[Could the harvest be too early for the Woodies?]

I think a lot of the first nests failed my way this year. The high number of crows taking a lot of then out as leaf cover was later on the hedges etc. A lot i have shot in the past few weeks i think are not fit enough to breed at mo  because of the weather and conditions. Nothing on them empty crops and no sign many are nesting or feeding young when i prep them. Even taste different to me. Seeing less stock doves about to.  NB

[Disco 2 V8 ace bypass kit.]

I have searched and been told there isn't a bypass kit for the 4L V8s. So looks like get it repaired or pass it on. I am not a great Mechanic or have the time at mo. It 99yr top spec 7 seater with extras, dvd  player and screens in rear of seats, parking sensors and light up grade. Got personal plate and gas conversion to but still don't think it worth a lot?? Garage recon pipes weeping in several places and hard to do. Any idea how much it would be to replace all or easy way round it to keep it going and possibly become my shooting truck?    NB

[Wasp sting]

Suddenly hell of a lot about this week. They attacked stung and killed and eat a recently fledged dunnock under my apple tree this week. Something i not seen before. Loads on my pigeons last weekend. Some were on cradles 70yrds out. Had to knock them off wen i picked up. Even in back of truck after them. Hunting the rungs on my ladders at work. No fun at height when your hot, burnt, sweaty and knackered! All seemed stunted. NB

[Disco 2 V8 ace bypass kit.]

My pipe work rotten/leaking in several places. Anyone ever done this or fitted one and know where i can get one??? looked on internet but have had no joy finding one for 4L V8 with air con? Any help or advice appreciated. NB

[Are blackberries early?]

Very early in mid Suffolk to. NB

[Decoraters]

7 hours ago, Gunman said:

OK one for the professional decorators , Need to paint a Bannister as the previous paint is not very good   so will strip off and re paint .

So whats the best hard wearing white gloss to use as I am out of touch with all the modern stuff ?

Better still if you don't do a lot of painting. Dulux oil based brilliant white satinwood! Easy to apply, no undercoat needed, fewer run's/brush marks, hard wearing quicker drying, easy to apply following coats. It must be bad/flaking if you think it needs stripping. Careful you don't loose any profiles/mouldings. NB

[Moths]

Got humming bird hawk moths at mine. Always amazing critters to watch! Mainly active early morning and evenings on honeysuckle and budleah. NB

[Used cartridge question]

Got any pics of em Farmboy? NB

[First sighting]

Looking good in Mid Suffolk too! Several broods of pheasant and partridges about. Couple of broods of english. Good weather, plenty of insects, less sparrow hawks and buzzards about this year. Educating dog walkers! Good year for crows tho. Still hitting em hard when i can and  plenty in traps. 42 on milky barley at weekend. All helps! NB 

[Gamebore Wild Game Cartridges.]

Great cart! Been using them since Clarkes first got them in on offer.  NB

["im mainly (at it again)"]

22 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Just something to think about for those knife handles. I have just soaked some spalted chestnut slabs in a wood hardener for four days and the wood soaked up about 3/4 of the fluid.

Dried out this morning and so impressed with result I am now planning to build a vaccuum container to do a real job.  It is expensive stuff, but with softer spalted timber it stabilizes and hardens it.  You get some real nice attractive colours and patterns in spalted timber.

What wood hardener do you use/find best?    NB

[Flocked off again!]

11 hours ago, dead eye alan said:

 Great post and very informative, i could smell the salt in the air!

Thanks Dead Eye! Gota love a bit o beach!! Any time of year!  NB

[Flocked off again!]

45 minutes ago, kenholland said:

and don't forget that hemlock ,dead man's fingers nasty stuff.

To true!! and looks a lot like sea beet!

[Flocked off again!]

2 hours ago, JDog said:

Good post.

I saw very similar environmental damage on the Lincolnshire coast yesterday. Although there were no lobsters (found in their hundreds along the Yorkshire coast) there were thousands of razor clam shells and many hundreds of starfish washed up dead as a result of the storms.

Cheers JD,

Very sad sight! And will be there for a while after such high tides. Were there many  dead birds washed up your way? Hundreds if not thousands washed up down this way. Folk who went Minsmere/Sizewell stretch early last week reckoned it was really bad! Bodies of various birds every where!  Was amazing to see the many thousands of starlings still doing there thing before dropping to roost in the reed beds at dusk. At times they were out over the sea. Sadly not close enough for a good pic.    NB

[Flocked off again!]

Out and about early Saturday. Very mild with plenty of flood water about but no pigeons! Checked all the farms and saw just the odd  small group of birds or singles. No signs of of the few big flocks or numbers at all and nothing in the air. Several new gas guns out in some areas and near the woods. Other shooters i saw said the same. Bit of conservation work  and repaired/added to a few natural hides and topped up feeders. Stock doves got young in nest box's and found fresh hatched discarded pigeon shell. Rooks very busy and noisey in the rookerys lining finished nests and others still building. Partridges pairing up and cock pheasants looking there best. Keeping on top of the squirrels, crows and little sign of foxes about at mo. Plenty of finches and buntings about and round the feeders. It was while watching some lapwings and skylarks on distant field with binos i spotted a few pigeons flighting between two woods. As it was now gone mid afternoon thought i would head that way and give them a go. 30 odd birds left the small wood as i arrived. As it was a little early and light i walked the wood to see what was about. Put out 3 roe and a munty. They devastating all the cover in the bottom of the wood. Wind had now dropped and found a place to stand giving best view all round. First birds back saw me and slid wide. Next few birds came over high then  dropping like stones. Missed all with both barrels. Not good! Moved to better position to get bet swing and view. Next birds over i let them come in before getting one with the first barrel. It went quiet for a while before i heard shots from another distant wood. This sent more birds my way. Many high, but in the next hour i had some cracking shots. Some birds seemed to take forever to come crashing down through the canopy. Packed up when the pheasants started going up to perk. Picked 9 birds and a big crow that kept giving me away. lost a couple and could of had more if i hadn't tried to get a squirrel or two that were about. Saw two woodcock and two more munty's as i left the wood. As i stood by my truck a sparrow hawk nearly took my head off chasing a flushed fieldfare. Few more rabbits out and about. Maybe because it's so wet. Birds mainly full of rape and clover, 1 youngster........

