JDog

Udderly, You said you shouldn't have bitten but you did. I feel there is very little point in engaging with these scaremongers. If they want to talk themselves out of a perfectly legal activity then let them. To those who believe that roost shooting is outside the Law then just refrain from that activity.

Adzy, your posts are excellent reads whether you shoot a bag full or not.

stock dove.

Yes that is some craftsmanship. Your clients are lucky to have you.

.... and written by some of the most brilliant comedy minds. Appreciation of comedy is very personal. My wife thinks I have no humour whatsoever. She may be joking of course.

For those who are members the AA offer decent discounts. My current insurer Aviva wanted £300 to insure my Subaru Impreza. I can get better cover with reduced excesses for £195 through the AA.

After yesterday evenings roost shoot I thought I would give shooting a rest for a day or two. My resolve lasted only a few hours and I was up at 6:30 to go flightlining. I shot this line several times last February. Pigeons come from their roosts and head towards an estate with a great many cover crops. At this time of year smashed up cover crops represent the only alternative to Ivy berries, at least round here. There was no wind which meant pigeons were high and wide. There were many hundreds but not many were in range. The bag was 20 Pigeons and two Carrions.

Roost shooting this evening along a picturesque stream. Not much wind, the omens were not good. What do I know? Pigeons came beautifully for an hour. Between us we shot 58 Pigeons and a Magpie. My dogs had six river retrieves. They thoroughly enjoyed it as did I.

They are my hard and fast rules.

They were not this year's cubs. It's too early. As has been stated they were probably released by some animal charity. That itself amounts to cruelty.

You are doing pretty well of late. Better than most. I always use a rotary on rape, standing corn and bean stubble and never on drillings.

I could never be considered to be a 'twitcher' or 'birder'. I am just interested in a lexicon of country matters, birds being just a part. However having seen Waxwings ten days ago I was determined to look for a Hawfinch, my Holy Grail. Twenty on this forum pinpointed where I should go in the Forest of Dean. Today was the day. Traffic! Where does it all come from? Getting round Cheltenham and Gloucester was a nightmare but two hours later we were there. One bloke was already there, he too had never seen one. A steady stream of others arrived, some noisily clunking car doors, others chatting loudly. Don't they know how shy these birds can be? After an hour watching I saw one, a female. I told myself it was a Chaffinch until a male confirmed the species. I was so excited. My wife continued to do scrabble on her phone. So that was that. Fifty five years of wanting to see one was concluded in an hour. Just before we left and no more than 20m from me six Hawfinches came down from the Yew trees to feed on the ground. Thank you Twenty.

Callistemon, possibly Citrinus.

England were poor. More of the same rubbish under the new manager. Wales v Scotland was exciting. Jonathan Davies and Andrew Cotter should be sacked as commentators. So predictable.

Thanks. I will definitely get there this week.

One of the most impressive wins in the history of the six nations.

I am heading there next week.

Yes I feared I would never see or hear about another irruption of Waxwings in my lifetime so it was good to see them. Five or six years ago there was an irruption of Hawfinches into the UK though on a much smaller scale than these Waxwings. Some birders on the Lincolnshire coast saw them coming off the sea. I spent days on that coast but never did see one. The Hawfinch remains top of my wanted list.

Seeing pigeons on two rape fields last week I went to see the owner. She wasn't in. Aged 90 she had driven herself to her art class! Today I returned. She was in and was perfectly happy for me to shoot. It helped that she remembered me from the past. I had no kit, only a gun and cartridges so I looked for a line. Pigeons were heading for a commercial shoot adjacent where they have already smashed up some cover crops. I had an hour and shot ten pigeons. The photo shows the little valley through which the pigeons were flying.

A fine post Grandalf. Good luck to you.

A Robin was singing at four this morning, yesterday I heard the territorial alarm call of a Blackbird and yes the Pigeons are cooing here too.

Some great talent there.

It would be fair to say that I have waited most of my life to see Waxwings. I saw 30+ on Rodborough Common near Stroud this afternoon. I am still shaking.

My apologies. I misinterpreted the thread and misidentified the weapon.

I see both points of view on this thread but personally I could never shoot a pheasant with an air rifle.