ditchman Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Dun my chores this morning...daughter had taken the missus out, so after my little recce yesterday on the field of beet that was being lifted...i thought i would get out.... the field is about 175yds wide and about 600yds long...and runs north to south...i set up on the downside so on my right was north and the wind was coming from the left to the right....i put 12 deeks out and my trusty flapper, and thought i was going to be in for a good session...i had a load of pinkfoots come over me at 40 feet or so...they did that twice, about 70 of them...and from 11.30-12.00 i shot 6 pigeons....none of them payed any attention to the deeks or the flapper....they just happened to be passing.... At about 1.00 oclock on the other side of the field a "river of pigeons" started flowing in groups of 5....15......50...and 150 at a time...flying into the wind...they were shootable with a heavy load and full choke but i wasnt going to move again...i just sat and watched and in the time remaining till the time it all stopped which was 3.45 i rekon there had been 20,000 birds with some groups as big as 300 or so...each group that came thro, was fronted by 2 or 3 low birds ...then a dozen or so scattered about ...then the main group would come thro...then it would go quiet, for 2-3 mins and start again.... .....they were all heading due south into the wind......so you boys in suffolk and essex keep yer eyes peeled......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 You said yesterday that you hoped some pigeons would come your way. If what you saw wasn't a pigeon migration I will eat my hat. I note of late that you have seen few pigeons in your area. If that is the case where did those 20,000 come from if they are not travelling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 You said yesterday that you hoped some pigeons would come your way. If what you saw wasn't a pigeon migration I will eat my hat. I note of late that you have seen few pigeons in your area. If that is the case where did those 20,000 come from if they are not travelling? i have no evidence....but i think that they may have come in from the wash area........i dont know if they have come from scandinavia...or up north.......... it would be interesting if the north norfolk boys have seen large groups comiing in...................the reaso i went out today is when i was with the farmer on the beet harvester late yeaterday ...there were a few birds flying about...so i said he would turn the banger off if i was going to have a session...............i certainly wasnt expecting a specticle like that...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 If you manage to drop a couple, I'd lay money on them being very different, smaller and significantly, their crops will be empty at whatever time of day you bring them down. I think they have their sights focused on the paella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 you are right.....they are slightly different to "our" lancaster bomber woodies...just a tad smaller ...and a slightly different colour....wing markings were a bit different....havnt checked the crops they are still in the landrover,............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goober Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 you are right.....they are slightly different to "our" lancaster bomber woodies...just a tad smaller ...and a slightly different colour....wing markings were a bit different....havnt checked the crops they are still in the landrover,............Birds down here are adult birds and usually have empty crops but have some with hawthorn berries this year.As PW members start looking for this migration,we may build a better picture of their routes. Interesting that they were flying from 1pm-3.45pm down here usually 8am-10.30am only,though yesterday they were still passing 3pm. Good that Jdog got to see the large flocks with Stuy yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 rotate a map to north.....put a navex compass inbetween norwich and cantley and draw a line due south...that is their heading............................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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