Dee Pheasant

On the way to our fishing spot on the river Dee this morning we passed this chap sunning himself by the track. When we parked up I realised I had come out without my camera (well I had one in the four-wheeled fishing box but didn't know it). I'd left the cottage in a rush as Will was pulling on his waders. I didn't want to stick around since I knew that half a banana had been shoved down each of his wader legs the previous evening.

We'd had a hut night the previous evening. Hut nights are special as there's no internet, just good conversation, wine, whisky, and, on this occasion (my birthday) haggis. I'd spent the day wading with a banana skin in my wader boots put there by the Pikey. The plan was to reciprocate but his waders weren't handy so Will's waders copped the banana instead. Childish, I know, but we are four blokes in our fifties and perhaps we'll grow up one day. It was a late night and it took us a while to get going this morning.

Anyway, on the way back to the cottage to get the camera, the pheasant was still there and it hadn't moved when I approached it for a third time, until I stopped the Jeep and he decided he didn't appreciate the interest. I had time for a few hasty shots before he trotted off through the woods.

It's been a hard week for fishing and there's more rain tonight with the river already well up. I'm not optimistic.