The weather permitted two sessions during December, the first on 17th, with a night-time catch of waders. Normally small catches are made and this evening was not different, catching three Curlew, five Oystercatchers and one Bar-tailed Godwit. The latter was a bonus and a first for the Group. Small numbers of this Godwit are recorded on the Estuary.
Hoping our last cannon-net catch yesterday would be good, but alas only one Moorhen and two Shelduck were caught. Although 90+ duck were on the lagoon the ice close to the catching area appeared to make the duck suspicious something was wrong. The few birds did not spoil the public demonstration of bird ringing. Members of the public, especially the children were very attentive.
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| Eye comparison of three Oystercatchers showing in the foreground the brown eye of a juvenile (Copyright Fraser Rush) |
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| The bonus wader - Bar-tailed Godwit (Copyright Fraser Rush) |
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| Comparing two juvenile Shelduck to ascertain which are male and female (Copyright Adrian Bayley) |
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| Neil showing attentive children and adults the finer points of a Moorhen plumage (Copyright Adrian Bayley) |
