Wash Wader Ringing Group

Thursday 18th August

First arrivals late morning. Sorted equipment for Lincs team and after brief lunch got them underway - click here for their report

Four small mesh nets sorted out for Terrington saltmarsh and set by 17:00. Quickly in position as a few Grey Plover had already flown over. Early on a few Redshank in the catching area but after that nothing chose to come inland from saltmarsh edge. Good numbers of waders out from the White Barn. The borrow pit towards King's Lynn had a number of Greenshank and Little Egret. Gave up half and hour after high tide. Back to base for salad meal. Bed 2200 ish.

Friday 19th August

Up 04:00. Predicted rain had not arrived so into position for same nets as last night. Very gloomy. Birds again hugging the tide edge, those seen to move going west towards bund. Two or three dunlin were all that went in the catching area. Rain started before high tide. The borrow pit again had Little Egret (6) and Greenshank (8). PLI drove along sea wall but failed to find any concentration of birds on the saltmarsh. Also walked out to the bund as tide falling off. Only a few Oystercatchers and Turnstone found there.

Back to base for breakfast and plans. JAG had reccied both Holbeach and Proctors, finding lots of fields but, as expected on this height of tide, no birds. Despite the rain having started in earnest still went ahead and moved the nets to a different area of saltmarsh where previous catches had been made. NAC and DK did the strimming whilst the rest of the team set. Due to the weather the original plan of eating on site was abandoned and returned to base for food.

Hide manned by PLI and JAG with NAC doing recce. Rest of team supposed to be under covering near the net but shortly after they were in position the cows approached. The hide asked base to deal with the cattle and all left base to do so. Almost immediately Bar tailed Godwit started to circle catching area despite the team running round on the saltmarsh. Birds landed in the catching area several times and JAC was asked to return to the firing box whilst the rest of the team kept the cattle at bay. No chance to fire before the birds all left. Little movement now on the saltmarsh and the team and cattle at stand-off in pouring rain. The situation did not change for the rest of the tide although a maximum of 20 dunlin and a Whimbrel were in the area for some time. A few Curlew replaced the Dunlin later but never a worthwhile catch. Before giving up and leaving the nets for the morning tried to get rid of the cattle, eventually getting them to go past the nets.

Saturday 20th August

Up 04:30. Now dry. Cattle had returned to the catching area so the first job was to remove them and repair damage. This meant the team was late into position and Grey Plover had already shown an interest in the area. Thereafter not much was seen on the saltmarsh and certainly no interest in our catching area. Only three Dunlin in the area before the instruction was given to lift the nets in the face of the oncoming tide. With the speed it was coming in, all that could be done was rescue the decoys and base camp equipment. With no prospect of retrieving the nets for some time additional recces were organised.

Holbeach (JAG); Two field used in July were being used again, both by Oystercatchers (400 and 800 respectively) and lots of gulls. A few Curlew using various stubble fields. Huge numbers (c.5-10,000) of Golden plover present.
Boatmere (JAG); 30 Greenshank, 30 Lapwing, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper.
Terrington West (KS); 250 Golden Plover. Few Curlew and ca. 50 Black tailed Godwit.
Terrington Central / Bund (JAC/RR); Some Oystercatchers on left hand side of bund. 150 Redshank remained on saltmarsh. 80 Curlew and 120 Golden Plover on a plough inside of the inner sea wall.
Terrington East (NAC); After catching attempt, relatively few birds anywhere on marsh. 500 Curlew, 200 Grey Plover and 1-200 Dunlin all towards King's Lynn. Some of the Curlew went to a smooth plough, well inland.
Heacham (PLI); On South beach, recharge operations have changed the profile. Just after high tide 50 Oystercatchers roosting and a maximum of 100 Sanderling feeding on a newly exposed ridge. On the far North beach, approx. 400 Sanderling were in a tight flock.

Even an hour after tide there was still lots of water on the saltmarsh so equipment pick up was laborious and wet for some. After breakfast the decision was taken to go to Holbeach., where four nets were set in a line. Food was taken at the edge of the field, the trailer having to substitute for a table. In position by 17:30. A couple of Lapwing in the area early on. Various attempts were made to bring Golden Plover and Gulls to the field but those that did landed in the wrong place. No twinkling done on the field.

