204 WILD-FOWLING AFLOAT BY NIGHT 



ebb. First, widgeon are always more noisy, and 

 easier to find, just before the tide exposes their food. 

 Secondly, they are so hungry and intent on getting 

 the earliest possible touch of the weed, that they are 

 less likely to notice the approach of your punt. 

 Thirdly, when the tide still covers the mud to the 

 depth of a few inches, subject, of course, to lunar and 

 wind influences, you can choose the best point from 

 which to approach them. On the flood tide this is 

 often impossible, and you must, perforce, follow the 

 windings of the creeks, which, as I have already 

 pointed out, seldom intersect the mud at a suitable 

 place for obtaining a shot. Lastly, there is one other 

 point in favour of ' ebb ' shooting, and that is, if you 

 fail to secure a shot on the ebb there is yet another 

 chance with the knowledge then acquired of doing so 

 on the flood tide. 



On many parts of our coasts I am aware that 

 the level and creekless character of the ooze banks 

 renders the practice of fowling on an ebb tide a 

 hazardous operation, in view of the fact that the 

 fowler, through inadvertence, may be left high and 

 dry on the mudbanks by the receding tide. Where 

 this is the case he must try for a shot as the tide 

 flows over the mud. Loth to take wing after their 

 hearty repast, birds often sit well to a punt, more 



