Sounds like a great day was had by all.

MarketHunter – Usually we don’t get a chance to get second shot at a woodcock. For you to hit two out of three sure beats my average! Occasionally on a driven shoot one will rocket out of the bushes, you are usually told before the start of the day if they are on the card. I’ve read about driven snipe but cannot imagine it being effective – sorta like minding mice at a crossroads. You should consider another trip to UK – you are right about the £/$ exchange rate; Sterling has much closer links to the USD than to the Euro, so England and N. Ireland should prove better value – I reckon the rate will settle down for a while at about its current $1= 70p. (FWIW, I also believe that OPEC will within 5 years switch away from USD pricing and will instead use a basket of currencies.)

HDW – Years ago a racing pigeon landed on my boat in the middle of the Irish Sea during an off-shore yacht race. We were about 50 miles from the nearest land; the then girlfriend took pity on it and placed it below in a box with water, etc. Quite a distraction, took crew’s mind off the race and I recall it crapped on my lightweight genoa. Girlfriend took bird ashore, contacted someone, was told the bird belonged to a guy in Northern Ireland and collection would be arranged. On later enquiry about bird’s health, she was told its neck was wringed as it had got lost and breeder did not want it in the bloodline. (That girlfriend did not survive either!)

Foxy, racing pigeons usually can be identified because of their straight flight line and tight grouping in defined flocks. A Ryanair 737 encountered a flock of about twenty thousand racing pigeons at Dublin a few years ago and managed to return, landing on one engine. Brought back the real meaning of hitting the fan.
Over the last few years we have been lucky enough to have a local peregrine who regularly dines on returning racing pigeons.

Thanks for the updates on the "day."
Rs
K.