IN ASSOCIATION WITH BROWNING

The winner of Letter of the Week will receive a Browning Powerfleece. Warm and practical, it is ideal for both the peg and the pub and is available in sizes S-5XL. For more information visit www.browning. eu. Colour dependent on availability. Please note we cannot send prizes during the COVID-19 lockdown. first criterion, which probably explains the poor taste.

The above-mentioned old-timers had in the past also trapped blackbirds for their hackles, which were used for tying certain spider patterns and winged trout flies (When garden birds were fare game, 20 May). Nothing was wasted and the birds were also eaten. They were said to be rather tasty, but I never tried that particular dish.

I recall going out shooting with two young friends, trying yet again to bag a snipe. We had failed many times before but on this occasion we did bag a jack snipe, which were fair game at the time. At the end of the day we had one to share between us, so a couple of sparrows were added to the bag. All three birds were plucked and gutted and ended up looking quite similar.

Knowing that our mothers would refuse to cook such tiny morsels, we went to the rook pie lady who grilled them for us. By this time my friends and I were very hungry and we nibbled the flesh off the birds as if they were miniature corn cobs. We passed the morsels around and agreed that the sparrows had the edge over snipe. Needless to say, do not try any of the above now.

C Norris, by email