Catamong Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 After a mediocre day on the stubbles last Tuesday, when the birds were few & far between, I found a field of newly drilled wheat on Thursday that looked quite promising, with a flock of probably 50 birds mopping up the spilt grain still laying on top. I was back there at 9.00 on Friday, to be greeted by approx 250 birds, all feeding hard, who all clattered away as I unloaded the car. I set up in a natural hide in the branches of a fallen ash tree, which provided perfect cover and a good clear field of fire, I put a rotary with 2 dead birds about 20 yards directly in front of the hide, with 2 "arms" of deeks either side to leave a clear "landing zone" right behind the rotary. I also put a dead bird on a floater at the far end of the left hand "arm" which was bobbing about nicely in the near gale force NW wind. No sooner had I got set up, than the birds were heading back to the field, it started a bit slowly at first, by 10.30 I had 30 counted on the clicker, but things really started at about 11.30, they literally poured in, from all points of the compass, and they were hellbent on coming into the deeks, (in marked contrast to the other day on the stubbles ). I literally had no time to eat a sandwich or drink my soup, they just kept on coming, the very strong wind was masking the gun noise, and very often I would get several birds out of the same flock. The flocks were so dense, twice I hit 2 birds with one shot..!! I had to stop at one point as I had run out of the 125 shells I had brought with me, so I dashed back to the car to collect more shells, I also had a tidy up to clear the landing zone of dead birds and turn over all of those on their backs. Unfortunately I had to pack up at 2.00, as I had agreed to take my daughter to the theatre in London, and I knew it would take me a good hour to get cleared up, so I reluctantly put the gun in the slip and turned the rotary off, meanwhile there were birds still all around me. I finally picked up 186, I fired about 250 shells, it was certainly one of the best days I've had this year, I'm looking forward to getting out again soon. I noticed a lot of Red Kites in the area, they're lovely birds and are now quite common in my area, as I was picking up, one came down and floated about 20 feet above me, they seem to have no fear of humans, I was hoping he would swoop down and feast on one of the many woodies laying around, but he didn't, and meandered away into the distance. I only had time for one photo, I took this one after I'd already carted a sackful of 55 birds back to the car, so there's 131 birds in this pile, (I'll bet garyb can't work out where this one was taken..!!) All in all, a great days sport. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si-Bore Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 Well done. Wish I'd been there. Well in contrast I had a seriously busy day (walking across fields looking for birds) Its the first time I have been out and not gotten a shot at a bird! I've no idea what's going on with the pigeon round my way but there seems to be the odd flock feeding on a flighline, I walk them off and set up - they don't come back! They are feeding in other places that I don't have permission for. Typical. Guess I'll just have to wait for the rape to grow through. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scifiden Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 well done Cat, pity you had to pack up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROBLATCH Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 excelent day and good shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caeser Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 Brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nagantino Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 Great bag of birds. Bags of that number are few and far between in Ireland, crows maybe but rarely woodies. A great pic and a super days action! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admiral Von Tirpitz Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 Thats a good day !! Bet your barrels were hot too. Red Kites - how big are these things? I had two massive birds of prey flying close by the other week near Sudbury in Suffolk, they were much larger than anything seen before, the wings were rounded at the tips and they did not seem bothered by me. Any know?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted October 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 I'll try and get a close up piccy of one of those lovely birds, they look very much like buzzards, but have a distinctive forked tail. Watch this space..!! Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamHall Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 well done mate sound like youve got it sorted , shame you had to pack-up wounder what you bag would have been if you stuck at it , hope your next trip out is as sucsessfull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbithunter2008 Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 Great write up, good photo mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 Your right there Cat - I can't quite work it out Although... I've been watching plenty of kites around, so I bet it's not too far from me ? Good shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 Excellent write up catamong, well done mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 good shooting there, nice two see there are some about, and your hitting them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 It's always good when a plan comes together, and a nice clear photo the back it up. Good shooting Pigeon Controller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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