Wash Wader Ringing Group

Friday 4th April

Low tides for Saturday morning made catching attempts then unlikely to succeed, so the weekend was scheduled to involve Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning only.  M&DW and DC (based in Thetford doing voluntary work in the BTO Ringing Unit) agreed to do preliminary recces.

M&DW recced Heacham South and Heacham far North, at 1500 onwards in preparation for a possible catch the following afternoon.  Heacham South: 50 Oyks in the bay, half-way between the tump and the north end of Heacham ‘dam’; they marked a spot for a possible catch.  Heacham North (1 hr before tide): just before revetment, near bungalow 21, there were 50 sleeping Turnstone, 8 sleeping Oyks, c.15 active Sanderling, and 20+ feeding Ringed Plovers feeding along the tide wrack.  Also 2 Swallows and 3 singing Skylarks, and a flock of 44 Linnets on a wire.

DC went to base to obtain the necessary key to recce Terrington pools.  Found water in several of the pools, 7 Shelduck in total and 1 Redshank, plus 100 Curlew and 100 Dunlin on the tide edge.  MW, DW and DC met up at base and went to The Wildfowler in Terrington for a meal.  Upon return to base they reported their findings to NC, and it was decided to try at Heacham South on Sat pm for Oyks, and Heacham North for Turnstone on Sun am.  Later in the evening they made contact with PI by telephone.

Saturday 5th April

Up 0500 for M&DW to go to Heacham.  OK, DC actually up at 0515.  M&DW away at 0530, DC away at 0620.  Nice sunrise at Admiral’s Point, but then sun went behind clouds.  2 Shelduck on pool directly out from White Barn road;  9 Shelduck on “main” pool to east of White Barn, plus 1 Egret.  30 unidentified duck sp on water near mouth of creek that runs past pool.  Nothing else.  DC back by 0730, did washing up.

The first birds were seen at Snettisham North at 0615: 66 Oyks and approx 30 grey waders sheltering under them (running in and out among their feet).  That site was marked.  At 0650, near the tump, there were 40 very windswept Oyks, and again the site was marked.  By Heacham cottages there were 15 Oyks and scattered Turnstone.  At Heacham North MW saw c.20 very windswept Turnstone.  In light of these observations decided to set on Heacham South for the oystercatchers on the Saturday evening tide.  After tide we would set on Snettisham for the oystercatchers and grey waders and we would not, after all, go to Heacham North North..

Back at base M&DW prepared vegetable soup augmented with sausage etc. for consumption when the team assembled, and started preparation of an evening meal, while DC went into King’s Lynn for his traditional Saturday FT and to collect HW from the train station.  Team assembled around mid-day, MP reporting very long queues at Sutton Bridge owing to alternate one-way traffic during bridge repair work.

After lunch we departed for Snettisham/Heacham at around 1300, going onto the area behind the sea-wall through the gate by Snettisham caravan park and driving as far as possible towards Heacham ‘dam’.  Most cars were left there and the team walked on 1-2 miles towards Heacham south beach, in the teeth of a strong N/NW wind.  NC took the trailer up to the site identified for possible catching on Sunday morning (south of the dam) and left it there to avoid having to tow it back up the difficult access at the north end of the dam.  Descending onto the beach over the front edge of the sea-wall/dune was rendered somewhat interesting by sand-blasting owing to the strong wind.

Once the team reached the intended catch site it was quickly decided where to set two full-length narrow nets.  A groove was dug in the beach and the removed sand carted up the beach in catching boxes (less covers and carpet lining!) for disposal.  The nets were set efficiently despite the strong wind, and the team retired over the sea wall while NC went to the firing position (north of the nets) with HW as long-stop, and MW and SD went south to observe and long-stop.

Owing to the windy conditions the birds tended to form several small clusters rather than a large flock, but fortunately the largest group was twinkled from SD’s end in front of the nets.  Approximately 20 birds were within the 8 yard markers with a further 10 or so outside, so decided to wait until these birds were pushed up.  Events moved fairly rapidly and the instruction to fire came at 1605, resulting in a catch of:

The birds were quickly extracted, and the nets removed from the beach just before the incoming tide reached them.

Processing was done behind the sea-wall and in the lee of NC’s vehicle, to provide some shelter from the strong, arctic wind.  Although the catch was fairly small it was acceptable to many in the team who hadn’t ringed or handled Oyks before, and gave them an opportunity to study ageing characters carefully.  The relatively small catch also gave less experienced team members an opportunity to take various biometrics on a larger size of bird than they had previously encountered.  This training was underway when an ominously dark cloud was noted approaching from windward, and it was decided to release the birds and pack up quickly, before the gear got wet.  This was completed just as the shower started, and the team headed back towards the trailer, their progress now being assisted by the persistent wind. 

Headed to Snettisham still planning to set there for the following morning.  Upon arrival at that site it was noted that the beach was still narrow and the wave action and long-shore drift was considerable, owing to the very windy conditions.  Having obtained weather information from SJW it was decided that the wise course would be to abandon attempts to catch at Snettisham and to provisionally consider setting at Heacham North North on Sun morning, having assessed the prevailing weather at that time.  Departed from Snettisham at around 1900.

The team returned to base where an excellent meal of spaghetti/pasta Bolognese was consumed, washed down with wine or beer and followed by fresh fruit salad (Tesco had a particularly good deal on pineapples). To bed around 2200.

Oh yes, did I mention that during the day it was very windy?

Sunday 6th April

Up 0530, away about 0610.  Arrived at Heacham far north where NC and SD went to assess conditions while team donned cold weather clothing in the car park – just about ready when a phone call came in to say we wouldn’t be trying to catch!  Wind had moderated, but wave action on the beach/sea wall was considerable, and there were only around 20 Turnstone (as seen the day before), plus 15 Ringed Plovers and 40 Oyks.  So we decided to it was more appropriate to go bird watching at Snettisham reserve instead.  Before leaving, SD and her companions read 6-7 Turnstone colour combinations.

At Snettisham the highlight was a flock of 125-150 Avocets (2 of which were also colour-ringed), at the edge of the beach where the Knot normally roost.  Also 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 1000+++ Knot and several hundred Oyks on one of the large islands, Shelduck, Cormorant etc.  The warden told us that 12,000 Knot had been around earlier but many had moved to the saltmarsh before our arrival.

Back to base for breakfast of sausages, bacon and a mixture of baked beans and canned tomatoes.  Excellent.  Tidied up and put equipment away and departed just before mid-day.

(Report prepared by DC, who doesn’t much like strong wind (Couldn’t tell! Web Eds); verse by Anon.)