Penelope Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 As mentioned in a previous post, I used to see huge winter flocks al the time when I was a kid and into my late teens. The population is a shadow of it's former self. Your a lot younger than myself, all the upland grass areas was totally wick with them 20-30 yrs back! its the massive national decline not what you see today in the best areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 As mentioned in a previous post, I used to see huge winter flocks al the time when I was a kid and into my late teens. The population is a shadow of it's former self. Its sad but many of todays guys have never seen such numbers as we had Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 I''l take your word for it. Round my way there are a 'few' compared to other parts of the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 Ah lad, some of us is old enough to have shot them legal - and a lot of other things as well I once won a large bag of daffodil bulbs by shooting five straight redshanks - but that's another story. Swan tasted good back in the war as well - road kill naturally Now come on now Grandalf, we need to hear that story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 Now come on now Grandalf, we need to hear that story! +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowmonster Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 I come on Grandalf lets be knowing how you cooked that / them swans to make them edible, cos in my own very limited I must add experience they'd taste like **** even if you'd curried them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 but point taken and I don't know how you cooked that swan to make it edible either . Swan's not so bad...cook it how you would an Osprey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowmonster Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 Swan's not so bad...cook it how you would an Osprey Can't do Osprey tastes to fishy for me . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 18, 2013 Report Share Posted December 18, 2013 (edited) 1945 - Close to the end of WW Two in Europe - but nobody was sure when it was going to end. I was six years old living at Sonning-on-Thames in Berkshire. The river goes right through the village. Older brothers and brother-in-law all in the forces. Fred, the one serving on tankers in the Merchant Navy, was home on a short leave between trips to Russia. (The dreaded Russian Convoys). Food was very short and rationing had been in place for years. One evening Fred walked in with a dead swan in a sack and dumped it on the kitchen table. Mother, known in the family as The Duchess, threw a fit. The old man hid it in the larder. Fred wouldn't say how the bird had been acquired but said he hadn't killed it. The Duchess was sure we would all go to jail as the bird belonged to the King. It spent the next two days hidden in the log shed whilst the adult members of the family discussed its fate. The following Sunday, when brother-in-law was also home along with my sister, there was a right royal row with everyone against The Duchess. She was utterly convinced we would all be thrown in the Tower of London for High Treason. Anyway, common sense prevailed. The swan was plucked by the old man, cut into quarters because the council issue cooker and available pots were to small, and it was roasted along with some potatoes that were 'borrowed' from The Reading University Farm. A superb meal was had by all the family except eldest brother who was with the army in Italy. I, still a young whipper-snapper, was sworn to secrecy along with everyone else. It was tender and delicious. But our taste-buds were seriously out of practice by then. We would eat anything and enjoy it. (One egg a week per person etc). The feathers and carcass, after broth had been boiled out of it, were buried - at night - where the spuds had been borrowed from. We never discussed it in public 'till long after the war was done. The Duchess was still convinced we had committed the highest possible crime against the Monarch. Edited December 18, 2013 by Grandalf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry P Posted December 18, 2013 Report Share Posted December 18, 2013 Class. I enjoy reading stories from how it was for the average family during the war. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowmonster Posted December 18, 2013 Report Share Posted December 18, 2013 Good reading Grandalf I just hope you're not giving this young Strangford any ideas . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted December 19, 2013 Report Share Posted December 19, 2013 No, I'll wind him up with the redshanks tale shortly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted December 19, 2013 Report Share Posted December 19, 2013 Good reading Grandalf I just hope you're not giving this young Strangford any ideas . No, I'll wind him up with the redshanks tale shortly Come on go easy on me I'm only fresh blood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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