Wash Wader Ringing Group

Wednesday 8th September

NAC recced

Thursday 9th September

The early arrivals left base mid-afternoon to set two small mesh 4-cannon nets on Snettisham North, being joined on the beach by later arrivals.  As yesterday a flock of a few hundred Dunlin/Sanderling were present and required a little twinkling to get them in front of the nets.  Once they were in front one net fired, just as JC and LW arrived, resulting in them running into the sea to help with the lift without changing into their waders. 

Friday 10th September

Up 04:45.  Two small mesh 4-cannon nets set on Hearcham far North.  Sanderling were present on the tide edge during setting and numbers continued to grow.  NAC and CK identified that two birds wearing colour rings indicating they had been fitted with geolocators were present, recapturing these being the main object.  As the tide approached the 8 yard markers RDF twinkled and when one of the geolocator birds was in front of the net gave the order to fire.  With a fairly strong wind the net slewed sideways resulting in a smaller than expected catch and fears that the geolocator bird had not been caught.  During processing the bird wearing colour rings to indicate it had been fitted with a geolocator was found but without its geolocator!  Rain started during processing.

The timing of the tide meant there was no sensible catching option for the evening. The afternoon was spent achieving various jobs on the base and equipment. Also a party went to the Terrington saltmarsh to sort out a catching site for the morning. With a high tide morning tide there was still a lot of water on the marsh which would have made setting on the recently used cannon netting pool. However the mist netting “E-pool” did have a suitable site where Redshank had been seen during a recce and this was marked for the morning.

Food at 7 pm and then early bed.

Saturday 11th September

With weather conditions uncertain, PLI set his alarm early and checked the latest rainfall radar and weather forecasts before deciding to go ahead with the catching attempt and waking the rest of the team. Two small mesh 2-cannon nets set where marked and although the rain had stopped the wind was stronger than anticipated. Most of team under covering material near the nets with PLI, JS, RW, AS and LS on the sea wall.

The first waders to leave the saltmarsh edge landed with the (plastic) decoys and on a small island out from the nets. After this promising start, further arrivals either went to the normal cannon netting pool or the far side of the pool where the nets were set. JS and RW twinkled these and about 100, mainly Dunlin, landed in front of the nets. With the prospect of 50 catchable, there being relatively few birds about and knowing the nets would have to be rescued before the tide flooded the saltmarsh, decided to fire. Unfortunately, due to the wet net and firing into the wind, the net lethargically followed the birds out.

These birds were brought back to the sea wall and the team returned to their covering material for a short while to man the unfired net but with the tide now approaching the top of the creek the attempt was abandoned and the equipment (apart from two projectiles which had to be rescued later) retrieved. By high tide the marsh was completely covered. The strength of wind was continuing to give concerns for the planned evening mist netting but with forecasts predicting it would fall in time for high tide went ahead and set the nets mid afternoon. The nets were put on the “E-pool” (9 nets), the pool out from the white barn (5 nets) and a new pool further out on the salting (2 nets). Tape lures were put out at all three lines at dusk and caught steadily from then on. Rather to everyone’s surprise the tide reached all the net lines by high tide.

Back at base by 1 a.m.

Sunday 12th September

With the only possible cannon netting options being rather uninspiring huge fields for Curlew it had been decided to put effort into looking for colour marked birds and bird watching rather than make a catching attempt on this tide. Get up time delayed until 07:30 after the success of last night.

Teams went out as follows:-

Some people departed after breakfast but others stayed on for another mist netting session. With a smaller team a few less nets were set. These were the same two lines directly out from the white barn but with just two lines of 3 nets on the “E-pool”. Teams stayed with the net after the lures had been set and once again all nets caught steadily.

Some people departed for home immediate after the catch, leaving just 7 to stay at base overnight. Leisurely final sorting out and cleaning of base before all had departed by early Monday afternoon.