Another SCAN ringing trip.

A bit late with this one but SCAN had their last canon netting trip of the winter a few weeks ago. The target was Sanderling and did they give us the run around! The roost site moved and resulted in the nets being lifted at the last minute and reset about 3 miles further down the coast where Chris Bridges managed to relocate them. I was dispatched along the coast to help with the spotting and twinkling and ended up walking about 5 miles in warm weather wearing chest waders. It was worth the effort with a good catch of Sanderling and a smaller number of Turnstone, Ringed Plover & Dunlin.

 Chris measuring Dunlin bill length.

We also had a night time mist netting session recently with 5 nets being set across a flooded pool just behind the beach at Wig. Unfortunately, as happens, the birds decided to roost somewhere else that night and we only had a small catch of Curlew and Oystercatchers. It was good experience setting nets over water in the dark though.

More survey work on the Gowy as well recently with this adult Yellow-legged Gull being the highlight. Meanwhile on the local pond a 2nd Moorhen has joined the single bird that has been there all winter. With the very low water levels last summer the local cats killed all the young birds and one of the adults so there has been a lone bird there since last August. Cats are a real menace to our wildlife we seem to be infested with them on our estate. The Mallards have also turned up again and will hopefully breed.