Guttersnipe Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Just wondering if anyone has encountered anything on their marsh that's a bit unusual - visitors or resident We've got a black swan and a snow goose that have take up residence for the last three years - something you need to be aware of when the light fades and the "goose fever" appears. Read tales on here of cranes and the increasing Mandarin population so thought I'd ask. With all the years of experience some of you have i'm sure there are a few tales.- Bird life rather than naturists or doggers! Cheers, GS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 I wouldn't recognise most really rare stuff but have had marsh harriers come close often and many owls have hovered over my hat on evening flight Last year I had a Brent goose feed at my feet while the dog looked at me in confusion. He never made a grab for it but I know he was itching to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bad lindz Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 (edited) Not so much on a marsh as we don't have any up my way but last season when sat in the sand dunes I had a pair of roe deer walk past me about 10-15 feet away along the sea weed line on the beach. Great to see so close. I also have had fox`s about 40 feet away I thought about having a go at them but I did not want to disturb the geese waiting to flight off. (I wont mention Brent geese I might get a rollicking) Edited August 19, 2015 by big bad lindz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 We had a domestic white goose that could fly and it liked to visit one of the larger creeks a few hundred yards from where the flock were kept. One of the local lads had a shot at it and it instantly became very wild. As soon as anyone set foot on the marsh it was off to rejoin the tame flock. One morning at the end of the season I shot a right and left at greylags over the sueda bushes at the back of the marsh in the first hint od dawn light. I still had a 1\2 mile walk to where i intended to do the morning flight. It was a very quiet area of marsh that rarely saw another fowler at the seasons end so rather than lug 2 heavy geese out onto the marsh and back after flight I tucked the 2 greys under a little sueda bush intending to return for them. When I came back an hour later there was no sign ofthe geese. I hunted the dog all over the area , but nothing. I blamed other fowlers, bait diggers and even perhaps a dog walker for taking my geese despite having not seen a sole all morning. As we were walking along the hedge at the back of the marsh my dog dived into some brambles and hauled out one of my greylags. A number of flight feathers on one wing had been bitten off when the truth dawned on me. A fox must have taken them , though I have never seen a fox in this area. The other goose was never found and I can only guess having taken one goose , was in the act of taking the second when he saw me returning off the marsh and dropped the second bird. That will teach me not to be lazy and hide birds on the marsh until I return. I would have loved to seen the expression on that foxes face though when he found 2 fat greys tucked under that sueda bush. He must have though it was christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
widgeon man Posted August 19, 2015 Report Share Posted August 19, 2015 Moonlight fighting inland someway off a loch, stood there enjoying the scene, taking in the sounds of the night, when I hear a splash in the stream flowing beside me, picked out a pair of otters, swimming towards me..... Ahh I think what a wonderful sight in wild surroundings............. Until the ******* split up and started climbing the bank hissing at me! One coming up behind me the other from the front! Very strange! Guessing I was in their territory or alarming them I moved a few yards along! Those otters looking ver big in the flesh, up close and personal under a moon! .... Oh and I never got a shot either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted August 20, 2015 Report Share Posted August 20, 2015 There was a dead pilot whale my golden retriever found on the N Norfolk salyings. She took delight in rolling in its decomposing blubber and have you ever tried to get greasy fat blubber off a dogs coat before letting it in the car. The only answer was to drive into the local town , get some hair shampoo and take the dog down to the beach for a shampoo and set in the tide way. My mate reconed we were going to be done for polluting the channel with the amount of soap suds that drifted out on the tide. It took a whole bottle to clean her up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossEM Posted August 27, 2015 Report Share Posted August 27, 2015 I'm well inland but near three big lakes (nature reserves) and we regularly have cranes, sea ducks and other oddities flying around. A solitary Ross' Goose was the weirdest visitor yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpatten Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 Once, whilst sat in a hide on the shore I had a wild peregrine land on my head. That made both of us jump! On numerous occasions I`ve had kingfishers land on my gun barrel whilst tucked in to the sea wall at morning flight. Once had a seal try to get aboard the punt. Fortunately it was only a small harbour seal and not a big grey. We disuaded him with a smart clip around the ear with an oar. My old punting mentor demonstrated to me once how close you could get to birds, especially in the pre dawn darkness by pushing up right amongst a bunch of widgeon and catching one in his hand. He did