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Trip Report - Main Wash Week
26 August - 2 September 2003
Tuesday 26th

NAC arrived first and together with other early arrivals sorted out equipment to set on the saltmarsh sites strimmed last month. Four small mesh nets were set at the dunlin site from last month and 2 narrow full nets at the curlew site. The majority of the team had arrived by early evening so a briefing session was held.

Recces were done on the evening tide, covering the Terrington area and pools at Gedney Drove End where 150 Black-tailed Godwit and 15 Greenshank were found.

Food at 20:00 after which equipment for the morning was sorted. Bed ca. 22:00.

 

Wednesday 27th

Up 03:30. Dry and mild. Both sets manned.

On the dunlin site, cables, jigglers and hides set in darkness. In position soon after 05:00. Apart from two curlew landing briefly early on, little interest was shown in the catching area by passing birds. A large flock of curlew built to the west of the nets. Eventually, 150 dunlin came to the area only to be put off by passing curlew. When a further, similar sized, flock landed the nets were fired. With the flock in the centre of the catching area, and hence where the four nets came together, the catch was smaller than expected.

Species
New
Control
Total
 
 
 
 
Dunlin
47
0
47
Curlew Sandpiper
1
0
1
 
 
 
 
Total
48
0
48

The curlew site had difficulty finding their nets in the dark with no cables to guide them! Hence the completion of setting was a bit late. Although groups of redshank and dunlin were flying past in the half light, no interest in the catching area. After the dunlin nets had been fired 12 curlew came to the area with the main flock remaining to the east of these nets. PLI twinkled by slowly driving along the top of the sea wall and this succeeded in getting the birds to walk. Not wanting a large catch on the state of tide the nets were fired.

Species
New
Control
Total
 
 
 
 
Curlew
19
4
23
Bar Tailed Godwit
1
0
1
 
 
 
 
Total
20
4
24

With a relatively low tide, only a little recce information was obtained. The ‘Greenshank borrow pit’ did have greenshank (22) and redshank (6 + 1 spotted) but water getting in to it making catching prospects poor. 400 golden plover were also frequenting a harvested pea field inland of the white barn. The information from the Proctor’s farm end of the marsh was little better with 50 redshank in an uncatchable position and small numbers of greenshank (15) and black-tailed godwit (20) on inland pools.

After breakfast the nets fired in the morning were all reset and a clap net pair of 4 nets set on the golden plover field. B-B-Q followed by home made black-berry and apple pie for the second meal of the day before going to man all three sets of nets.

On the golden plover field 10 birds were immediately behind the nets on arrival. Decoys were set and soon 6 birds present, two in the catching area, two on safety and two behind the net. These were disturbed by both kestrel and merlin. Up to 40 golden plover on the field but nothing more in the catching area.

For both sets of saltmarsh nets, quite extensive movement of birds but, with lots of harrier activity over the marsh, birds tended to stay at the tide edge. 200+ redshank seen going round back of bund. Picked up Curlew nets as next tide was expected to flood the catching area.

Thursday 28th

Up 04:10. Again, two sets manned.

On the saltmarsh set, in hide at first light with team in forward position on the saltmarsh. Birds congregated on saltmarsh edge, mainly to right of catch area, with few coming on to the marsh. Twinkle by LW of flock well to right brought some birds to the catching area. With tide approaching and small number of birds in decided to fire.

Species
New
Control
Total
 
 
 
 
Dunlin
29
3
32
Curlew
3
0
3
 
 
 
 
Total
32
3
35

All equipment rescued before it got wet and catch dealt with at sea wall.

On the golden plover field, birds disturbed as decoys were set. Not much happened until half hour before tide. Flock landed behind the seaward firing net, mostly about 25 yards behind but with some in the catching area and safety area. By 08:00 further birds had landed inland and spread through the catching area. With up to 200 birds in the catching area upto 50% were in the safety areas. Birds left to settle before twinkling but disturbed by a peregrine. 150 birds still on the field were twinkled but a maximum of 10 in the catching area and always some in the safety area.

