Hampshire Waders

Despite the snow that fell overnight in the South Downs it was snow free when I arrived on Sunday morning at Weston Shore near Southampton to meet Pete Potts and his team from Farlington Ringing Group. I had reported a colour ringed Black-tailed Godwit seen at Titchfield Haven last summer and Pete invited me to join his group for a cannon net catch in the Solent so as I was in Hampshire visiting my folks I arranged to meet him to try for some Dunlin that were coming to a patch of mud on Weston Shore in Southampton Water.

Meeting at 09:00 meant more sleep than usual before a cannon net catch and the site is very different from those operated on the Wash. The beach is a thin strip of stony shoreline in view of several high rise apartment blocks and next to a well used path popular with what seemed like every dog walker within a ten mile radius. With a single net set we retreated to a bench (luxury!), and waited for the tide to rise and the birds to arrive. a few Brent Geese were swimming tantalisingly just out of reach and still we waited. Ruth who was on the firing box had to answer a call of nature and retreated to the toilet block (more luxury!), leaving me to take the catch as directed by Pete. Eventually a small flock of Dunlin arrived and the order to fire came quickly. Upon running to the net it was immediately apparent that one of the middle cannons hadn't fired with the result that most of the flock had escaped capture leaving just four birds to be extracted one of which found freedom and with only two Ringed Plovers and a single Turnstone remaining it was clear that we wouldn't be short of ringing pliers.

With the kit packed up we headed back to the car park and set up a small processing area to deal with the birds. Pete's trainees Dan and Pete did the ringing with Ruth Crogan and I fitting the colour rings. Pete scribed and Tim Walker checked the biometrics. Ruth checked the unfired cartridge only to find the powder damp; it was presumed this had occurred on the group's previous trip where the net hadn't been fired.

 Pete and his team processing the 'catch'.

 Dan and I proudly holding our CRinged Ringed Plover before release.
Photo - Ruth Crogan

Ruth holding the CRinged Turnstone.
Photo - Ruth Crogan

Despite the the technical failure resulting in a very small catch it was a nice morning and it was really good to meet Pete and his team for some Hampshire ringing. I was made to feel really welcome and will certainly try to attend another catch. After returning to Pete's and unloading and cleaning the kit a warming lunch was served followed by some Brent Goose colour ring resighting. This is much easier said than done as c2000 geese were stood grazing amongst the winter grain crop making the colour rings very difficult to spot particularly for those with no previous experience with the colours and engravings. After an hour or so and with failing light we had racked up a respectable 30 individuals.

Flock size?