An early start for the morning flight at Gardener’s with Richie. By the time we had faffed about at the Supermarket getting supplies and walked out to the marsh time was getting on, so we just squatted down in a couple of muddy holes.

It wasn’t long before a few Teal passed by, but they were either slightly out of range or were out of range by the time I had spotted them. After a quiet patch Richie called out suggesting he put a shot up, just as a group of about 5 flew past from behind him. Picked my bird and hit it with the first shot. It was dead in the air so I tried my luck (unsuccessfully) on another. Sent Harry quickly as I didn’t want another non picked bird like my first trip this year. He had soon retrieved it, but had a cheeky shake just as he got to me before delivery.

After it had got light we set-up the decoys, having to wait quite a while before a drake Pintail flew right over my decoys from right to left towards Richie. For some reason I just watched it go by, mesmerised by it’s long tail which really stood out; beautiful. Richie also had a good chance to get it, but missed! (and he’s been desparate to get a Pintail this season). He won’t get a much easier chance than that.

I met Richie and his boy over at Gardeners and as predicted above, it was very windy.  I moved to the slightly sheltered corner area. There were plenty of Brent and Shell Duck taking cover there

and about and a couple of single Teal flew over the sea wall, but both times they were well past by the time I saw them.

Evening flight at Gardeners hoping to make amends for missing the mallard at The Gore a couple of days ago. Richie walked some deeks out to the middle of the creek, showing me how it’s done.

Could hear plenty of Brent over the sea wall, then a Greylag called in the distance and I spotted a pair coming straight for me. Changed the breach cartridge over to a goose load and waited, just to watch them turn away. Don’t think it was the noise of changing cartridge, but next time will hold the bolt level when releasing, just to cut the noise down a bit.

No chances for me, but Richie dropped a Teal on the mud the other side of the creek which Harry did a great job of picking just before we started to clear up.

Richie took me out on The Gore for an evening flight. Set out a few decoys and sat down in a gully. Not too long before a Mallard flew over me, incoming left to right. I knew I was behind it before I’d even pulled the trigger and that turned out to be the only chance of the evening. Harry had been reluctant recently to come back to the hide, which I though might be down to noise level when shooting, so I tried getting him to sit un-tethered in my decoy bag a little way away from me. It worked for all of 20 minutes, when I heard the splashing noise of him tearing across the mud. Well, I tried.

Early start, up at 4am for morning flight with Richie10 on Limbourne. Not too cold but bloody muddy. Plenty of birds about. Richard had the best of it managing 4 Teal, but I broke my duck and dropped a Hen Pintail, to my great relief.