Wash Wader Ringing Group

Wednesday 1st August

RdF arrived at the Village Hall.

Recees             07.45 on a young cabbage field at Butterwick. 500 Dunlin and 500 Golden Plover.
08.10 on a harvested Pea Field Leverton (N) 100 Godwits and Curlew.

The bulk of the team arrived from main base with the truck and CM’s hire car. At about 17.00 a clap net pair was set on Leverton (N) harvested pea field and we were off by 19.15 with high tide at 20.10.

Recees ~20.30 (SGD, RCT) at Butterwick cabbage field where there were no Golden Plovers. Cabbage field Friskney(S) – 700 Oyster Catchers, 3-400 Grey Waders (?Plover) and shed loads of gulls.

Ate ~20.45 including omission of pudding much to AD’s disgust.
RR arrived to join the team.

Thursday 2nd August

Up 05.15.  Away 05.45 to Leverton (N) harvested  pea field.  Hides put up for 6 people to go in. Some Godwits flew over the marsh. 50 gulls landed on field, 100m from nets, c 1hour before tide.  The wind was twisting around and the decoys were moved, at this point the gulls left.  300 Curlew flew on to the field first, landing 2-300 yds from the catching area, 1000 Godwits followed.  20 Dunlin in catching area, some twinkling pushed many godwit back to the marsh, some landed on the field but too far from the catching area.   Second lot of twinkling caused all birds to leave the field.  We lifted the nets and returned to the Hall for breakfast.

Recees 
PLI, MG and 3 from Columbia went to Butterwick cabbage field. 500 Dunlin and Golden Plover had moved a bit in slightly different spot to previous day.
SD: Friskney (S) 700 Oystercatchers and 1000 mixed Godwit, Curlew and Knot.
RR: Tide edge on the salt marsh 2-3000 Godwits in the North moving to Gibraltar Point, some inland.
Field ,North end of Wainfleet 2-300 Godwits on young cabbages and 300 Gulls. Some Godwits went off.   300 Curlew came off 1 hour before tide, on set aside/wide grass margin, 3 fields S of Wainfleet Control Tower.  At high tide few hundred Godwits joined and then left.  Bare ploughed field inland more Curlew.  Wainfleet Island not many oystercatchers.

CM and EL went shopping in Boston and found the supermarket ‘ALDI’-well it’s starts with an A and has 4 letters, however while in the shop, finding very little, they spotted ‘ASDA’ over the road.  They contemplated abandoning their trolley but with good grace paid and left. Topping up with ASDA goods they came back to the Hall.

Everyone else set nets at Friskney (S) cabbage field. For Oystercatchers that night.   There were Goldies on the field which lifted when we arrived.  Setting did not go smoothly there.  Then we went to set on Wainfleet (S) set aside field  next to the outer sea wall ready for the morning for Curlew and a few Godwits.

Recee over sea wall S. of that for mist netting sites.

17.30 back for chicken salad supper.  18.45 out to Friskney (S) cabbage field for hoped Oystercatcher catch. Gulls in situ with Sandwich Terns.  Goldies further from the set in the same field.  Wind changing to East, birds landing facing the sea.  Twinkling from RR from west edge of field to push gulls towards catching area early on.  Partially successful.  700 Oyks over 1hr 20 mins before high tide, 50 catchable out of 300.  Curlew joined in with some Godwit, nearer the sea wall.  RdF showed head from the ditch by the sea wall at far corner of the field. Curlew lifted, then Terns and Oystercatchers.  Some settled again.  Twinkle again from RdF.  Curlew away.  Then 10-15 Terns away, Oyks left.  At one point there were about 30 in the catching area with some gulls with 1-2 in safety.  After moving it reduced to 6 only.  At one point a raptor spooked the birds (?Merlin). Gave up on Oyks to have a proper attempt in the morning

Friday 3rd August

Up 06.00.  Away 06.30
SD set decoys on Wainfleet (S) set aside field.  RCT sorted the truck.  People in the hide.
About 4 stock doves arrived on Southern field edge.  Around 8AM a short eared owl went along sea wall with a Marsh Harrier.  The Harrier looked at the decoys.  SD scared it off by flapping from the hide.  Watchers saw Curlews in the marsh the other side of the sea wall from the catching area.  A few thousand godwit flock going north along sea wall.  14 grey plover west over wall inland.  Curlew over field landed in grass margin, 4-5 landed in catching area at 0845.  0853 20 Curlew, 15 godwit in catching area.  0900-0945 25godwit & 30 Curlew in catching area, CM found more curlews in inland fields, twinkled towards sea wall however didn’t join the catching area flock.  Birds in grass margin moved and didn’t join field flock. Tried jiggling to remove bird in safety. Most birds lifted except one in safety and about a dozen others.  As no further birds about decision & stubborn bird finally walked clear, took consolation catch of 12 Curlew. Bulk of team dispatched to SB’s Oystercatcher field while RR, CR, JL and EL processed catch. The one Whimbrel caught later escaped from the keeping cage so the catch was:-

On arrival SB’s field had 1500 Oystercatchers and gulls with 10 oystercatchers in catching area. RCT and RdF twinkled causing lift of birds to in front of and on top of net. Jiggling followed and the catch was swiftly taken at 1040. Total catch 62 including one Dutch ringed Oystercatcher. 2000 gulls and goldies were also on field.

