Wash Wader Ringing Group

Lincolnshire Team Report. Thanks to Rachel for the photos in this report.

Thursday 18th August

Part of team travelled via Terrington (click here for report) to collect equipment. A flat tyre on the trailer outside Boston added to the delays. Neither vehicle had a suitable sized wheel brace but fortunately, we had pulled off the road by a garage that lent us suitable tools. Quick stop at the Church Hall to collect the other two team members arriving this afternoon and then off to set. One small mesh net set and team into hide by 16:00. Big numbers of birds on the marsh, c10-15,000 Knot, 100 Grey Plover, 5000 Bar-tailed godwit and 100 Dunlin on the marsh but only c1000 birds seaward of our nets. Movements from south of the hide to a bat out from the main mist net pool. Occasional grey plover landed in with the decoys but appeared unsettled by the net. At one point there were 12 Grey Plover in the catching area with 2 knot at the maximum extent but these lifted as a big flock of birds flew past. All birds landed on the tide edge with the big flock out from the net c10 yards seawards of the net. It was clear that the tide was not going to push birds into the catching area and with no prospect of catching, quietly left the hide and the team went to check out the mist netting pool before returning to the Church Hall to sort out equipment.

Friday 19th August

Up at 3.30 to man the net set for last night's tide. Base camp under tarpaulin on the marsh. Large numbers of birds were heard moving around the marsh before first light, including more dunlin than were around the previous evening. Light got progressively better and, as soon as we could see the catching area, it was clear that there were c70-80 Grey Plover in with the plastic decoys. During the time it took for the hide party to confirm safety was clear the light improved quickly. Decided to take the catch but before we could, a bird landed in safety. Didn't get as far as trying to jiggle before the entire flock lifted and disappeared. Waited in position, hoping that a small flock of c14 Grey Plover on the tide edge would move into the catching area, this didn't happen. With tide approaching the net set fast, we decided to pick up and leave the marsh. Recces:, SGD, SLD went to the seawall site north of the Freiston reserve and marked out for the Saturday morning tide. MAS, KAC and RCT went north to look at saltmarsh options for Friday evening. Did not see much apart from the 1200 Dunlin on the Butterwick cabbage field, Back to base for breakfast before a team went onto the saltmarsh to choose suitable catching areas and strim in advance of a planned catching attempt here on the evening tide. With heavy rain all morning, it wasn't clear whether the front had passed through or we were to get more rain during the evening. After consultation with various weather websites we decided that operating on the saltmarsh for the evening tide was a non-starter and trying to work at the base of the seawalls at Butterwick was equally unappealing. The plan was to stay at base until 19:30 and then go and set nets at the base of the seawall for redshank. Meantime, a highly entertaining but not particularly skilful badminton tournament kept us active. Recces prior to setting: MAS/KAC North of Sailor's Home. 18:30 the first birds came over the marsh from the mudflats - flock size c2-3000 of which most were Curlew and Bar-tailed godwit, with c150 Grey Plover and small numbers of Redshank and Dunlin. These birds landed straight into an area of grazed saltmarsh and rolled up with the tide. Birds stayed here until High Tide. SGD/RCT Leverton (S). 3000 Bar-tailed Godwit on the saltmarsh. A flock of 5000 Golden Plover or Knot were seen in the distance near Sailor's Home at 19:00. A cabbage field had a flock of 200 Grey Plover, 200 Bar-tailed Godwit, 500 Dunlin. By the point in the fenceline were 200 Bar-tailed Godwit, 100 Grey Plover and some Curlew. SLD Freiston/Butterwick. 18:15 - 7 Whimbrel feeding high up amongst the tall vegetation on the base of the seawall. 18:20 - large pre-roost forming in the Freiston realignment with 1000 Grey Plover, 1000 Bar-tailed Godwit, c700 Redshank, 2000 Dunlin, 500 Oystercatchers directly in from the middle breach. All these birds had left by 18:45 when the area was fully flooded presumably flying south. 19:00 30 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 30 Whimbrel and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit were in the catching area. RDF/SB Cut End. South side of channel had 1500-2000 Dunlin with small numbers of GreyPplover and Redshank. C200 Dunlin in front of the hide on the northern side of the river with 16 Ringed Plover, 2 Knot 2 Sanderling, 12 Turnstone and 4 Redshank.

