Wash Wader Ringing Group

Friday 21st January

Recces

Snettisham North	Arrived 06:40.  Could hear a very large settled oystercatcher flock on the beach whilst walking to the dam to view.  Large flock >2000 oystercatchers on beach, with c500 grey waders on the southern edge of the flock.  Oystercatchers spooked for no apparent reason at c07:10 and headed towards the Pits.
Heacham South	c-7:30.  Small flock, max 50 oystercatchers in front of the tump
Heacham Far North	Arrived c08:30.  60 oystercatchers and c150 grey waders, mostly sanderling but including 12 grey plover, 20+ turnstone, a few redshank, knot and 2 purple sandpipers.  6 colour ringed turnstone observed.

Walked the beach at Snettisham after tide had fallen off to see sand peppered with oystercatcher foot prints over a length of about 150m extending above the tide line by 15m.  Headed to Base to open up and get the hot water system working.  Kept fingers firmly crossed that the expansion from the warming water did not cause further problems which happily it didn’t.

Team began to arrive from 15:00 with the first arrivals helping to pack up nets left out to dry and getting an explanation of how all the equipment works.

Most of team arrived by 20:00 so briefing given and kit loaded into trailers to go and set.  The evening tide appeared to have cut as there was only about a foot difference in lateral position of the tide wrack between the morning and evening tide.  Given the limited level of experience available for setting and the fact that we decided to set 4 narrow full nets, the set was reasonably efficient, despite requiring the burial of a dead seal which we had managed not to notice was in the safety for one of our nets.  However, during circuit testing we established a problem with net 1 (southern end).  Eventually this was tracked back to one fuse which was giving a very high and fluctuating reading.  As there were no spare cartridges, there were also concerns about the firing cable, and it was now very late, decided to give up on this net.  Headed back to base, quick briefing and sorting of kit and finally to bed

Saturday 22nd January

Up 05:15 for the firing position, 05:45 for basecamp.  Firing position arrived before light and was relieved to see a huge flock of oystercatchers on the beach in approximately the right place sounding very settled.  Not clear whether there were any grey waders present.  Basecamp arrived in position and reported problems with the circuit tester.  So, had to proceed without testing, knowing net 1 wouldn’t work anyway and keeping fingers firmly crossed that as the nets and boxes had tested fine the day before that everything would work today.  As light levels increased we realised that maybe  the fates were smiling on us after all as the net which didn’t test was also the net where the point of the flock had spilt through safety and birds were happily roosting on and behind the net line.  The rest of the flock extended north and considerably south so all we needed was more water to push the flock higher and we would be able to make a reasonable catch.  As the flock was pushed up the beach by the tide, a second point began to emerge in net 3 and when the nearest bird was at 3 yards we decided to fire, before we had safety problems throughout and before the flock spooked as they had done the day before.  Given the circuit tester problems basecamp had armed both boxes just in case, and as they heard the countdown, they held their breath and were much relieved to hear the bang!

Having used large mesh nets because of the likelihood of catching oystercatchers and the forecast wind speed, the team did a conventional lift up the beach by a couple of yards and then we started extracting.  Initially we had experienced ringers extracting but quite quickly everyone else involved and eventually the whole team had extracted at least a few birds.  The last few birds were extracted with the tide lapping the feet of the team members so the height of the lift had been expertly judged.

All birds were ringed and processed.  Many birds were in very good condition but there were more birds still undergoing active moult that we would have expected for this time of year.  In addition, a number had suspended moult towards the end of the sequence and the suspicion is that the incidence of suspended moult is higher than in previous years.  We presume that the cold weather had played a part in the levels of suspended moult as some birds had clearly suspended moult and then restarted the moult process very recently.

And then the trailer problems started.  Firstly, the team trying to push the trailer back up the track nearly lost it down the inward slope of the seawall.  Then, having loaded it, we noticed that one of the tyres was very flat.  JG and GA went to the carpark to fetch their kit and we changed the tyre for the spare, which looked a bit flat.  Trying to drive out of the coastal park along the track the car lost traction and couldn’t cope with the weight of the trailer so an SOS to the team back at the carpark resulted in 4 people coming to help push us out.  Then, driving up Beach Road, the trailer started feeling funny and by the time we were able to stop, the tyre which we had swapped onto the trailer was completely flat and distorted.  Fortunately, RR and MP’s cars were following stopped to help and then the JG & GA cavalry arrived and took the spare tyre (ie the one that we’d originally swapped out) to get a repair.  But of course by this stage it was 12:30 on a Saturday and the local garages were closed.  One can of tyre weld later allowed us to potter home at 30mph.  I suspect we weren’t the most popular car on the coast road that day!  Lucy managed to get two tyre replacements later that afternoon from Kings Lynn so the trailer is at least functioning again.

We had concerns about the forecast wind speed both from the point of bird welfare and also in terms of the risk of surges down the Wash, we debated with the team and the concensus of opinion was that we should cancel mist netting and have an evening social instead.

Sorted out the equipment for the following morning.  Had a little crisis over the lack of heat in the radiators and got stuck up in the attic checking out the system whilst everyone else started their supper.  Most of the team took advantage of an early night.

Sunday 23rd January

All team up at 05:45 and headed around to Heacham Far North for first light to set.  Tide already quite high but with suspicions that previous tides had cut we decided to set two nets on two different heights to maximise our options.  Quick, efficient set with some folk watching from the seawall to minimise our presence on the beach given that birds were already roosting to the south.  In position, we started to twinkle birds but were outpaced by the rising tide.  Sent basecamp out to lift and reset the lower of the two nets higher up the beach.  Back into position, we twinkled the birds again but before we got far, peregrine activity had reduced the size of the flock present from c150 birds to maybe 30 or so.  Tide had now reached the other net which was quickly lifted but not reset.  Twinkling continued but a pair of displaying peregrines spooked the flock and we lost most of the remaining birds and by now the tide was falling quickly too.  RR sent out from basecamp to lengthen the jump ropes and we made a final push on twinkling realising that luck was not with us on this attempt.  Got about 12 oystercatchers, a knot and a sanderling in front of the net but nearest birds at 8 yards so decided to fire on the off chance that the nets would go well, caught 3.

Birds ringed and processed with opportunities for practicing biometrics on the oystercatchers.  All three birds in poor condition, skinny and the adult oystercatcher in suspended moult.

Back to base for breakfast.  Sorted out kit and cleared up the house.  Last people left at about 3pm