CM watched Wainfleet island to see Oystercatcher option for Sunday morning. 8000 Knot by south tower with godwit. All went towards ocean side. 2000-3000 knot/godwit went towards Gib. 200/300 godwit went onto Wainfleet island. Returned to breakfast at 1400. leaving to set net for Dunlin option at 15:00, Returned to Wainfleet about 1800 to set for mist netting, with time for birthday cake for JL. RdF/SB cooked with assistance from AD. RCT/SD remained while rest of team ate at 2100. Left for Wainfleet at 2130. GA and ID joined team before heading out mist netting. First bird back from mist nets was a single juvenile Dunlin. History has shown this is not a good sign and sadly this was no exception. Birds didn’t arrive possibly due to tide cutting. On final take down round a further dunlin and bar tailed godwit were caught. Processed and released before departure at midnight.

Brief discussion and drink before bed at 0100.

Saturday 4th August

CM departed at 0600 for Terrington.  Rest of team up around 0700, leaving 0730.  Set decoys and hide on Cabbage field.  On arrival 3-400 Golden plovers were already on field.  Van on far corner of field, base camp near water tanker.  Knot flying south and 2 Whimbrel in field.    Up to 500 dunlin came onto field in small groups looking at decoys and often came down straddling safety and reversible net 1 before moving off and joining goldie flock further across field.  0918 twinkling from RR lifted gulls and goldies.  This caused Dunlin to leave in small groups to Frieston shore. Goldies returned after circling for a while settling 200m south of nets.  Ian went out to move goldies towards nets from southern end of field.  Few sandwich terns and goldies landed in bigger cabbages in front of net. CR dispatched to find dunlin that left to Frieston into a small cabbage field behind headland.  At this point few birds remained and while thinking about options around 30 Whimbrel appeared between truck and hide in loose flock.  Gentle pressure applied by vehicle started a promising walk towards nets.  Given not enough room to walk Whimbrel towards net.  SB waved arm out of truck which caused a lift towards the catching area.   6 of these landed in net 2, 1 goldie in safety in 1 and 5-6 dunlin in 1.  Further twinkling pushed more birds towards row where nets were although in the wrong part.  As a result twinkling ended and jiggling began to get small dunlin and Whimbrel catch.  Goldie, dunlin and most none catchable Whimbrel lifted, paused for airborne Whimbrel to land with remaining 5.  Shortly after the cause of the lift was identified when a peregrine caused the 5 catchable birds to lift.  Peregrine then sat in field effectively ending all chances.

Nets picked up with RR/CR/ JL dispatched to recce set aside field and Wainfleet -= 1300 oyks and 20 grey plover. Oyks on wainfleet island.  GA/RdF went shopping, rest back to base for breakfast.  Afternoon spent sleeping in anticipation of a long night mist netting.  SB and SD went out to Wainfleet island to asses chances of catch for Sunday morning.  Prospects looked good so team decision to go out to Wainfleet on Sunday morning.

Most of team set mist nets (9) in ‘F’ shape on Friskney mist net pool.   Spag Bol cooked at base. 7 birds caught on net round to set tape lure, despite it being quite light. Rest of birds caught on main net round at high tide. 2 juvenile greenshank were 1st to be caught on Lincs side in recent times. In bed by 1.30

Sunday 5th August

Team up 5.30, just managed to get everything out to Wainfleet Island in one carry. 2 narrow nets set at N end, where droppings from previous day. 100 oystercatchers already loafing just off the island. Nets set and all team under hessian by 8.00. Flock grew to around 180, spread in front of both nets, and some long way down beach. Small groups of dunlin & Sanderling also about. c.1hr before tide, it was apparent that tide was going to make on prediction, and 1st oystercatchers arrived from south. Some of these landed with existing flock, while many more continued towards Gib. Had to make rapid decision to fire before too many birds in catching area, spread up to safety. Lifted net on covering material was dragged up beach for extraction. Cages erected 100m away across small creek to escape potential high tide. Many members got wet, but warm sun made it all pleasant.

Team returned to base about 14.30, ate good breakfast and cleared up by 16.00.  Trailer and other equipment returned to Terrington.