Saturday 20th August

Up at 4:15 to be at base camp in time for someone to set decoys and be in position by 5am. As tide began to rise the first few birds, c5 Whimbrel, appeared and began feeding along the catching area. Steadily gained birds and at one point the near net had 15 Redshank and 7 Whimbrel, whilst the far net had 14 Redshank and 5 Whimbrel at 14 yards. A mixed flock of birds including 30 Redshank, 10 Whimbrel and 2 Greenshank were on the tide edge between the two nets. North of the nets was another flock of c100 Redshank and 30 Whimbrel. Tide pushed birds up into the catch area but the redshank started feeding and walked out the near net. By now tide to 4 yards in the near net so began vehicle twinkling from both ends of the seawall. Gained birds into the far net and beyond but with a redshank in safety. Tried to jiggle and the bird responded by walking forwards to 4 yards before flying off and lifting all birds. More vehicle twinkling from the north but birds lifted and flew off to the south. Picked up feather decoys and agreed to back off the vehicles and sit out over the high tide in case birds came back. 20 Dunlin landed briefly in the near net but lifted before taking the catch. A small mixed flock landed in the far net which we fired catching.

Reccees: MAS/KAC Leverton/Butterwick Leverton (S) grey plover field 200 GPs, c100 Curlew and about 300 Goldies. Flock of 250 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1000 Dunlin Butterwick (N) cabbage field
AJK/JJK Wainfleet heading south. c1000 Bar-tailed Godwit Wainfleet (C) Many thousand Bar-tailed Godwit on the Wainfleet Northern Islands. 2000 Oystercatchers on the Wainfleet "Seal" Island A young cabbage field at Wainfleet (S) had 1500 Bar-tailed Godwit and 500 Curlew out on the marsh and 200 mixed grey waders dominated by Grey Plover on the field. A bare field next to recently planted cabbages at Friskney (N) had 30 Curlew. A partially harvested onion field had 150 Oystercatchers and just south of that were c3000 grey waders and 500 Oystercatchers.
At Friskney (C) were 700 Bar-tailed Godwit on a weedy field and one field inland a flock of 400 Grey Plover, 300 Dunlin and 100 Bar-tailed Godwit amongst a medium sized cabbage crop. 5000 Golden Plover were roosting in a young cabbage field at Wrangle (S). 150 Grey Plover, 100 Dunlin and 3000 Golden Plover were roosting on a bare field at Leverton (S).

The plan was to catch on Wainfleet Island on the evening tide. Set 2 narrow full nets c2/3 of the way -along the ridge (towards the northern end). 2-3 flocks of Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot totalling c20,000 gathered about 1.5-2 hours before tide off the southern end of the island with one Knot flock settling near base camp. This could be a possible catch option in future. 200-300 oystercatchers arrived c2 1/4 hours before tide off the northern end of the island. 18:45 the oystercatchers began to arrive in big numbers from the south, totalling c3000 birds. These quickly built below the catching area spreading onto the ridge. As a completely dry catch was possible, both nets were fired before birds began to move into the safety areas. A middle cannon of one net did not fire, reducing the total catch by c200. 100 birds were processed before the light failed. The light stick left at the base of the seawall was a great asset in determining the correct angle to walk off the marsh.

Sunday 21st August

In position by 05:30. The first Curlew began to arrive c06:00 seawards and slightly north of the clap net pair. Additional birds arrived in very small numbers and the flock gradually built. 06:15 the first of the Bar-tailed Godwit flocks arrived and landed in with the Curlew. The majority of the Bar-tailed Godwit stayed on the marsh until 06:45 when they landed on the net side of the flock already on the field. By this time, the flock had built to c2-3000 Bar-tailed Godwit and 200 Curlew with handfuls of mixed grey waders. By now the furthest edge of the flock was well into the catching area but also through the safety area and behind the northern net. Jiggled to get that net safe and fired. Called Gib Point Course some of whom came and joined us to gain experience handling waders. Curlew ringed and released, all bar-tailed godwit processed.

Reccee MAS heading north to Wainfleet. 1200 Dunlin and 50 Golden Plover plus seaward flock of Bar-tailed Godwit on the cabbage field at Leverton (S)
06.55 25 Oystercatchers and 300 grey waders on the weedy field at Friskney (C). Plus 70 Curlew on a field on the inner reclaim.
07.00 700 Oystercatchers on the onion field south of the Control Tower Road.
07.15 500 grey waders on a field on the inner reclaim along Barleymow road.
07.50 10,000 grey waders on a cabbage field at Wainfleet (S).

