Category: Fieldwork reports

Delaware 2025: 18-24 May

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Sunday 18 May

A wonderful start to our second week in Delaware Bay, we spent the evening at Dave’s for the annual BBQ he holds for the Shorebird Project. Before we could relax however, the morning was spent filling empty cartridges, finishing up a few last beach surveys for the period and of course cranking through the data entry and checking. Nigel also did a bit of a recce for some more walk-in trapping around Mispillion Harbour. With only partial success in our first week, we planned to make a big effort with walk-ins this week, there being lots of potential with the number of Dowitcher seen about the shores, and amongst the phragmites and marshes.

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A team of people standing in a line leading from a small boat to the shore. They are passing boxes along the line to empty the boat quickly. The boat is moored against a rocky shoreline. Numerous wooden poles are sticking out of the water behind the boat.

Delaware 2025: 10–17 May – Dowitcher City

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Saturday 10 May

After a long journey over the ocean from London to Philadelphia, and a familiar drive down to the team’s base on Slaughter Beach, the Brits made it safely to Delaware Bay for the start of another exciting season on the Delaware Shorebird Project. Kirsten Grond had joined us at the airport and both Jim Lyons and Ema Tiberi were at the house to welcome us warmly home. The traditional evening visit to Mispillion Harbour produced beautiful views of Common Scoter bobbing on the water, Short-billed Dowitchers probing and singing along the shores, and an Osprey elegantly gliding over the pink, sun-stained water.

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Four adults and a child walk along a shingle beach, under a bright blue sky.

Fieldwork March 2025

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Friday 28 March

Recces on Friday produced no catching options on the Norfolk side, and so the best option seemed to be to set on Horseshoe Lagoon. The usual group of Oystercatchers was using the site over high tide, although in reduced numbers compared to the last trip. However, it was hoped that the higher tide predicted on Saturday would bring over Knot in fair numbers.

No mist netting was planned for Friday night. The team all managed to arrive throughout the evening, despite various mechanical issues, and enjoyed a dinner of baked potatoes. A briefing was then held to plan Saturday morning’s activities, which were to be a mix of net-setting and resighting.

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A landscape photo showing a lagoon on a march, underneath a cloudy sky with the sun shining brightly through a gap in the clouds.

Fieldwork February / March 2025

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Friday 28 February

Recces had been carried out in the morning by Cathy and Hilary at Snettisham, Heacham, Heacham S and Heacham NN starting at 06:15. No good targets were found, totals were 1+5 Oystercatcher at Snettisham, 4+7+4+10 Oystercatcher at Heacham, 50 Oystercatcher at Heacham S and 150 Curlew spread along the beach, with nothing at Heacham NN. However, the Heacham S Oystercatcher left as Hilary arrived on the beach and it was too dark to see exactly where they had come from.

A recce by Hilary and Molly on the afternoon rising tide at Heacham S found Oystercatchers present again that could be a possible target, especially as that was close to where they had been caught on the previous trip, together with 50 Curlew. However, the Oystercatchers were spooked by dogs as the mud covered and didn’t gather on the beach as had been hoped. 230 Sanderling and several Ringed Plover were also found on Heacham NN as the sun set.

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Fieldwork February 2025

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Friday 14 February

The team arrived on Friday night to a welcoming, hot jacket potato dinner prepared by Cathy. The plan for the following morning was confirmed, with resighting efforts scheduled to begin at 09:00 on Saturday.

Saturday 15 February

The morning’s weather forecast indicated a 70% chance of rain, which led Nigel to cancel the planned mist-netting session at Terrington Outer Pool due to concerns about freezing rain affecting the nets and the welfare of the birds. Instead, Nigel proposed a potential cannon-netting session before or after the afternoon high tide at Heacham South, where Rob P had observed a flock of around 400 Oystercatchers and 80 Sanderling earlier in the day. This plan was left to be confirmed following the morning resighting efforts.

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