Grandalf Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 never got a shot! Regulars will know that I am unable to get out to the marsh much at the moment due The Memsahib being very under the weather. However on Friday a cunning plan was hatched so that one kind lady would be with the wife for most of the day and another would take over at 4pm until I got back home. You get to know who your friends really are at a time like this. By the time I had my nursing and domestic chores completed it was nearly 11am but I was soon on the road towards the chain ferry that takes me across the river to my Valhalla on this earth. Merlyn, yellow lab, got very exceted as she realised what was on after so many months of laying in her bed and looking longingly at my coat and boots parked in the corner of the back kitchen. Got to the ferry to be confronted by two new notices. A big yellow one proclaimed boldly FERRY CLOSED. I expleted very loudly as the way around via Yarmouth or Norwich would take about 30 minutes and then read the much smaller print beneath which said - (From 9th Jan for about four weeks). Rapid calculations told me it was the the 8th so I was alright. Second notice said BELL BROKEN - Please sound horn or make a noise!. So as the ferryman is on the north side of the river, at the pub, and I was on the south I sounded the horn of the landy. Nothing happened. I could see two blokes working on the roof of the pub but they did not react in any way. I turned my engine off and only then noticed a bulldozer was working about 20 yards away to my right. Obviously they couldn't hear my feeble efforts above his racket. I waited 'till he came to a halt and sounded the horn again. This time the guys started to climb down the ladder and I was eventually ferried across the river. Another 10 minutes saw me at the parking place by the cattle-pens. Two cars already there with one guy. He came over straight away and asked where the footpath started. He had an electronic map and had only just got out of his vehicle and was lost already. I didn't give much for his chances of navigating the maze of cattle marshes of all shapes and sizes, water channels and cattle gates that this area consists of. Anyway I pointed out the path and he was off on his way. As I was setting off behind him a fowler got back to the other car and said he had two shots in the six hours he had been out but not connected. He also stated that there were geese everywhere. This was just what I wanted to hear. I set out to a marsh called ****** Off. I don't know what the regulators will make of that but that's its name. Long story about that one but that's for another day. Fairly straight forward walk of about half a mile and I reached the marsh. About a couple of thousand pinks on the one next door. As I walked into view they rose and flew straight over my head at about sixty feet but I'm not on the shoot area yet. Merlyn was charging around in small circles in excitement at the noise and I went back to the expletives again. Got into position, set out the 'coys and settled down. The sky was blue and the wind was a gentle breeze. Not exactly fowling weather but I was out on my beloved marsh area again. That is exactly how it stayed until sunset. Geese were everywhere except anywhere near me. North, south, east and west. Great lumps of geese kept rising circling and settling again. The ones I had walked up only went two marshes over and settled down again. Saw a harrier, a chinese water deer, a fox, my footpath walker - again - on the return leg, another walker whistling frantically at his dog, and a JCB digging away furiously about six marshes over. Then a RAF Tornado came over at about 500 feet and every bird in the area rose, circled and settled again. Nothing came within half a mile of my position. At sunset I collected up the decoys and moved back to the marsh entrance in the hope I would intercept my walked up geese as they went back into the reserve area for the night. I waited until it was fully dark and they chattered away to each other just over there but they stubbornly refused to rise. I rattled the metal chain on the gate in the hope that would spook them but no luck. During the twilight period skein after skein, some of them comprising thousands of birds, flighted back into the RSPB reserve area from every point of the compass - Except the one I was sitting on! Ah well, time to go. Duck of all types could be heard going over but it was to dark to see them now. I walked back to the landy, fed Merlyn, listened to 'my' geese take flight back to the reserve (fully dark by now) and returned to the ferry. This time it was on the far side and two cars were already waiting to cross. Rush hour at Reedham Ferry! It only takes two cars so I had to wait my turn. Time for a coffee and another call home to make sure The Memsahib was OK. She was and I was told not to hurry. The journey home took just 30 minutes. Merlyn, covered with mud, slept soundly and looked fairly happy. We hadn't had a shot and she hadn't had a retrieve, except my hat, but - WE HAD BEEN THERE! At the end of the day that's what counts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 A nice account of a well deserved few hours out. The only thing missing was a shot or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Pleased you got out again , it is a great shame your few trips this season have not been better rewarded , but as you say it is the being there that matters most to proper fowlers such as yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Glad you managed to get to your beloved marshes for a few hours and your good lady was well cared for in your absence. You are old enough and wise enough to know you need a certain amount of luck in wildfowling , you picked the right place but sadly the weather didn't help you much , lets hope you can manage another day or two before the curtain comes down on another season and next time you will be rewarded for your well deserved break . If you need a hand lugging your gear over the marsh , by all means give a ring or send a P M as I only live down the road where you are talking about and I would be more than happy to oblige. Happy new year to you and your good lady . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Glad you managed to get to your beloved marshes for a few hours and your good lady was well cared for in your absence. You are old enough and wise enough to know you need a certain amount of luck in wildfowling , you picked the right place but sadly the weather didn't help you much , lets hope you can manage another day or two before the curtain comes down on another season and next time you will be rewarded for your well deserved break . If you need a hand lugging your gear over the marsh , by all means give a ring or send a P M as I only live down the road where you are talking about and I would be more than happy to oblige. Happy new year to you and your good lady . Fancy lugging mine too marsh man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 enjoyable read, glad you got out and even without a shot you made it sound like an very enjoyable day, just the sights and sounds all go to into it. Another memory to remedy upon when glancing back through the gamebook in times to come. atb with your endeavours 7diaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Hard luck Gandalf , some days fowling works and on others it does not, . The only answer is to keep on trying. If I can shake off my cold I hope to be flighting not so far away , but south of the river this weekend. The geese have been a bit patchy 1000s one day , none the next day and too many fowlers chasing them for the birds to settle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted January 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Thanks Marsh man - When I can't carry the gear I will give you a shout. Wont be yet awhile I hope. Anser2 there were more birds south of the river than to the north on Friday. Good luck when you go. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Fancy lugging mine too marsh man After you reporting on your four mile return trip over muddy conditions with two fat Pinks you had to carry on your return leg , then Boyd getting amongst them and lugging a fair old size bag back to civilisation , I am coming to the conclusion that you Fen landers are made of pretty strong material and if I said yes to lugging your gear I might be biting off more than I can chew , but with you leaving the naughty forties behind this year and entering the shifty fifties , yes of course I will give you a hand , no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 After you reporting on your four mile return trip over muddy conditions with two fat Pinks you had to carry on your return leg , then Boyd getting amongst them and lugging a fair old size bag back to civilisation , I am coming to the conclusion that you Fen landers are made of pretty strong material and if I said yes to lugging your gear I might be biting off more than I can chew , but with you leaving the naughty forties behind this year and entering the shifty fifties , yes of course I will give you a hand , no problem. Thanks marsh man , always good to have a plan B , Mrs Fenboy has put me on a diet to ensure I reach my 50s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawntredder Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Yeh thx for the write up as said you were not rewarded but being there just makes it worth while..atb DT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted January 10, 2016 Report Share Posted January 10, 2016 Ben, great to read your report, and hear you managed to get out at last.Thinking of you and the Memsahib. I trust your back up support will be to hand for the PW Catton weekend! ATB. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted January 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Catton is high on the list David. Time will tell how things pan out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Glad that you managed to get out Grandalf, and I hope that you are able to make it again before the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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