Limbourne Creek – 4th February 2012

Out on the foreshore again with Colin for our second attempt to shoot Limbourne Creek. Met up just off the A12 again at 6am. The light dusting of snow overnight was snaking around on the road surface behind him as I followed gingerly through the lanes to park up at the farmhouse. We walked across the frozen fields, over the sea wall and onto the marsh.

Directed to my spot, I stepped down onto the ‘sand’ in a little cut where my right leg disappeared past the knee, the ‘sand’ turning out to be sludge. Somehow Colin managed to walk out to the centre of the Creek and drop a couple of Widgeon decoys. Don’t stop moving is apparently the trick. Very little wind meant it didn’t feel too cold over the next hour as I watched Eric trying to make his mind up whether to get some sleep or watch the tide move in to lift the decoys.

Flying with the tide a small, fast duck landed next to Eric’s decoys, but soon realised something was amiss and lifted. Eric missed and so did I but luckily I hit him with my second barrel, leaving Poppy with the muddy retrieve of my first ever Teal.

A little later Colin managed to bag a Pintail, but Eric failed to connect with anything from a team of Teal that flew around the corner and up the Creek after a stir-up shot.  Not much else moving around so we decided to call it a day.  Walking back across the marsh, a skein of Brent geese flew over and a birdwatcher stopped for a chat and informed me that the bird of prey I’d seen chaced off by a crow was a hen harrier.

Many thanks to Colin, Eric and Poppy for letting me join them to shoot in such a wonderful place.

Bag for the day (1 bird for 2 shots)
Teal 1 (drake)

February 4, 2012 | Categories: Wildfowling | Leave A Comment »

Joyce’s Creek – 19th February 2011

Had an email from Martin during the week regarding a guided flight by the Blackwater Wildfowling Association. One of the members, Colin offered to take me out on the Saturday morning. We rendezvoued at 5:00am and I followed him to Limbourne. Side lights only as we approached the farm house; bit nervy as I didn’t know if I was surrounded by marsh and one wheel off the track could mean having to be dragged out. Quick change of plan required when Colin realised he’d left his waders at home. So off, via Maldon, to Joyce’s Creek on the north side of the Blackwater.

We parked up at the farm and sneeked along the sea wall, dropping down to the water side base and out to the end of a short spit. I set up a little hide with Colin just behind me so he could let me know what was legal quarry. Apart from a Cormorant that flew over, there were no bird sightings for the first 45 minutes (we could hear plenty though, either over the wall or farther out in the creek).
As the light improved a dog walker, passing along the sea wall, pushed up three birds. “You can shoot those” came from behind, I dropped the rear bird and Colin’s black labrador made a quick retrieve. A nice Hen Mallard, my first wildfowling prize.

After a further 30 minutes of watching birds flying across the sea wall 200 yrds away, from Osea Island to the pond, we decided to move up and setup a hide on the shingle. Immediately Colin bagged a female Mallard that dropped behind the sea wall, followed by two Wigeon. The shooting had pushed the birds out into the estuary and after a while, every now and then a few birds would fly back in over the wall to the pond.

The Teal would scream along, very low and just hop up over the wall at the last minute. Very exciting, but frustrating. They were over the wall before you had a chance to raise a gun. I had more chance with the other dabbling ducks that flew higher. After missing one and a little wait, I got a male Shoveler slowing him with the first barrel and making sure with the second.  Despite the rain, it was a great morning.

A real big thanks due to Colin and his dog for generously taking me out on my first Wildfowling flight.

February 19, 2011 | Categories: Wildfowling | Leave A Comment »