Recce information:
Terrington (E) area: all grey waders stayed on the saltmarsh. LW reported a pool for a possible redshank catch noticed during her twinkle.
Bund: Redshank seen to go round back and most pools on the saltmarsh had redshank present. 3-400 golden plover on a field by bund road – may have been ones lost from Terrington (E).
Terrington (W): No waders over the sea wall. 1000 curlew on saltmarsh. Lots of bird of prey activity.
Holbeach (C): Big smoke of knot on saltmarsh edge and lots of waders on saltmarsh
Holbeach (W): Causeway found with 150 dunlin / ringed plover.
Gedney Drove End pool: 180 black-tailed godwit (all but 6 juvenile) and 60 greenshank.

Afternoon meal at 15:30, after which split into three teams.

The golden plover nets were manned again. Nothing happened until 500 were pushed from the next field, resulting in 200 on the catching field. Initially twinkled well but became flighty. A few went into the catching area but always with birds in safety.

A team went to the Holbeach causeway and set a net there. About 250 dunlin and ringed plover gathered on the rocks at the mouth of the creek Although some left to go to a field some remained and were pushed by the tide towards the catching area. By high tide, another 3 inches of water was needed to push the birds in to the catching area. A maximum of 15 ringed plover had been in the catching area during the attempt.

A narrow full length net was set on LW’s redshank pool. Although rather later than intended in finishing the set it was some time before birds arrived. First was 6 greenshank. 25 dunlin came and went but the greenshank stayed put. Numbers built gradually gaining dunlin and redshank. Then a further flock landed with those already there and the net was quickly fired, catching virtually all birds present.

Species
New
Control
Total
 
 
 
 
Dunlin
45
4
49
Redshank
39
2
41
Greenshank
9
1
10
 
 
 
 
Total
93
7
100

Reinforcements from the golden plover set helped deal with the catch.

 

Friday 29th

Up 04:15 for those going to the bund, 05:15 otherwise.

On the bund, two mini nets set, one in the traditional site towards the King’s Lynn side and the other in a new position, created the previous afternoon, on the Boston end. NAC manned the hide for this net and PLI the other. Strong winds resulted in quite a choppy sea which was of particular concern for NAC’s net. A few hundred birds (turnstone and redshank) appeared and mainly chose to roost between the two net sets. Before high tide water got in to NAC’s hide which he abandoned. With rather less wave action at high tide it was decided a catch in the net PLI was watching was feasible so NAC twinkled the birds (from just below base camp). A reasonable proportion of those present by this time landed in front of the net so it was fired. In the rush to get to the net to lift, MW slipped (he blames his new waders with metal studs) and damaged his finger.

By the time the catch was dealt with (MW scribing to take his mind off his finger) and equipment packed up water was low enough to walk off the bund.

Species
New
Control
Total
 
 
 
 
Dunlin
35
6
41
Turnstone
17
0
17
Sanderling
1
0
1
 
 
 
 
Total
53
6
59

The golden plover set failed to catch. Nothing present until high tide after which a flock arrived from another field. Just as about to pack up a flock landed and straddled the safety area. Cleared off again when jiggling attempted.

With the first tide in the series of a height expected to get waders to come across the sea wall extensive recces had been done:-
Terrington (E) area: Only 80 Curlew to a field.
Terrington (W): just 100 waders on a harrowed field
Holbeach (C): 300 dunlin at first, but gone later; Blackwit flew over but did not stay; On the usual Holbeach (W) field 500 oystercatcher, 300 grey plover/barwit/dunlin near high tide.
Gedney Drove End pool: 120 greenshank and 100 black-tailed godwit
Sea walls beyond Boston: grey waders on usual sea wall sites
Butterwick to Leverton: various fields identified, including the 5-10,000 flock in the Leverton (N) area.
Wainfleet: 5000 godwit and curlew options found but further recces required.

Not having a Lincolnshire side base makes it difficult to work the area beyond Boston but it was decided that with the best options there, this would have to be done. Looking at the logistics came to the conclusion the best way to achieve this was to not attempt to catch this evening but go round, set on three sites, and return to base for the evening meal about 19:30. After that to get an early night ready for an early start in the morning. This was achieved and a bedtime curfew of 22:00 was kept to.

 

Saturday 30th

Up 04:00. All three sets made the previous afternoon were manned with teams adequate to cope with the immediate requirements on making a catch but were close enough to call for assistance if required.

