Driving through the lanes at first light pigeons were already darting across the lanes into bushes containing Ivy berries. I thought I would be too late to my rape field.

A 200m slog with my kit, then set up by 8:15. The sun was rising in a clear sky. I then sat for 45 minutes without even seeing a pigeon. My warm bed and warm wife looking like a better bet.

Then out of nowhere came a flock of 200 pigeons heading over my head. I shot 5 from 6 shots in less than a minute, probably 30 seconds. The effort was already worth it.

The sun was a problem. I couldn't see anything to my right so altered my pattern accordingly. However most pigeons coming to the pattern came from the right and I missed lots of opportunities. 

I shot until 10:00 and picked 25 pigeons. I enjoyed every minute.

One photo shows me looking left, the other looking right into the sun.

Well worth the effort for a lovely morning out.

The warm bed and wife can be held in abeyance for the next rainy day

Thanks for posting.

OB

Well done JDog for making the effort and avoiding the temptations. 
I had a similar concern with the sun on my last outing with Ben, the birds would insist on coming to the decoys out of the sun. My hide was under a tree in the centre  of the field but the birds wanted the edge that the decoys were.

Thanks  for posting.

Lovely little early morning session there Jdog. Not seen any hitting the rape at all in any numbers here, but I’m sure that was plenty to make it an enjoyable spell and not have to kill your self getting them off the field. 
 

Edited December 26, 20231 yr by Wilts#Dave

Well done JD.  

My eldest Son and I were up in Yorkshire and that sun was a pain.