anser2 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 (edited) In recent weeks I seem to have hit a run of heavily overcast , damp flights. Most of us like a cold crisp flight when the birds show clearly in the fading light , you can see the birds coming , take your time in picking the shot and see the results of your endeavours. But it’s not always like that. I was out on a cold dismal evening a few days ago and the conditions were very different. I was early , it was just after 2.30 , but I wanted to have a look around several flashes across our Broadland marsh to see if any had been visited by duck. Already as I got my gear on the light was starting to fade and a gathering mist hanging over the uplands. Overhead the sky was a solid bank of cloud and not a hint of breeze rippled the surface of the flashes as I reached them. Flight was going to be early tonight. The first showed no duck signs though the grassy edges were liberally scattered with an abundance of wader droppings. Snipe, lapwing or golden plover ? It was impossible to be sure. The next couple of pools did show some signs of duck , but only from a very few birds. In a couple of places the grass has a few small holes dug into the turf when the birds had dug into the grass after a drowned worm or tasty tuber. A couple of odd mallard feathers floated on the far side of the pool along with bitten grass tips. Some birds had visited here last night , but not above a very few . I settled on the larger of the two pools hoping the bigger area of water would be more attractive for the birds. It was amazing how quickly the darkness was pulling in and by 3.30 it was well into flight time. Perching on my little stool on a tiny hummock I awaited to see what the evening would bring. The heavy clouds settled into a uniform greyness across the sky, perhaps a little lighter towards the west. Already the lights of the distant town were reflecting of the undersides of the clouds , but with the growing mist was of little use as a background to see the duck against. We waited and waited as the greyness deepened around us , but for a long time not a bird moved. The shivering of Meg , my black lab was the only other sign of life out on these bleak marshes. We both heard wings , duck wings as some mallard flew past, they were close , very close , but I never saw a thing. Even the greyness was going now as the night started to take over the sky and for quite a while the marsh was almost silent , only broken as the distant train rattled away in the distance. Still nothing until two black shadows appeared in an instant over the flash. At my single shot they disappeared into the night and I had no idea if I had scored or not. I sent Meg forward and dimly I could just make her out hunting the far edge of the flash and then she too was swallowed up into the darkness. A second later I could hear her snorting and again as a feather tickled her nose and appearing out of the night she presented me with a fine drake mallard. Hardly had I stowed it into the bag when a medium sized duck , a wigeon at a guess , flashed past towards the other flash. I whistled twice and it swung back . I only had time for a single shot , but this time I missed. More wings , but their owners remained hidden in the darkness. A minuet later and a bunch of duck splashed down into the water. For a long second my eyes tried to make them out and then a welter of wings and they were up sounding so close and yet remaining unseen. The last dregs of evening light had drained form the murky sky , it was time to head for home and warming brew of tea , though at least the reassuring weight in my game bag had proved the flight had been worthwhile. Edited December 16, 2015 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Another good read. Not a spectacular flight, but one we can all relate to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 A good detailed report on the sort of flight we can relate to. Hope you enjoy your Mallard I was out last night and my flight was nearly identical the only difference was I got wet and didn't see or hear a duck, or a shot come to that anywhere. The expectation normally drive me on in any condition but yesterday it was poor light , not a breath of wind , misty and a fine drizzle . When I walked down the marsh I had a bit of a cold and wasn't feeling to sharp and when I sat down near a patch of water waiting for what little light was left it started to rain a bit harder and I started to wonder what on earth am I doing down here sitting down on a damp ole marsh getting wet , with no sign of any bird life and now pitch dark it was time to head back home , feeling cold and walking back home in the dark it was one a few times I wish I hadn't bothered . Now today feeling a bit better and a little bit lighter outside with a little wind, I am now going to give it another go and the poor flight I had yesterday is all but forgotten , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.w. Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Chin up marsh man keep on going it will all come good in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawntredder Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Yeh right I seen my 1st pinks this morning....flying over me sodden house coz am not in good way with chronic sciatica am not able to travel to the flats I shoot....but am gan go this wkend whatever happens try me hand at getting a Xmas goose....might be me last season unless the surgery fixes me 30 years ain't good on the body lying in creek bottoms filled with mud n water....but it was worth it!! PS...got a lump in throat when I heard then seen the 100 plus skein gets you everytime eh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul taylor Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Great write up anser2 makes me want to get out there and try fowling but living so far from the coast and not really having a gun suitable for steel I can't see it happening any time soon. Thanks for sharing your experiences 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m greeny Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 You have a way with words and i always enjoy your threads so thanks for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Yes, the book can't come soon enough. You have a way with words and i always enjoy your threads so thanks for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 A good detailed report on the sort of flight we can relate to. Hope you enjoy your Mallard I was out last night and my flight was nearly identical the only difference was I got wet and didn't see or hear a duck, or a shot come to that anywhere. The expectation normally drive me on in any condition but yesterday it was poor light , not a breath of wind , misty and a fine drizzle . When I walked down the marsh I had a bit of a cold and wasn't feeling to sharp and when I sat down near a patch of water waiting for what little light was left it started to rain a bit harder and I started to wonder what on earth am I doing down here sitting down on a damp ole marsh getting wet , with no sign of any bird life and now pitch dark it was time to head back home , feeling cold and walking back home in the dark it was one a few times I wish I hadn't bothered . Now today feeling a bit better and a little bit lighter outside with a little wind, I am now going to give it another go and the poor flight I had yesterday is all but forgotten , I am sure you have long known it is days like that which make the good ones worth the wait marsh man. I was on the marsh Tuesday and it was a dank horrible day thick cloud and drizzle almost constantly and not a breath of wind to move it along . It was looking like I was going to blank too and I sat for a good while without a shot but fortunately the duck started to move late on , it was 9am before I managed a teal and I had another 2 and a wigeon before calling it a day at 10.30 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 I am sure you have long known it is days like that which make the good ones worth the wait marsh man. I was on the marsh Tuesday and it was a dank horrible day thick cloud and drizzle almost constantly and not a breath of wind to move it along . It was looking like I was going to blank too and I sat for a good while without a shot but fortunately the duck started to move late on , it was 9am before I managed a teal and I had another 2 and a wigeon before calling it a day at 10.30 . You are certainly right in what you say fenboy , I have always looked at that type of weather at getting a duck or two as only a very slim chance , yet if I sat indoors then it would be absolutely no chance at all , and the season don't wait for you until the weather is right . in a way the longer I go without a duck , the more eager I am to get one and going by past experience I am do for another one any time soon as tonight was the third night on the trot I haven't fired a shot , tomorrow I cant go as we game shooting and it is normally dark when I leave that one so all I can say is roll on Saturday and I will do my best to put a stop to this run of blanks . You are having a very good season and rightly deserved, but I am sure everyone up and down the country will benefit from some seasonable weather to move the duck about a bit , we are not short of duck as I see them most days and all there doing is sitting about enjoying the warm weather , a bit like the Eastern Europeans eating there chips on Yarmouth market place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 You are certainly right in what you say fenboy , I have always looked at that type of weather at getting a duck or two as only a very slim chance , yet if I sat indoors then it would be absolutely no chance at all , and the season don't wait for you until the weather is right . in a way the longer I go without a duck , the more eager I am to get one and going by past experience I am do for another one any time soon as tonight was the third night on the trot I haven't fired a shot , tomorrow I cant go as we game shooting and it is normally dark when I leave that one so all I can say is roll on Saturday and I will do my best to put a stop to this run of blanks . You are having a very good season and rightly deserved, but I am sure everyone up and down the country will benefit from some seasonable weather to move the duck about a bit , we are not short of duck as I see them most days and all there doing is sitting about enjoying the warm weather , a bit like the Eastern Europeans eating there chips on Yarmouth market place A good cold spell would certainly improve our chances on the foreshore but they seem to be getting a bit of a rarity ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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