MAS, JS were in position in the hide 2.5 hours before tide. Birds started landing in the field about 50m in front of and just beyond the nets. Flock size grew to about 400 grey waders including 150 Grey Plover. As flock grew, they were flying over the net and landing outside and away from the decoys spreading away from nets. When birds stopped coming over KAC was sent twinkling. Due to the net set being so close to the sea wall the only way of doing this was for KAC to walk along the front edge of the seawall so as not to initially disturb the birds on the field. It was quickly realised that there would only be one shot at moving the flock so hide made a decision to wait just before the last light and then get KAC to go up on to the sea wall, hopefully getting the birds to roll into the catching area. The first attempt of just her showing head and shoulders above the sea wall had no affect so increasingly more of her body was shown until the birds lifted. Unfortunately, all of the birds disappeared over the sea wall and flew out the rest of the tide.

However, KAC did not know that all birds had left the field so, in MAS's and JS's annoyance at the birds, they decided to have a bit of fun. After informing base camp, who had a clear view of the seawall to look to where KAC was, they proceeded to get her to repeat the operation. KAC being completely unaware that all of the birds had gone complied with all radioed requests. By this time, all of the team other than KAC who was blissfully unaware of the joke were rolling around in fits of laughter. The show finished when MAS asked KAC to first put her right arm out, then her left, then her left leg and then shake them about. MAS then asked KAC if she knew what was happening and suddenly the penny dropped and she disappeared over the sea wall suitably embarrassed.

Monday 22nd August

MAS set decoys and manned the Grey Plover set. Birds landed c30 yards in front and beyond the nets. C300 Grey Plover, 100 Curlew, 100 Dunlin piled in until someone walked to the corner of the seawall disturbing the birds. All birds lifted and moved, landing well beyond the nets. With no twinklers, gave up and joined the rest of the team.

At Leverton (S) we had two sets, one a clap net in the middle of the cabbage field for dunlin and one a single net near the seawall for Bar-tailed Godwit and Curlew. In position by 6am. On the clap net set, Golden Plover landed inland of the catching area. The flock never really gained any numbers of birds during the time we were in position.

On the single net. Curlew arrived early and landed on a ridge seaward and c 40 yards towards the hide. The flock built on that ridge to c500 Curlew and 100 Bar-tailed Godwit. A fly around caused by a marsh harrier did not improve the situation. Vehicle twinkling was attempted from the headland behind the hides. This was very effective at moving birds to between the two sets. Further vehicle twinkling from the opposite headland had no effect so a foot twinkler was sent out. Most birds left the field flying north whilst the remainder of the flock flew out onto the marsh. However, a small flock still the hide side of the nets. A crawl twinkle from the hide seemed like the only option but by now it was raining. KAC asked whether she was prepared to give it a go and, despite her experiences of the evening before, she didn't think to question the validity of the twinkling requests! Crawl twinkling had a slight effect with birds walking to c.10 yards from the net but eventually they flew off back to the marsh. Gave up.

With the weather turning in to heavy rain and 2 good options on harvest fields which would be difficult to set well in bad weather, we decided to leave the sets on this field for the following morning adding another net to the single. The two good options would be set in good weather on the Tuesday.

Reccee
SKB Wainfleet heading south. 1000 Dunlin, 400 Bar-tailed Godwit, 500 Grey Plover flew inland in the Parker North area but were not relocated.
150 Oystercatchers were roosting in a mixed flock with c1700 gulls in a field on the inner reclaim at Outmarsh yard. 1600 grey waders, Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit on a field at Wainfleet (S).
300 Bar-tailed Godwit, 500 Grey Plover and 400 Dunlin on a young cabbage field just north of Control Tower Road.
500 Oystercatchers, 800 grey waders near the Friskney (N) partially harvested onion field.
400 grey waders including 200 Dunlin with 600 Bar-tailed Godwit on a field on the inner reclaim just inland from Friskney Island.
250 Curlew and 100 Bar-tailed Godwit on the Friskney weedy field.

Evening off for a pub meal.

Tuesday 23rd August

AM. Manned both the clap net set and the seaward set.

Birds showed no real interest in the clap net set except for an occasional Dunlin and 2 Oystercatchers which were still there after the other net had been fired and people went out to pick up decoys from the clap net area. In position by 06.45 having set another net near the seawall on the ridge favoured by the birds the day before. A vehicle was positioned in the seaward corner behind the hide to encourage birds further into the field and to be ready for twinkling.

