24 May 2014

Cannon-netting Guernsey gulls

This week a small contingent for WCRG have been over in Guernsey helping out Guernsey Gulls and North Thames Gull Group cannon-netting on the island's one and only landfill site.


Over the week we squeezed in 12 fires, catching just over 1,200 big gulls, colour-ringing 316 Lesser Black-backed and 730 Herring Gulls. Add to that a fair few Great Black-backs and a very smart Yellow-legged Gull and it's been a good week.




After catching, gulls are kept in a large keeping cage (a modified cage trap really), which ensures they stay cool and relaxed, using a small catching box to deal with a few birds at a time.



Running repairs on the keeping cage Cornwall-stylee
All birds ringed during the week were also colour-ringed as part of a long-term project monitoring productivity at breeding colonies on the island. Several birds were also caught which needed a colour ring replacing, having effectively worn out their original ring.


The good side of 6FF9
The not-so-good side of 6FF9
The tip is also often a rather interesting place to work, sharing it with some unexpected characters.

1 comment:

  1. I hope you didn't pass those toys off as gifts to Tabs & co......

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