28 Wild Birds and their Haunts 



excessively wary fowl, and in mild winters perhaps not 

 more than from 40 to 50. 



What causes all gunning afloat to be difficult is the fact 

 that an entire estuary dries at low water, and that there 

 are then no creeks and channels along which a boat or 

 duck punt can be paddled up to the birds as they rest or 

 feed on the flats. If this was not the case the geese would 

 not remain, as they would soon be driven away to other 

 haunts. By anchoring a boat behind small promontories 

 or under the shelter of rocks, occasional shots at the geese 

 may he had with a shoulder gun as they fly from the sea 

 to or from the mudflats, presuming always that the wind 

 is stiong enough to cause the birds to fly low. 



As to other wild fowl, there are very few. I have never 

 seen a hundred widgeon together, and probably at most 

 a couple of hundred frequent the flats, and then seldom 

 during the daytime. 



In hard frost, wild duck are driven from inland ponds 

 and rivers to the tide, and sometimes a score may be 

 noticed, but usually not more than a half dozen here and 

 there, and these are probably sleeping in safety on the 

 diy ooze far beyond the reach of the fowler's gun. Teal 

 are rare visitants ; in ten years I scarce saw a dozen. 

 Among diving ducks, the scaup is the common species, 

 few others of this worthless tribe being seen. 



Many shore birds may be noticed, though few of interest 

 from the gunner's point of view. Plovers, golden and 

 green, are scarce, though they are common on the marshes 

 and fields near the sea shore. In severe weather theie are 

 always three or four swans about, both Hooper's and 

 Bewick's. 



To an enthusiastic wild fowl shooter I can imagine a 

 fortnight in hard weather would be a delightful ex- 

 cursion, foi even if his bag were a light one, he would 

 always have the chance of a few shots, and, at all events, 

 have the pleasure of seeing wild fowl, that is, Brent 

 geese, in considerable numbers, along the Northumbrian 

 coasting. 



As to Guns. 



Ir» bis " Letters to Young Shooters," Sir Ralph 