Sunday 21st August

Up 04:15 for hide, 05:00 for rest. Same nets as last night manned with PLI, JAC, DA, TP in hide. On this field getting gulls on to the field first is important so it was with concern that these only joined the decoys slowly. Lost this gull nucleus after it had got to 20. Gull flock then reformed and a flock of Lapwing gathered at the other end of the field. Further concern as first Oystercatchers appeared and flew over to the other field identified on the recce (Holbeach (C)). JAG sent to check this but reluctant to twinkle as might be required on a future tide. Flock of about 50 Lapwing then appeared and landed in catching area with a few in safety. Odd Oystercatchers joined this flock and soon many more joined. The Lapwing decided to depart but the Oyks stayed put. The Oyk arrival turned in to a stream with the flock roughly centred on the net line. Let everything land and settle. A shot disturbed the flock and all lifted. This improved safety but fewer than 100 catchable and walking out. Decided to twinkle from the hide. PLI did this creating a lift. These landed in the catching area, although the biggest concentration of birds was out side 10 yards. JAC decided to fire rather than further twinkling.

Birds taken to edge of field to process.

NAC had been recceing but not found anything worthwhile for the next morning. In consultation with JAG who had been looking at the Holbeach fields they came to the conclusion that the best option was the Holbeach (C) field. NAC collected food from base before coming round to the field to help with processing. 'Breakfast' eaten at side of field before going to Holbeach (C) to set, to save returning to base. Set a line of 2 nets on the plough and also strimmed a clap-net pair area on the stubble field behind the hide, such that both catching areas could be viewed from the same hide. Having done this returned to base. NAC's recce had found a saltmarsh pool for a rising tide catch in the evening. This required a quick turnround, including a meal. NAC went to sort out where to set whilst food was cooked utilising the sausages not eaten at breakfast.

After food set a single net on the pool. NAC in hide with rest of team under covering. This was a tarpaulin and with the team members in very close proximity soon got horribly hot and wet! Within 5 minutes, 2-3 birds on pool. Nothing then for 20 minutes when 20 Redshank came in. As soon as these were settled, a microlight over from Wolferton at maximum height. of 50 ft causing major disturbance. Flocks moved at least 500 yd from its path along the shoreline. Quarter of an hour until birds started reappearing but then streamed on to pool. Up to 800 Grey Plover, 250 Redshank, 500 Dunlin and 100 Bar-tailed Godwit but virtually all on seaward side of pool in area where a second jiggler had been set. Jiggling worked perfectly only moving birds from 2 yards each side of the jiggler. The birds that moved went up to about 12m out from catching area. Eventually decided to make catch of about 50. Firing box did not work. Switched and rearmed and successfully fired.

Rescued equipment from saltmarsh then processed catch behind sea wall. Back to base and final sort out for morning.

Monday 22nd August

Up 04:45 for hide team, rest 45 min later. In position by 06:00 and almost immediately gulls started arriving and joined decoys. Unlike yesterday, these gulls had read the text book and streamed in. These were followed by up to 2000 Golden Plover. These reacted to the decoys and landed in and beyond the nets. Initially 50+ in the catching area but several in safety. This gave a dilemma should it become safe to fire. In the event, well before tide the only clear opportunity would have caught 40 and this was turned down. Some knot arrived but joined the goldies well outside the catching area. The next arrivals were Oystercatchers (400), filling an area near the gulls and just clipping the corner of the far net. One of the Oyks removed and then played with a marker feather but the potential catch was only judged to be 50 plus a decreasing number of goldies. Meanwhile in the stubble field nets behind the hide, a small number (rising to 20) of Black-tailed Godwit had been in with the decoys for some time, joined occasionally by starlings.

With over an hour still go to tide waited to see what else would come over. Curlew and Godwit then started to stream off the saltmarsh. Despite going over the stubble field nets, nearly all the curlew ignored the catching area and formed another nucleus on the plough. However, the Godwit spotted the decoys and started spiralling into the area. Numbers rapidly increased and it was a question of finding a gap to fire. By the time this came the number in was such that the decision was taken to only fire one net.

The forecast was for rain later and it was becoming increasingly gloomy. Just after firing it stared drizzling and soon became heavier. A rain shield was put up and all the keeping cages set under it. All ringing and processing done under the tarpaulin in varying degrees of rain.

With the plough having been unaffected by the catch, no clear alternative site and the difficulty of making a good set in wet conditions it was decided to use the same field tomorrow. Having finished dealing with the catch, the fired net was furled back. As it was still raining on return to base, all that could be done was to put things to dry in the new shed. The evening was planned to be an evening off which was just as well as the rain continued unabated.

