 1st

Up 05:45. Rain overnight largely cleared but everywhere damp. Decoys set and some cow damage to net set repaired. Cables laid and hide erected on sea wall. Base camp on edge of borrow pit. In position by 07:15 with PI/JB/JS/Pascal in the hide. Birds congregated on the mudflats directly out from the nets and then as the tide moved them on a dry pool just seaward of the nets. The Curlew present chose to fly west which was welcomed as we did not want to have the catching area full of Curlew before the Dunlin had had a chance!

100 Dunlin found the decoys and formed a useful nucleus for some time. Once birds started to leave the pool and join the flock with the decoys there was constant activity. Initially they landed in the centre of the catching area but then spread to the safety area of the right hand (upwind) net. Considered taking a catch in just the left hand net which had no safety problems but with birds still landing could not find a gap to fire. With numbers in the catching area having become large considered the ability of the team to cope with a catch and decided with the experience available this was alright. With birds now stable, tried to fire just the one net. Nothing happened. After using both firing boxes and rechecking circuits decided to give up on this net.

Tried to jiggle the other net. Little reaction. Tried someone standing up at base to lift the birds – still no reaction. Eventually some natural disturbance lifted the flock but always on landing they rapidly spread over the only operational net. A Harrier attempting to take a decoy eventually reduced the number of birds present and when a smallish flock landed and it was safe to fire did so before further returning birds spread in to the safety area.

Took the catch back to the sea wall to process, so as not to disturb the catching area. It also allowed the processing teams to retreat to the white barn when it started raining again.

Heard the recce results after breakfast:-

Greenshank borrow pit: Again ca. 40 Greenshank in the centre.

Terrington (E): Apart from the flock observed during the catching attempt, Curlew and Redshank on the site near the causeway well before the catching area had birds.

Terrington (W): MS walked the entire length of the sea wall. The same borrow pit as last night briefly had 20 Greenshank but these were pushed off by the incoming tide. The Ringed Plover site by the Nene had 20 Ringed Plover and 10 Dunlin. A field by the bund road had 100 Grey Plover and 50 Oystercatcher.

Holbeach: As expected, the tide was not high enough to bring birds on to the sea wall but MW charted the crop types to give an indication as to what fields might be available at the end of the month.

Wainfleet: JK & AK started their recce of the North shore here. About an hour before tide 15,000 Knot were on the saltmarsh near the shingle islands. As tide rose numbers increased to 30,000 Knot, 1000+ Bar tailed Godwit, and other grey waders. Few birds (200 Oystercatchers) went on to Gibraltar Point, the majority staying on the saltmarsh throughout the tide.

Butterwick: 200 Oystercatchers found on a growing cabbages crop.

North of Frieston shore: 750 Dunlin, 150 Oystercatcher, 300 Golden plover on cabbages.

On basis of this information decided to strim an area near the causeway for use on both the evening and next morning tides and to reset the net fired this morning (and sort out the failed one) for use in the morning only.

A small team (JK/AK/SGD/NAC) returned to Wainfleet to give the options for saltmarsh catching careful consideration after the range closed at 3:30 pm. This revealed that the large saltmarsh roosting flocks had been using the pool complex in the Salicornia marsh which we have previously used for mist netting. This pool complex is now well developed and could be used for mist netting on tides in the range 23.3 - 24.3ft; with a tape lure it could be very productive for knot. Cannon netting would require attracting birds to drier area using strimming. Two of the outer islands were also visited confirming that the primary target species here is Oystercatcher, the main spit (half a mile from the access point) offers prospects for three narrow full nets and would greatly benefit from assistance with equipment transport (!) - more recces are required to determine optimum tide heights (but probably 24.9-25.9ft).

After food at 18:00, hide party consisting of MS/SD/PP/LN and three people to hide nearer the net under covering left to leave others washing up. After quite a long wait with little movement on the saltmarsh, 25 Redshank briefly visited the catching area. Curlew then arrived. Eleven went in to the catching area with a further 30 close by. This situation lasted some time and by the time it was too dark to see there was no change. Hide party stayed in position until the birds left.