The first Curlew landed seaward of the catching area but later arrivals landed in between 2 catching areas and to the south of the nets. About 30 Dunlin, 5 Redshank and 3 Curlew were in the catching area with Dunlin roosting under the young cabbages in the safety area. A vehicle twinkle was started from the far edge of the field and initially caused the birds to walk towards the catching areas but they then flew northwards to another cabbage field. MAS and TT went to try and fetch the birds back finding a Redshank option of c200 birds at the base of the seawall in the process.Some Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit returned and landed in with the flock about 40 yards behind and to the south of the nets. MAS and TT returned to the catching field and attempted to twinkle again from the far edge of the field. Birds by now were very jumpy and although they had moved level with the catching area, most of the flock was beyond the far net. Decided to take a consolation catch and use the small catch as a good opportunity for learning processing skills.

Reccee RDF. 2-3000 mixed grey waders and 500 Oystercatchers found on the onion field south of the Wainfleet Control Tower. 750 Dunlin, 500 Bar-tailed Godwit and 150 Curlew on the weedy field off the Friskney Bends.

Mist netting. Decided to set 3 lines of pairs over the long inland pool and one line of 5 over the most significant seaward pool at Wainfleet. One Dunlin was caught whilst setting nets, which proved again to be a bad omen for this site! The tape lure was set at c20:50 but it was still quite light. The extraction team on the main net round at 21:40 found no water across the marsh and significant numbers of birds audible well out on the tide edge to the south. Little cloud cover and a developing breeze limited opportunities for catching further. Path off the marsh again aided by light stick.

Wednesday 24th August

AM Weedy Field. In position by 07.15. Small numbers of Grey Plover landed in the catching area with the decoys quite early on. Later, more birds had arrived and were spread throughout the field feeding in the damp conditions. The flock built to more than 400 birds with small numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit and Dunlin, with a Curlew flock in the corner at the base of the seawall. Vehicle twinkling moved the birds in the right direction for a while. During twinkling, c3,000 Knot arrived from a field to our north, courtesy of MAS's twinklers. The first jet of the morning spooked all birds and caused a big fly around. Birds then landed seawards of the net tight into the corner of the field. By now, it had also begun raining. A slither twinkle was attempted from the ditch behind the hide. Grey Plover walked well towards the area and a catch was attempted on c30 once safety in each net was achieved. Unfortunately, birds had lifted fractionally before the nets were fired and we ended up catching just two!

Onion Field. Two nets set on a high point of the field that had obviously been used extensively by roosting birds. A make shift hide was erected for MAS with TT as a long distance twinkler and the rest of the team in vehicle on the edge of the field. Then it started to rain! Birds initially wanted to land in the adjacent cabbage field as had been seen on the various recces. TT did a splendid job of keeping this field clear of birds and slowly a flock of about 500 Oystercatchers built up just in front of the nets. JS started to twinkle them in but the birds walked around the end of the nets and behind, leaving a long line of birds through net 3 which was not there. Eventually after a lot of vehicle twinkling the birds lifted and landed smack in front of the nets but just outside. At this point, it really started to rain. More pressure moved the birds into the catching area with one bird leading the way by about 5m. Just before this bird entered the safety are and before the soil got too wet to catch on the net was fired.

All birds were quickly extracted and placed into keeping cages as the rain continued to pour. A few minutes later members of the other team arrived with rings and due to the conditions all birds were ringed and released, without further measurements being taken.

PM. Much debate about what letter formation we should set the nets in for the main pool on Wrangle Marsh but eventually set 11 nets. Tape lure put out at 20:40 getting an immediate response from the birds. A flock of 200 Bar-tailed Godwit were flying around the nets win response to the tape with the bottom birds hitting the net. Some were caught and others were bouncing out and hitting MAS and RDF in the face. All people called out to the nets to help extract and tape lure turned off. Most of team sent off marsh with birds to start ringing and processing. The main bar-tailed godwit flock heard on the tide edge just out of twinkling reach over a big creek, so SGD tried the subtle approach to twinkling these - shout at them, which raised a few concerns back at base camp but had no effect on the birds! All birds ringed and processed, nets taken down and in bed by 01:30.

Thursday 25th August

Up at 06:30. Some of team departed straight from the Church Hall whilst others joined the Norfolk team to catch Sanderling at Heacham North North. We therefore claim at least the second catch for our team's totals!!