Tuesday 23rd August

Up 05:30 for hide team, rest 45 min later. Now dry. The fired cannons from yesterday replaced with new ones. Soon after getting into hide, small number of gulls onto plough and 1 Black-tailed godwit into stubble field net. After 20 minutes the gulls left and never got large numbers of gulls back on the field. First 50 Oyks straight to catching area with flock 40 juvenile Dunlin. Numbers of Oyks built up out of the area to 120 with only 70 catchable. Kestrel spooked the lot. Oyks back in with small no of Grey Plover, Godwit and Curlew, but few individuals in catching area. Eventually a few Curlew landed in stubble nets, growing to 55 Curlew and 10 Black Tailed Godwit but all in the very centre, and there was concern that wet nets would not meet. Hoped the flock would spread. Kestrel lifted half the birds and suddenly large numbers of Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit came off the marsh. Decided to concentrate on getting a reasonable number of Bar-tails. Three times got up to 50 of each but each time when about to fire there was a lift off. Eventually decided we would not make large Bar-tail catch so decided to take next reasonable landing so did so.

This time the cover over the keeping cages was to keep them cool rather than dry. Picked up nets from both fields and returned for breakfast.

KS had recced Proctors so the options available were:-
Terrington (W); Furrowed plough field with ca. 150 Curlew, 250 Grey Plover, 350 Black-tailed Godwit, a few Bar-tails and 200 Golden Plover.
Terrington - Causeway; ca. 100 waders, mainly Redshank.
Terrington - Bund; 3-400 present but not in an easy place to catch
Terrington (C); Stubble field in favoured area

However, the forecast was for another band of rain, together with strong winds, coming through near high tide. This meant the surface of the Terrington (W) field was very likely to be unsuitable for catching. Decided due to this and the logistics for getting everything done to set on the stubble field and hope to draw in Curlew with decoys.

Hence the team of 8 split three ways to set mist nets, set cannon nets for the morning and to take HL to station, shop and prepare food. All managed to accomplish their tasks on time so food was eaten promptly at 19:30. Joined by a few evening visitors for mist netting, manning the nets set on two pools. Low tide and relatively few birds about.

Wednesday 24th August

Up 06:30. Rain had started overnight although dry now. JAG to Terrington (W) to look for colour ringed Godwit, rest to Terrington (C) field. Curlew decoys set in a clap net pair with PLI in fensman hide. Golden Plover seen flying in various directions. Early on an Oystercatcher dropped in with the decoys and was soon followed by a Curlew. These then wandered away from the strimmed area. No further waders came over the sea wall and when NAC reported the tide had cut and lots of saltmarsh was still exposed, gave up at high tide. By now raining steadily and strong southerly wind.

Back at base connected to the internet and got up to date weather forecast. This appeared to show improvement in time for mist netting on the evening tide. Day spent getting organised. At the appointed time for mist net setting weather still looked doubtful but rapidly improved allowing enthusiasm to grow. Nets set on two pools.

Thursday 24th August

Although not originally scheduled as a catching tide, enough interest had been shown by members of both Terrington and Lincs team to try to catch Sanderling at Heacham far North. The Terrington team set nets, whilst the Lincs team members who were joining the catching drove round to base, dropped off their equipment and then came to join the catch. Two narrow nets had been set and by the time the tide was close enough to catch not all the expected Sanderling had turned up. Nevertheless since, with a little twinkling, the birds were catchable, a catch was taken. This gave:-

Since one of the objectives was to catch birds colour ringed earlier this year, the unfired net was moved back and reset. Having done this, the uncaught Sanderling still on the beach were joined by a new flock which, it is known from colour ring observations feed in different parts of the Wash. Again with a little persuasion, these landed in front of the nets but somewhat further out than ideal. Decided as now high tide that the situation could not be improved so fired. Net caught well out so a respectable catch was made:-

Note the different retrap rate for the Sanderling between the two catches, reflecting the difference between the two flocks caught.

Initially processed on the beach but when rain squalls came, retreated to the shelter afforded by one of the houses. Here the next door neighbour provided the team with very welcome tea and coffee. Being the week leading up to August Bank Holiday, the path behind the beach was busy and it became a full time job doing P.R.. This gave the opportunity to try out the group's new "business card" giving information and the web address. This proved to be very useful and well received by the public.