Sunday 20th January. Pheasants and occasional woodcock

Sunday 20th January. Yesterday I had to act the gent when invited to shoot by a neighbour, about as close to home as I could be, within a rifle-shot of the shop. I didn't find myself under the turkeys when they broke out, but I did hit almost every pheasant that came my way, and then finished the day with a fine woodcock. It was followed, two or three seconds later, by another but by then I had broken my gun to reload and missed my chance at a right-and-left. The pheasants were all melanistics, and made a fine sight. The hospitality of my host and the fine company made it a splendid day.
Today we braved the floods - or rather avoided the floods by driving over the hills - to meet up with old fishing friends for a dinner near Welshpool.