The return of the wheatears is one of the most significant dates of the year, and with the exception of 2013, it takes place with surprising regularity.  When the snow was down last winter, the little birds didn’t return until the 14th April, whereas they usually would have been back between the 25th and the Continue reading

Despite the fact that it’s a filthy, miserable day outside, I’m very pleased with myself. For the first time in my life, I correctly interpreted the weather forecast and shifted my plans around accordingly. As a result, I had a fantastic afternoon in the bright sunshine stalking roe on the hill yesterday, and now I Continue reading

Once again I have been blown away by two fantastic days of wildfowling, stalking and bird watching in North Norfolk. Standing in the blue dawn on Wednesday morning as the geese began to flight off the freshwater marsh, I was in a quandary as to whether to watch the massed, writhing ranks of pinks ahead, Continue reading

When the severe weather warnings are issued and the highways agency advises against all but the most important of journeys, it seems clear to me that the time has come to go wildfowling. Packing the shotgun and the chainsaw in the back of the car, I headed out into a sleety smirr yesterday afternoon. It Continue reading

Couldn’t resist responding to Andy Wightman’s article on reform for country sports in Scotland. Having been asked by the Scottish Field to contribute his thoughts upon country sports, Wightman was surprisingly bemused to find that the great bastion of Scottish conservatism was unwilling to publish his “hang the lairds from the highest steeple” missive. However, Continue reading

Not being naturally inclined towards deer stalking, I tend to keep my head down when people start getting technical on the subject of ballistics, gralloching and high seats. I don’t have the patience to be a good stalker, and I approach the sport with an irritating acceptance of failure – I have certainly enjoyed stalking Continue reading

After griping about a shortage of snow, it finally came to Galloway today with quite a bump. We haven’t had anything like the devastating snow-pocalypse as seen in the south of England, but a good four inches fell this afternoon and drifted into some fairly respectable heaps wherever the steady south easterly wind allowed it Continue reading

After a day spent working at the computer, a fine evening with the chance of a woodcock seemed too good an opportunity to miss. Although it’s still a new moon, I wanted to see what effect (if any) the snow and subsequent freezing temperatures has had on the woodcock, so I drove the car out Continue reading