Wash Wader Ringing Group

Friday 11th February

Recces done in calm, clear, dry conditions by PI, NC and CK:-

Snettisham North	Arrived 07:15 to find huge (ca, 5000) flock of Dunlin in the air and occasionally joining 400 Oystercatchers on the beach. These grey waders gradually peeled off and headed south well before high tide. 100 Oystercatchers left at 07:30 but the rest remained until disturbed by a dog walker at high tide.
Snettisham South	CK later noted the presence of a grey wader flock presumably including the birds from Snettisham North, together with many Knot
Heacham South	At 07:30 up to 800 Oystercatchers with 100 Bar-tailed Godwit and some other grey waders. Couple of other small flocks of Oystercatchers. All stayed put until well after high tide.
Heacham Far North	About 120 of a mixture of species.

PI and NC briefly met half way between Snettisham and Heacham to talk through the options before returning to their respective cars. An additional element to planning was a BBC film crew due to be with us for the weekend for a new series on the Coast which will be on BBC2 this summer and will feature The Wash and its global importance to over-wintering waders and wildfowl. For the rest of the morning, PI and NC did more work on the new store shed that is to replace the dilapidated one that has already been demolished. SD, JG and JC arrived in time for lunch and, soon after, we all departed to meet the film crew at their accommodation, the Rose and Crown at Snettisham. After the introductions a visit was paid to Heacham to mark nets and to try to explain to the TV crew what would happen in the morning. Back at base, MW and DW had arrived with the food shopping and the majority of people had arrived by 20:30 when the team departed to set nets. Around dusk it had started raining and on departure from Terrington it seemed setting would be a very wet affair. Miraculously, it stopped raining just as the team arrived at Heacham. With a large team and the need to give the maximum chance of a catch, a line of seven nets were set by two groups acting independently. Additionally, the BBC team joined us and set a small camera in one of the nets.

Saturday 12th February

Up 05:45, apart from SD and JG who got up even earlier to ensure we had a presence on the beach from first light to stop any very early dog walker. When the rest of the team arrived at 07:00 SD and JG reported birds already in the catching area! NC and JC quickly got in to position at either end by which time the birds had reverted to a more normal position near the tide edge. At this stage 400 Oystercatchers and 300 Bar-tailed Godwit were present. A bird of prey soon got rid of the Barwits! As the tide rose it became apparent the birds were just NC's side of the nets. NC, walking towards the birds on the beach, managed to create an imperceptible movement of the birds in to the catching area. However, there were also some birds too close to the net to fire.

Jiggling had an initial reaction, then the jiggler stuck and eventually broke. As the birds took no notice the only option left was to try to crawl and push them down the beach. Further birds arrived and landed just JC's side of the nets. NC eventually got to where the jiggler had broken and by using this started to succeed to move birds. Throughout this, the birds had been in front of nets 6 and 7. The firing team were therefore surprised to be told that it was now nets 1 and 2. JC quickly got on the radio to correct the mistake, but was on the third attempt at making contact before the message was received. By now the birds were edgy and looking likely to leave. Not knowing that NC was no longer in a position he could see JC expected him to give a countdown but on realising he could not, JC gave the countdown and the two nets were fired.

Approximately half the birds on the beach at the time were caught and with the now fairly strong onshore wind the nets did not go out well or reach the sea.

The film crew had been with the team at base, wanting to film the sudden burst of activity when the nets were fired rather than the nets actually firing. The birds were taken to near the tump to deal with and much more filming took place with the BBC presenter, Miranda Krestovnikoff, joining a processing team and later the ringing team.

Having dealt with the birds the BBC wanted to film net fires. By now the wind had increased to near gale force so whilst the net went out alright is was blown back to near where it started!

Phoned up JS who was at base having looked for colour ringed Turnstone at Port Sutton Bridge to request she started cooking breakfast ready for the team's return. The food was delayed because of a power cut but the power was restored before too long.

As had been feared from the forecast, the wind strength meant that the planned evening mist netting was a non-starter. Hence the team busied itself with various jobs and putting cannon netting gear in the trailer ready for the morning.

Meanwhile SD and JG had been commandeered by the film crew to be involved with further filming including some mud sampling. They did get lunch at the Rose and Crown out of it as well.

Having no catching, a roast beef evening meal was prepared by MW and DW and eaten sitting at the tables down the centre of the living room. Later DW produced photographs taken in various years right back to the early days of the group. Identifying participants and noticing the changes that have taken place over the years was interesting! Bed about 21:00.

Sunday 13th February

Up 05:45. Still windy . Nevertheless, went to look at Heacham Far North where, on the strength of CK's Friday recce and a similar repeat on Saturday by NC, nets were to be set. As feared, the wind was so strong that it was decided not to even set. Rather than return to base for an early breakfast most of the team went to the Snettisham RSPB reserve where the highlights were observing 5-10,000 Knot in the pits being occasionally disturbed by a Merlin, and watching a Cormorant swallow a huge eel. Two colour ringed birds were observed, a Knot and a Cormorant and the most bizarre incident was an Oystercatcher attacking a number of Knot, including picking them up and shaking them.

Food back at base with departure for most early afternoon. TT, NC and PI stayed until dusk to do more work on the shed.