Wash Wader Ringing Group

Friday 8th February

SD reccied on the morning tide.  Snettisham North beach had 100 Oystercatchers, 50 Grey Plover, 100-150 Knot and about 300 Sanderling.  On Heacham South 100 Oystercatchers were present and the 200 seen flying past Snettisham may well have originated from here.

On the basis of this recce it was an easy decision to chose to go to Snettisham for Saturday morning, particularly for the Grey Plover and Knot. 

SD then met the BBC Radio 4 crew whose were making a ‘Living World’ programme featuring the waders on the Wash to record a piece about the use of the mud flats and to make arrangements for them to join the group both for setting and for the catch.

Departed to set on Snettisham at 20:00, setting four narrow full nets.  Back to base and bed soon after 23:00.

Saturday 9th February

Up 05:15.  PLI observed nets from Snettisham end.  SD and Radio 4’s Lionel Kellaway and the sound man observed from the other direction.  As it became light it became clear Oystercatchers and some grey waders were in front of the nets.  The biggest difficulty was establishing what was in front of which net in relatively poor light.  Apart from the Oystercatcher flock, which was at SD ’s end of the line of nets, the birds were spread along in front of all nets with no great concentration.  With the tide now past the eight yard markers decided to fire the net nearest SD, discovering the Oystercatchers were rather further in to that net than initially thought!

Processed the catch in pleasant conditions on the beach. NAC went off to recce Heacham finding just 20 Oystercatchers on South beach.  Far North beach was rather better with finding 30 Oystercatchers and 200 Sanderling plus, in an area where cockle shells had been washed ashore, 70 Turnstone and 25 Knot.  10 Ringed Plover also present.

After breakfast there was time to spare to try the pneumatic “phutt” net which JL had brought with her.  This was for use in Mauritania and the aim was to resolve some technical issues.  Although it did not prove possible to fire the net properly it did enable conclusions to be drawn as to how to make it more easily used in the field.

Departed to set mist net at 15:00 in almost perfect conditions with just a slight breeze and clear skies.  A huge flock of Brent Geese further along the saltmarsh and 10 Whooper Swans flying overhead were an added bonus.

Meanwhile BW had prepared a superb meal of Shepherd’s Pie and Fruit Crumble eaten back at base.  Tape lures set at 18:30 with the rest of the team being called to help extract from 19:00 onwards. 

The mist nets had been set on two pools, the one out from the white barn (6 nets) and the one normally referred to as the ”E” pool (8  nets) , and with relatively little water or evidence of birds’ use other than Brent Geese foot prints there had been doubt as to how successful mist netting would be.  

In the event it proved better than expected:-

Bed before midnight.

Sunday 10th February

Up 05:15.  To Heacham Far North after removing the ice from windscreens.  Three small mesh nets set although, with the tide rapidly approaching, one had to be abandoned when the electrical circuit failed to test for no obvious reason.  Very quickly a small number of birds in front of the nets with larger flocks the Heacham side of the bay.  GA twinkled these and gradually built up numbers near the nets.  TT was then called in from the other direction to give a pincer movement to concentrate the birds in front of the nets.  This was successful so the net with the decoys was fired.

Once the sun had come up processing was very pleasant, further enlivened by a passing flock of 20 or so Snow Buntings.  All the Turnstone were colour ringed as part of the project monitoring the feeding locations of these birds.

Back at base, breakfast was a leisurely affair, being eaten in the sunshine outside!