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| An Adult Woodcock and our first 'Lamped' bird! 09/12/12 |
Monday, 10 December 2012
At Last!!!
Finally, after several attempts we have managed to dazzle and ring a Woodcock. The Poole Harbour lights have always made dazzling/lamping tricky in our area. However, last night we followed a woodcock around for a few minutes before landing the net!
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Dear,
ReplyDeleteI am a belgian ringer and I came across your website a while a go. Now that 'normal ringing' is quite slow I decided to give lamping for woodcock a try.
I went out two times already, but everytime when I spot a woodcock, they just seem to take of the moment I have them in sight. So I am mailing you for some pointers that could increase my catches!
This is how I operate right now: I go to a suitable area (scrubs and herbs with rough grasslands (where I know that there are woodcock) and I just start walking in the dark. When I'm in a suitable area (the middle of the grassland), I turn on my spotlight and start scanning the area. When I have bird in sight they just fly off...I keep the spotlight on them during flight, but they just keep flying.
Should I keep the bird 'locked' in the spotlight? Should I approach them really slow/steady/fast? Should I be really quiet? Should I be wearing dark clothes? Are they typically found near bushes, or actually more 'in the open'?
If I wouId be able to aproach a bird within catching distance, what is the best way to put your net over it? I presume that you keep the net out of the spotlight as long as possible, so I let it fall from above my head?
Any other pointers?
Thanks in advance,
Arent R.
ps: (please reply to araepsae"at"hotmail.com)