Who Still Carry Out Morning Duck Flighting ?

[greenshank1]

I do the odd morning flight but way more evening tide flights . 
The foreshore I shoot I know it will be quieter the closer to dusk , less likely to bump into tourists , local bird watchers and local dog walkers so evenings are when more birds are about and I can be more discrete . 
 
If the pouring rain ever eases , I am hoping to do my first moon flight in the next few weeks and would appreciate any tips from any experienced members 👍

[marsh man]

3 hours ago, harrycatcat1 said:

Thing is though, I enjoyed it that much that I am now peed off that there seems to be that many hurdles in front of me trying to prevent me going. You are right though the two hours drive means that you can't get to know the marshes and flight paths as much as you would like. 

I know there are members on here that are a lot older than me but still get out on the marshes and I doff my hat to them 👍

I am still planning and scheming to get out again at some stage. Its really like an addiction, not because I want to shoot lots of birds but just to soak in the atmosphere. 

I know exactly what you mean Harry , it is an addiction pure and simple ,  My days of wildfowling is slowly drawing to close but the environment where I done my wildfowling is still as strong as ever , I am never more happier than when I am by myself with the ducks and geese in the near vicinity and any anxieties I have just seem to drift away 

I won't go into great detail but early December my heart was broken in pieces and my life changed forever , I was dreading Christmas and I needed to get out , I was asked out but I just wanted to be by myself , Christmas day dawned mild and dry so after getting my household chores sorted and at the time when most people were eating there Christmas dinner I was driving across some of the most isolated marshes in Norfolk , I parked my motor beside the estuary wall and me and my faithful dog started to walk the two and half miles to the now closed pub called the Berney Arms , this was once called the most isolated pub in the UK so you know it is pretty remote , well back to the walk , the forecast was mild with rain moving in later , so off I went and straight away I could see a pack of Wigeon sitting quite close to the wall , in my younger days when a gun would be under my arm I would had whipped along the bottom of the wall and got up when I was level with them and gave them a couple of shots when they jumped up , not very sporting but it would put food on the table and a few bob in the pocket , today they would be perfectly safe and they only drifted out when I was walking towards them , in less than a hour I had reached the pub and for a while I sat on the ole broken bench and just took in the sounds of the duck and the geese that were already on the move , my little highlight was when a big ole dog Otter came swimming past , within a minute he had dived only never to be seen again , well the light was beginning to go so it was time to make my way back and in the time I was out I never saw another living soul which wasn't that surprising being a Christmas afternoon , well very soon I was back in the comfort of my motor and I had a cup of coffee from the flask and a sausage roll before I made the journey back home , I wasn't feeling that great but feeling a lot better than if I had stayed at home , and has luck would have it the rain started just when I was putting my Christmas dinner on , Not the same standard as your Christmas dinner Harry but both me and my dog enjoyed it before we both nodded off together .    MM

[harrycatcat1]

9 hours ago, marsh man said:

I know exactly what you mean Harry , it is an addiction pure and simple ,  My days of wildfowling is slowly drawing to close but the environment where I done my wildfowling is still as strong as ever , I am never more happier than when I am by myself with the ducks and geese in the near vicinity and any anxieties I have just seem to drift away 

I won't go into great detail but early December my heart was broken in pieces and my life changed forever , I was dreading Christmas and I needed to get out , I was asked out but I just wanted to be by myself , Christmas day dawned mild and dry so after getting my household chores sorted and at the time when most people were eating there Christmas dinner I was driving across some of the most isolated marshes in Norfolk , I parked my motor beside the estuary wall and me and my faithful dog started to walk the two and half miles to the now closed pub called the Berney Arms , this was once called the most isolated pub in the UK so you know it is pretty remote , well back to the walk , the forecast was mild with rain moving in later , so off I went and straight away I could see a pack of Wigeon sitting quite close to the wall , in my younger days when a gun would be under my arm I would had whipped along the bottom of the wall and got up when I was level with them and gave them a couple of shots when they jumped up , not very sporting but it would put food on the table and a few bob in the pocket , today they would be perfectly safe and they only drifted out when I was walking towards them , in less than a hour I had reached the pub and for a while I sat on the ole broken bench and just took in the sounds of the duck and the geese that were already on the move , my little highlight was when a big ole dog Otter came swimming past , within a minute he had dived only never to be seen again , well the light was beginning to go so it was time to make my way back and in the time I was out I never saw another living soul which wasn't that surprising being a Christmas afternoon , well very soon I was back in the comfort of my motor and I had a cup of coffee from the flask and a sausage roll before I made the journey back home , I wasn't feeling that great but feeling a lot better than if I had stayed at home , and has luck would have it the rain started just when I was putting my Christmas dinner on , Not the same standard as your Christmas dinner Harry but both me and my dog enjoyed it before we both nodded off together .    MM

That's what I mean the marsh and isolation seem to be a tonic in times when you need a lift and in the circumstances you describe it seemed to help albeit for a short period 😉 best wishes for 2024  Hcc