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A problem with Ecotone nets?? (1 Viewer)

John Morgan

Well-known member
My experience with several Ecotone nets I've used for an extended period (8 years) might interest others. I originally posted it to a Facebook group, but realised it could strike a chord with some ringers here. I'm hoping to find if others have had the same experience.


After about three to four years the material began to become elastic - first seen in an increasing need to place the poles further and further apart in net rides cut and prepared for use in successive seasons. I also began to experience problems of extraction, particularly with the heads and carpal joints of small passerines.

After noting the problem of lengthening, I searched for an answer to the extraction problem in the mesh size. I discovered I could open the meshes like an elastic band, stretching it from 16mm to 18mm or more using a vernier calliper.(32 mm stretched diameter became 36mm and more with very light pressure) Relaxing the calliper resulted in the mesh returning to 16mm. I believe this elasticity allows heads of small passerine to easily pass through, yet obstructs the return movement on extraction because of the blunt shape of the back of the skull.

Recently I took on a trainee (perhaps my last in a long line) Because he'd had experience of bat netting, I started him off with Blue and Great Tits in a net of long forgotten origins. As he proved to be a 'natural', I moved next to one of the 'elastic' Ecotone nets and immediately he found it much more difficult. Even I had to resort to cutting the net for more than one Blue Tit, but to his credit he did extract a number of birds before we switched to a 20-year-old North Ron s/fine. Problems vanished as he removed birds like a pro. I was also able to remove a Wren from this net without needing to take scissors or other tools to the net, as I would have done almost automatically with my aged Ecotones.

When I retire, my Ecotone nets will not be passed on to other ringers. They'll be going on a bonfire.
 
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Hi John,

I may have told you this before, but now for the benefit of others :

When we started using ecotones for farmland birds we found even chaffinch heads causing us problems, something we had never found with NRs. This happened from new, and even with the most experienced and highly regarded extractors in the team.

I am sticking to NRs. Not perfect quality control nowadays, but the birds come first.

Mike.
 
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