Dusting of snow – 29th January 2012
This is the first day, as far as I remember, that the air has smelled wintry this year. There had obviously been a dusting of snow on the hills of the neighbouring estate but where we were there had been none. There was snow in the air; just a few flakes, but it felt like winter.
I decided to give the dogs a good run on the edge of the hill, carefully avoiding any known bird haunts, and really giving them both no instruction at all. It was really just an opportunity for them to let off steam and stretch their legs. There was hardly a breeze so despite the temperature barely lifting above zero it didn’t feel that cold.
On same days one of the dogs performs better than the other, and today it was Grace’s turn. Within minutes of casting them off Grace was on point under a conifer on the edge of the moorland. I didn’t get a chance to get over to her before a woodcock flushed and jinked away. She started off after it, going about ten metres before coming to my call. She shouldn’t have moved but there you go. She did. Archie was manic. He raced about in his normal way and I just about held on to him, but it was on the edge. They both ran hard for about an hour and did ok, covering a good area and working quite systematically. That was until Grace went on point. Archie backed straight away and I then went in to road Grace in telling Archie to stay put. When I reached Grace and moved her on she did what was asked by moving forwards about 5 yards quickly then stopping again. The only problem was, Archie maintained the same gap by running forwards 5 yards too, still steadfastly backing Grace. I am never sure whether this is a bad thing or not in the scheme of things. He is never jealous and all he was doing was maintaining the same gap between him and Grace, but the point is I had told him to stay put. I left Grace and went back to Archie, lifting him back onto the spot I left him. I then went back and moved Grace in to produce the bird. As I gave the command Archie sprung forward again so, when Grace once again stopped I returned to Archie and took him back to where I left him. I think he got the message this time as he stayed put, but unfortunately whatever Grace had pointed had moved on. She rarely makes a mistake so I can only assume in all the fuss the bird slunk away. All in all a little disappointing.
We spent the next 30 minutes practicing the drop, stay and recall. It seems that Archie, having reached the grand old age of three, is trying his luck. The only problem is, he pushes his luck in such an entertaining fashion that I will have to feign annoyance if nothing else.
There has been some recent flailing on this area of moorland. I am unsure just how effective this will be. It is a deep carpet of lichen, bilberry and crowberry with very little heather. In an area that was freshly cut I measured about 9 inches of vegetation before hitting the peat. There is no way that heather will regenerate here so it is difficult to pinpoint the benefit of this recent work, for grouse at least.