Butterwick (S) pumping station. The recce had had about 500 grey waders but when birds did start arriving they were curlew (no curlew decoys) and these drifted over to an adjacent stubble field reaching a total of 300. Waited to near high tide for the grey wader flock to appear but it never did. When base confirmed the saltmarsh was flooded so new arrivals unlikely, disturbed the curlew from the stubble. These did come to our field and landed from the decoys downwind. Maximum of 9 catchable and this reduced as birds walked towards the bigger flock outside the catch area. Foot twinkle from sea wall but birds left.

Leverton (N) plough. Initial birds coming over the sea wall went to the stubble field but eventually a flock of 3000 barwit, knot and others formed 8 – 40 yards out from the nets. Twinkling was affected by a gas gun on a nearby field and the flock split into several small groups. Maximum catchable was 200 but with numerous birds in the safety area. Birds not responding well to decoys.

Leverton (N) stubble field. A strimmed area had been created in the stubble during setting and a curlew was very soon in this catch area. Other birds fell short of the area. A big arrival saw 800 dunlin and 50 grey plover land in the catching area but with one in the safety area. Jiggling proved difficult and ineffective and eventually the jiggler broke. Gas gun disturbance caused many lift offs and numbers of birds increased on the field but despite getting a car to jiggle from where the cord had broken still could not clear the safety area. The best number of birds in the catching area was 1000 dunlin, 300 grey plover and 200 knot but with many birds in the safety areas preventing firing. The total on the field was 4-5000.

Having given up after high tide heard the new recce information:-
Holbeach: No curlew or blackwit found. The only option being the Holbeach (W) field with 2000 knot, and 1000 each of barwit and oystercatcher.
Wainfleet: Two fields found, each with approximately 1000 birds.
Gedney Drove End pools: 280 Blackwit and 100 greenshank!

The plan for breakfast to be taken in the café at the Leverton proved not very successful as it was overrun by holidaymakers so we had to settle for take-away food from the same establishment. Catching plans were discussed under a tree outside the café. Decided to keep the Holbeach (W) field for Monday, to set extra nets on the Leverton (N) stubble field and set pairs of nets on each of the two fields at Wainfleet. Having done all this returned to base for an evening meal and again, bed by 22:00.

 

Sunday 31st

Up 04:45. The WWRG team split 50-50 between the two sites and joined by a number of participants from the ringing course taking place at Gibraltar Point.

Wainfleet fields. Bit late in to position and fairly soon curlew landed on the stubble field with decoys. Maximum of 9 and fairly jumpy. After a gap, more birds landed but this time on the plough. Here there was a line of two nets firing in to the wind and 20 curlew, 30 grey plover and 10 barwit were in the catching area for a long time with 150 curlew, 60 grey plover and 25 barwit on the field. Still hoping more barwit would arrive at this stage and at 20 minutes to tide an alternative field was checked. The 2000 barwit here departed for Gibraltar Point. Tried to jiggle to clear safety on the catch that had been present for some time. In the event most of the grey plover left and twinkling had to be done to increase curlew numbers before further jiggling and eventually firing.

Species
New
Control
Total
 
 
 
 
Curlew
21
1
22
Bar Tailed Godwit
11
0
11
Dunlin
2
0
2
Grey Plover
1
0
1
       
Total
35
1
36

Leverton (N) stubble field. The nets set on this field were now two clap net pairs, both covering strimmed areas. The first birds over were 2 curlew and 2 golden plover of which one each went to each catching area. Concerned that 35 minutes before high tide flocks had not appeared. When they did appear many birds balked at the first set of net and then landed with the decoys of the more inland set. Both catching areas got worthwhile numbers in but always with birds in the safety area. At best a catch of 800 dunlin, 500 knot and 100 grey plover would have been possible but for safety problems. Eventually the dunlin decided they did not like the field and drifted away. Twinkle to bring birds not in catching areas back but tended to lose more. Bar-tailed Godwit then started to return to the field and landed in the catching area. After a few more relocations of birds the numbers built in the inland pair of nets and after brief consultation these were fired.

