The winters of 2021 and 2022 demonstrated how difficult it can be to ring farmland sites in the very windy conditions that prevail for much of the time here in Norfolk, making any structured approach such as winter CES near impossible. We already have a couple of farms where we may ring, however the fields are large and ringing days are often ruled out as the wind makes use of mist nets impracticable. Having made an approach to a local farmer, sympathetic to the needs of conservation, with good numbers of buntings on his fields we were recently taken for an on site reconnaissance and were granted permission to ring on the site.
The conditions were not ideal and the wind gusts increased beyond the speed forecast, but today we went on site to assess how the birds use the site, see what lines they take and generally consider where nets might work well. There were fewer birds about than when we had driven round before but we still identified three key areas where nets could be placed between hedgerows and the head height wild bird crop. We put up singles in the three locations where doubles or triples could be fitted in on a calmer day.
The nets were wind affected but that didn't prevent a catch of 29 birds. Looking very promising for the 2023/4 winter season. Many thanks to the land owner for agreeing to work with us.
Dunnock - 5
Blue Tit - 3
Greenfinch - 1
Reed Bunting - 13
Yellowhammer - 5