Plenty of Springers

Another fabulous day with sunshine and warmth. It was also the last official day of the farmers' shoot. The pheasants must have been enjoying the sun somewhere else as there weren't so many in the bag today. Here the head beater is telling us where to enter the wood in order to cross it in a line with the dogs working and flushing out the birds from the undergrowth in front of us.

Today there were many English Springer Spaniels with their owners who turned up. These dogs have it in their genes to flush and retrieve game. They are excellent working dogs. A friend of ours also joined with her two labradors to pick up the dead birds and there were several other dogs including Jack Russell terriers (one of them ours!). Afterwards as we were walking away from the plantation a hot air balloon passed overhead. Luckily no one was shooting at the time!

A busy time, as the Beagles passed over the farm after we had left. We bumped into one of the huntsmen later who was rounding up the stray hounds. They had had a good day out. Snow is forecast for Monday!