Species
New
Control
Total
 
 
 
 
Bar Tailed Godwit
127
4
131
Curlew
9
1
10
Whimbrel
1
0
1
 
 
 
 
Total
137
5
142

 
Whimbrel and Curlew
Comparing Curlew with Whimbrel
Having dealt with these catches and picked up all the equipment the team was split in order to set two lines of two nets on the Holbeach (W) field and three half size nets on the Gedney Drove End pools. After the previous day’s problems with obtaining food MW and JS had organised food including bacon butties which was eaten by the side of the field.

 

The plan had been that the Gedney Drove End setting party would finish first and get the mist nets set at Terrington. In the event they were not much ahead of the Holbeach setting team in returning to base. Managed to gradually catch up on timings with two lines of mist nets set before a meal about 20:00 and tape lure setting teams rushing out as soon as they had eaten.

Measuring total head of a Whimbrel
Measuring the total head length of a Whimbrel

 

Species
New
Control
Total
 
 
 
 
Dunlin
86
9
95
Knot
71
0
71
Redshank
40
3
43
Grey Plover
12
3
15
Turnstone
6
3
9
Bar Tailed Godwit
3
1
4
Black Tailed Godwit
3
0
3
       
Total
221
19
240

Bed by about 01:30

Monday 1st

Up 06:30. Team split into two.

Holbeach (W) field. Grey waders, mainly dunlin with some grey plover, arrived early but landed behind the inland nets with a few spreading over the nets into the catching area. Flock grew to 500+ but with various comings and going the proportion of grey plover declined. Just quarter of an hour before high tide the oystercatchers arrived. These landed by the grey waders and with 700 down, about 250 would have been catchable but for them spreading over the nets. Tried jiggling which was ineffective and soon the jiggler cord broke. With no driving on the field sent RB to the end of the field to try to put pressure on to move the birds over the net. Whilst this lost half the flock seaward, got to the stage where 70 were in the catching area and just 10 in the safety area. These were gradually walking clear and others reluctant to cross the net in to the safety area, so it was looking hopeful that a catch might be on, when the first jet of the day came over and put everything off. These then headed back to sea. Waited a short while in case anything returned but gave up at 10:30.

At the Gedney Drove End pools birds started arriving an hour before tide. These went all over the place but began to concentrate on the causeway. Eventually 120 greenshank and 60 blackwit present. 35 blackwit and 20 greenshank in one catching area but the decision was taken, given the potential, to wait for a really good catch. Then muck spreading started on an adjacent field so the birds left and thereafter although some flew over none landed. Nets left as, although it had not been planned to attempt any catches on the Tuesday morning, enough people were able to stay on to make a second attempt on these pools a viable proposition.

During the afternoon much of the cannon netting equipment was put away and mist netting equipment prepared for the evening. The tide height and time was such that the Wainfleet mist netting site could be an option. Hence a group of people prepared to work that side with all the implication of the long drive was assembled. Departed 16:30 to get these nets set before dusk. This was successfully done when it was noted that the red flag was now flying on the bombing range. Contact with the control tower confirmed they were due to start flying shortly and that we should not be present. Took the nets down again – after catching 1 juvenile dunlin in daylight – and joined the Terrington mist netting team.

At Terrington lines of nets had been set on the same two pools as last night. The initial net round was quiet but the next team to visit both lines of nets requested reinforcement.

Species
New
Control
Total
 
 
 
 
Dunlin
82
7
89
Knot
56
1
57
Redshank
18
0
18
Turnstone
4
2
6
Bar Tailed Godwit
3
0
3
Ringed Plover
2
0
2
Greenshank
1
0
1
 
 
 
 
Total
166
10
176

 

Tuesday 2nd

Up 07:15 for most of the Gedney Drove End pools team. Others got up later and did some tidying up before departing. On the pools fewer birds arrived that the previous day and landed at the far end of the pool. Some attempts made to twinkle but although some came to the vicinity of the nets many more cleared off. The suspicion was that they knew of other similar places to go nearby and unless disturbed from there were unlikely to return. Waited until half an hour after tide then gave up.

Returned to base for bacon butties and final cleaning and putting away at the base. Last person left 16:00


© Wash Wader Ringing Group, 2003

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