We operate primarily during the winter months on the Exe Estuary in South Devon and the Taw-Torridge in North Devon, using either mist-nets during the hours of darkness or cannon nets on high tides during daylight.
If you are a licensed ringer and would like to join the Devon and Cornwall Wader Ringing Group and help with this work, please contact us. Membership is currently £5 per year, running from 1 Nov to 31 Oct. Occasionally a session charge may be levied, particularly on cannon-net catches, to cover the costs of powder, fuses and equipment maintenance. Non-ringer helpers are also welcome. To join, please contact our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Since we cannot always predict the size of a cannon-net catch, we may limit the number of inexperienced people on any one session. However we will do our best to accommodate you. Please let us know what experience you have with catching and handling waders and of fitting larger ring sizes. For mist-netting sessions we also balance the mix of experience to ensure bird welfare, whilst providing training oportunities.
You will be required to adhere to local Health and Safety procedures which will be provided in advance of any ringing session. You are likely to be out in the open for several hours, and the catch sites are exposed, so warm clothing is essential. It is highly recommended that you are immunised against Tetanus.