A whoosh net is a bungee-powered net that launches from the ground over a capture zone. This is a picture of our net in action today. We managed to lure some willets into the capture zone, along with quite a few gulls! Click the image for a larger view.
Unfortunately, the willets we lured into the capture zone were not the willets we wanted to catch. We are trying to catch a few more birds carrying geolocator tracking devices before the season is over. The area in the picture is a crossroads of activity for willets. They come here during the falling tide to eat horseshoe crab eggs. Willets are fattening up on horseshoe crab eggs for the journey south, which will begin within a week for many of the birds.
Video taken by my friend Sue Heath who caught a pair of oystercatchers.