146 Wild Birds and their Haunts 



"A HOLIDAY AT WILDFOWLING.' 



FOR years it has been my custom, whenever 

 opportunity offers, and that said opportunity is 

 on the occasion of a break in the dull monotony 

 of every-day life, to make an excursion to new grounds 

 for sport. On a certain Friday evening recently I 

 packed up the customary paraphernalia, gun, cartridges, 

 knee boots, etc., and journeyed to an unbeaten track 

 on the Lincolnshire coast. I found a snug hotel on the 

 banks of the sea in the Fen district, and having partaken 

 of a cheery cup of tea, I sauntered alongside. Few 

 birds were astir. In the distance I could hear, as night 

 closed in, a few curlew calling. They were undoubtedly 

 waiting for the tide to recede. One bird only passed 

 alongshore, and I caught just a glimpse of it against the 

 darkling sky. I fired somewhat at random, and with a 

 stroke of good luck I hit it, but it fell in the long, fibrous, 

 wet grass of the tide-covered saltings, where I allowed 

 it to remain, as I was not desirous of retrieving it, at the 

 cost of getting wet, and as my intention was that of 

 prospecting, I had not donned my rubber sea boots. 

 Nothing more did I observe that evening. The moon 

 in all its glory then appeared in brilliant splendour, 

 above the leaden wastes of the mighty Wash, its first 

 rising tip shining like a fire bar on the horizon. In this 

 delightful if weird loneliness, I retraced my steps to the 

 hospitable hotel, where dinner was awaiting. The 

 situation is ideal for a fowler. Here one is "on the 

 job," so to speak ; there is no tedious trap or motor 

 ride, after the shooting. The sportsman goes from the 

 door on to his shooting. Next morning the host gave me 

 an early call. It took little time for me to be ready, 

 and in quest of a shot. In order to facilitate that desire 

 for sport, I selected an elevated mound on these saltings, 

 approximately a hundred yards from the ooze bank. 

 I found that this elevation was improvised, after draining 

 operations, from the delves on the inside of the sea-wall. 



