Figure 15.10

(a) Vehicles twinkle from both ends of the beach to concentrate flocks of birds (in this instance, mostly wader species, order Charadriiformes) in front of the set and camouflaged cannon nets. Nets will not be fired if birds are in flight above the catch area or are in the ‘danger zone’ immediately in front of the furled net. Photo by Prue Wright. (b) When the tide and the twinklers have pushed the birds into the catching area, but no birds are in the firing line, the cannons are fired. The trajectory of the projectiles launches the net over the roosting flocks. All personnel mobilise to the catch area to extract birds. Photo by Prue Wright. (c) The team works together to quickly extract the birds (a mixed flock capture, including bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica; common greenshank, Tringa nebularia; great knot, Calidris tenurostris; red knot, Calidris canutus; and curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea), experienced personnel securing and disentangling the birds, and placing them in species-specific holding boxes, for transfer to a sheltered processing area. Photo by Olivia Gourley.