Bog Myrtle & Peat

It’s now beyond a joke. With shooting wild birds in Scotland provisionally banned for another fortnight as of tomorrow, it looks like there is going to be no let up in this relentless cold weather. It’s outstaying its welcome, particularly since I am having to walk a five mile round trip to the Chayne every other day to feed the pheasants.

Shooting yesterday, I saw more woodcock even than last year, which was a bumper season for those scandinavian visitors. Most seemed quite unperturbed by the snow, but one or two were decidedly sluggish and wobbly. To some extent, the ban on shooting geese and ducks is a little controversial, but there can be noone who will mind sparing woodcock through the cold weather. Geese in particular will always be able to scratch up some grass from somewhere, and while they get hungry, they never really run the risk of starvation.

By comparison, woodcock are totally unable to feed during cold weather and literally waste away into nothing when it is cold. Ideally, woods with woodcock should be left undisturbed during a ban because flushing them will lose their warmth and energy at a time when they need every bit of both, but pheasant shooting needs to push on and not being shot is the best that they can hope for.

With no sign of a let up on the long range forecasts and the possibility of sleet and snow on boxing day, it looks like its going to be a chilly christmas.