Heislerville was completely flooded and full of Short-billed Dowitchers and Semi-Palmated Sandpipers when we first saw it, but now the water level was dropping and we had arranged to join David Mizrahi, of the New Jersey Audubon society, and his team to mist net waders. The session was dependent on the birds moving off the beaches at high tide so we set the nets at 11.30am. Amazingly, it is possible to catch birds this way, due to the numbers present.
David explains the process to passers by.
Mist nets at Heiserville
In unseasonably warm temperatures, keep cages and a shade are put up in case of a large catch.
Semi-palmated Plover
Semi-palmated Sandpiper
Blood samples are taken from most Semi-palmated Sandpipers before all receive an engraved flag.
David as a little disappointed with the numbers caught but we were quite happy extracting Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers and a couple of Least Sandpipers.
Many thanks to David and him team for welcoming us to their catch and allowing us to see how things are done on this side of the pond.
Totals:
Semi-palmated Sandpiper - 56
Least Sandpiper - 2
Semi-palmated Plover - 6