Eastern Curlew being released after banding © Jon Coleman 2015
A small team assembled early morning to set nets and try and catch some early returning Eastern Curlew and Double-banded Plover before they left for New Zealand. Both species we catch relatively few off at the moment. Two nets were set and the movement of birds around the site to get them in front of the net started.
Curlew are notoriously shy and we worked slowly to get them near to the net but as is often the case they were reluctant to go in front of what to us was a perfectly camouflaged net. Eventually we started to lose birds across to the island so took a consolation catch of 4 Eastern Curlew and a single Bar-tailed Godwit.
Double-banded Plover in full breeding plumage © Jon Coleman 2015
Once we had released these birds we then started moving a mixed flock of small birds, including about 30 Double-banded Plover towards the second net and again, something wasn’t right and eventually we had a small catch of stint and Double-banded Plover.
Not our best day, and certainly one of our most difficult days in getting the birds where we wanted them but at least some success!
| Species | New | Retrap | Total |
| Bar-tailed Godwit | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Double-banded Plover | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Eastern Curlew | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Red-necked Stint | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| TOTAL | 14 | 0 | 14 |
