Paddock hunt

Our preferred spot was found to be on neighbour's land so we set up the field dekes at about 4.30 on the edge of a drain. Behind us was a band of willows, marshy paddock and standing water.



The new full motion Higdon feeders are great. The heads bobble in the breeze beautifully.



We sat for about an hour talking, comparing notes and listening to the pheasants sget ready for bed. At least 4 cockbirds cackled their way to bed, and close by I watched a hen go up to her roost. We had Roboduk on duty as well, and at one point a hawk dived on the dekes pulling away at the last second as it realised its mistake.



Out of the corner of my eye I saw 2 birds drop into the pond behind us. So birds were around and moving with the drizzle that had set in. Cloudy mist shrouded the Huntly powerstation's smoke stacks. Over on the lake 300m away, birds were beginning to talk, swans mainly with the occasional croak of a hidden mallard. Then we saw ducks in the air. We called a brace that hit the airbrakes when the spotted the dekes. They swung around 7 or 8 times, sometimes within range but never presenting a full chance. Tim got a couple of shots away at them. Darkness was coming now. Tim stalked the standing pond and put up a couple of ducks and some Teal. The full moon gave great light but we knew that the birds would have a chance to fly much later than we could hunt. We worked the standing water again, Tim getting a shot on some parries that came sailing in. Nearer closing time we moved back to our field dekes and a mob of parries nearly comitted.

We packed stuff away at 6.30, stopped in to say goodbye to the land owner and I got home at about 8.15. Sitting in a paddock in drizzle has never been better - and I never fired a shot.