subsequently let it go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 28, 2015 Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 How about a young lady turning up on the fret edge to do yoga at first light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokersmith Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 A few things spring to mind .... Inbound Short Eared owls completing their migration. A couple of Spoonbills A fox flushed off by fowlers finishing their flight ... He bounded across the creek I was sat in and I caught him mid ships when he was at full stretch.... it was his last leap. One of my favourites was a rainbow of moonlight one evening .... Never knew they existed until I saw it there. Whoopers are quite enchanting under a silvery moon too ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 An otter and 3 pups tried to steal a wigeon from my brothers feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 Pavman and his dog being duffed up by a bunch of basking seals... Dog was OK but Dan suffered a wrenched ankle. Had to carry all his gear off the marsh on a rising tide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biddy Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 When sitting in a hide on the edge of the Alaw I watched a dog walker on the other side with a terrier charging about course a Hare for a couple of fields the Hare then ran down to the shore and dived straight into the water with a pushing tide and swam to my side within feet of my hide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 When sitting in a hide on the edge of the Alaw I watched a dog walker on the other side with a terrier charging about course a Hare for a couple of fields the Hare then ran down to the shore and dived straight into the water with a pushing tide and swam to my side within feet of my hide. Must have been some terrier to make the hare swim. Had Peregrines dive at my decoys, marsh harriers fly feet away from my head. Close encounters with the seals on the wash as most people have. nothing too strange yet. Did find a Tawny owl that had been killed and half eaten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayDT10 Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 I bumped in to a fellow wildfowler one eve and he said you'll never guess what I shot tonight , I started with some of the more rarer species round our parts such as golden eye , pochard . Tuffed. No no none of them he said , I then started naming stuff you shouldn't shoot , shell duck , Brent , SWAN!. No he said you'll never guess. So I gave up and said show me then. He then pulled a cod out of his game bag with a hole out of the top of its head. He said it was on the edge of the saltings with just it back out of the water. It didn't look very healthy and most prob weighed about 7 lb but was very skinny . In prime condition it would of been a 10lber easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) One moonlight night back in the 1970s I was waiting out a big tide on the sea wall when 4 guys apeared on the wall looking lost. As they came up close to me I saw they had no guns. " Morning " I greeted them only to be answered " And a very good night to you " is a rapid accent just like the Indians from the TV program " It aint half hot mum ". They disapeared into the darkness before I could ask them what they were doing there. Like Jay's mate I once came across a large cod in the bottom of a large creek at low tide. It was a foul morning of gales and very heavy rain. The morning flight had been very successful and I had 6 fat pink feet in my game bag. With the thought a long trudge against the wind , the burden of a 10 lb cod adding to the bag was just too much so I left it there. Edited August 31, 2015 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 Saw a purple heron about 3 years ago.... a very strange sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m greeny Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 Saw a purple heron about 3 years ago.... a very strange sight. Have you been eating funny mushrooms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 Greeny I am not sure if you realise there is such a species of heron called a purple heron. Rare in this country , but common in southern Europe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted September 3, 2015 Report Share Posted September 3, 2015 Greeny I am not sure if you realise there is such a species of heron called a purple heron. Rare in this country , but common in southern Europe. Not more imigrants lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m greeny Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Greeny I am not sure if you realise there is such a species of heron called a purple heron. Rare in this country , but common in southern Europe.yes I am fully aware it was just my attempt at some light hearted humour so I will get my coat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 No not an immigrant, he was only about for a week or so ...... More like a holiday maker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzicat Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Last season on Findhorn bay an osprey came close past me with a teal in it's talons ( sept 2nd)decoying geese inland near Tain years ago watched a young fox stalk my decoys,then my lab & fox made eye contact, & tim my big lab (A big strong self willed fowling dog)took off after fox & coursed him over a 90 acre field, came back looking embarrased & got a telling off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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