Banders Round up

Veni Vidi Nil Vici

Hum I don’t know whether the Latin is correct, a long time since school! Anyway some of the usual suspects gathered as planned at the Broome Bird Observatory, whilst others prettied themselves up for a day at the races. Among the usual suspects we were delighted to have Mavis Russell with us who had just come back from a period in the desert with Alma and Perry de Rebeira.

Chris gave his usual pre-catch talk whilst Clare and Matt guarded the catching site at Stilt Viewing. As it was a 9.5m (8.64 in the old money) tide Chris had set well below the High Tide mark hoping for a catch of Black-Winged Stilt.  So we set off 2 hours before the tide which was due to peak at 1315.

We settled in some shade whilst Chris and Mary set up in the firing position. Matt and Clare were then called in to action from their forward positions on the beach to gently shepherd the stilts into the catching area. Well that was plan A. Some expert twinkling got the birds in front of the net but the tide came in quickly, as it does when it is going to reach 9.5m, and the birds with their long legs stayed well out in the water and never got closer than 11m from the net. Something then disturbed the flock and off they went and in no time the water lapped the edge of the net.

Chris decided on plan B which was to call on BBO staff to move the net and reset it higher up the beach. He gave people the option to stay for about another hour or go. Most decided to stay, so he invited the participants to watch from the dunes so they could observe the net setting process.  I, having seen and done this before, made the wise decision to remain in the shade. Soon I was joined by another lady who was feeling the heat. It was decided that October should come in July, not quite Christmas in July but those of you familiar with Broome weather will appreciate that it was quite warm with a brisk easterly wind. Eventually the net was reset and the participants still amazingly smiling settled for a further wait.

Chris declined the option of catching 5 Silver Gulls and no other birds were prepared to settle in front of the net. Nik then put out some decoys but to no avail. 

Plan C was pull the pin and go home and enjoy the rest of the Sunday afternoon.

People who had made the wise decision to assist Perry, Alma and Mavis, with mist-netting earlier in the day were privileged to see real live birds in the hand.