Not a good start to 2019

[lakeside1000]

I had been watching an area on one of my perms for weeks as the pigeon numbers were building up, one afternoons short session produced 30 plus an old rook, but due to bad weather and family gatherings for the holidays I had not been able to get out for over two weeks,  two rape fields and a sugar beet field were the main feeding areas attracting up to 500 birds on a good day.

So with a slight upturn in the weather on new years eve I packed the motor and headed up to the farm, unfortunately the farmer had decided to plough in the beet tops on the same day, birds were there but shooting was not possible.

So new years day with the car still packed I returned , the tractor had finished and the birds were still there, it was cold and cloudy with light wind, I set up on the corner of the new plough and took 2 birds in the first 5 minutes, but they were not interested in coming to decoys and seemed to be just sitting in trees or circling around at great height, before settling back into the trees again.

By 1.30 the sky cleared to blue , but the wind picked up and the temperature dropped like a stone, I had 5 layers of clothing but I could not keep warm, by 2.00 I was physically shivering, by now the hide net was in danger of blowing away so I had to call it a day.

I only had 2 more shots at high birds on the wind which I missed, whats new !!, 

So in all a very disappointing start, and with more cold windy weather forecast it looks like the birds will have it all their own way for a while.

 

[dead eye alan]

 

   My you have some patience, i would have been home hours before you. 

[lakeside1000]

I used to be the same with fishing, just one more bite before I pack up, used to sit there for hours waiting for just one more which very often did not come, but its an old habit I cant shake off, ever the optimist .

2 hours ago, dead eye alan said:

 

   My you have some patience, i would have been home hours before you.