Sunday morning. 8 pigeons in the garden under the feeders. So that's where they get 2. Perhaps they wait for me to go out other times. Off out up new farm after call about problem crows round the buildings. Several about. After chucking few breasted pigeons on there backs on the muck hill they lifted from i tucked between some bales to deaden the shot. 1st came back and was sitting above me as i was putting carts in gun. Up with gun and bang! It fell at my feet and i set it up on a  post. Others stired up at the shot came back with little caution in ones and twos. At times i couldn't gets carts in gun quick enough. All over in an hour tho when horsey folk turned up the and birds got wary. Picked 12 crows. Strange no rooks with a rookery near buy.. . . . 

 Being a bit of a  beach comber as well i headed on down coast later to see the after effects of the beast and the high storm tides. Been in press about lot of dead birds and sea critters being washed up after the cold snap. Sea flat calm and it quiet and eerie. Gulls and crows scavenging the tide line. Not as bad as i had seen on news and heard tho. Plenty of dead crabs, starfish, cuttle bone etc. Lot of seaweed washed up and sadly far to much plastic of all types. even a large piece of carpet. Found bodies and remains of several birds still. The usual gulls plus guillemots, divers, turnstones, oyster catcher, sandpiper, sanderling, blackbirds and snipe. Surprised so many folk were letting dogs run about randomly after a few have got ill and died from eating certain star/shellfish along the east coast recently. Found a few interesting bits of drift/bog wood, rope and stones. Gathered bag of of cuttle bone and bin liner full of seaweed for chickens. Top weekend!         NB

[A Day Later than Normal]

It's strange round this way PC! Very noticeable lack of flighting birds/traffic  this autumn/winter. Very spooky flocks acting like starlings or just disappearing and sitting up a lot, even with good winds. Most are finding it hard and with fewer birds about as well don't bother shooting. Even the woods have been quiet! With that and so much rape to go at and less gas guns being used they are not being pushed around. I don't think many birds have moved this way to boost the numbers either. Was the same last year. With less birds to go at i have been brush'n on shoots for the first time in years. What i did notice was how different some pigeons behave round shoots. Generally the first out of a drive/cover (some easily shootable, especially if your only armed with a flag.) but just drop in to another cover or quick to return  after the drive during the rest of the shoot. I am not bothered by other shooters. Be plenty turn out at seed time and harvest. Often go out a bit later after others are sorted and set up and shoot another farm to hopefully bounce birds about a bit. Never argue over shooting a few pigeons! Some times think it's harder as i shoot by myself most of the time. Think most of Suffolk and Norfolk heavily shot wherever you go. Generally average 25 a session, 1200-1,400 odd a year. Just noticeable the last 2 years have been well below average. Putting more effort in for about a third less. Shooting more rabbits, corvids, squirrels and game tho.  NB

[A Day Later than Normal]

3 hours ago, pigeon controller said:

Motty, thanks for your reply. We also have the problem with flocking pigeons, that's why we travel a lot to find birds feeding well and not just sitting in the trees playing follow the leader. These from expirence are very difficult to shoot as they just lift off and don't return. 

If you can rest a field for two plus weeks that gives you an edge. Other shooters can and will cause birds to spooky. We are lucky that over thirty years we have built up a number of areas to shoot , which gives us the chance to shoot different flocks. 

Its case of once you get permission keep looking for others if you want continuous sport. We had a good shoot with three good flightlines to it . Another shooter gained permission via the Farmers daughter and shot continuously every weekend . This had the effect of spooking the birds that you very rarely see birds on it even with rape and barley grown. The shooter now lives on the farm.

I agree the bags on social media are on selected crops and large game type estates with very limited access. We have some MOD land within our area and the land is rented out but no shooting at all and you will see vast flocks of birds on it . We do shoot the edges on the cereals in the summer and three hundred bird bag just scratches the surface. 

Well done PC!!  Very good info from you and Motty!!! Sums it up! It's the Same my way. Tho there are less birds about/flighting very reluctant to decoy and it was the same last year. Now the game seasons over there's a few big flocks moving on mass and settling briefly before moving on over a wide area with very few birds flighting. Always has been very little chance of a big day or letting numbers build in this area. 25+ and you are do'n well! Plenty of eyes other shooters and farmers watching fields daily. Some if your not about weekly having a go get others on or have a few shots at them themselves, use them pest lasers or wack rockets up. As you say a few big bags are coming from managed or estate land over fed slashed or part slashed cover crops. A lot of take a chance while you can or duty shooting at the mo and move on. I guess some times i am one of those shooters you speak of. If the pigeons aren't play'n ball i am happy to walk the hedges woods ponds and spinneys in known areas to make a bag. Just good to be out! Always something to see learn or forage!!  It sometimes turn into an unexpected session if you find a few tucked out of sight that haven't been disturbed. Always a pond good for a duck or bit of scrub for a pheasant or 2 in season as well.

You guys certainly put the effort in! I cover several farms. Mostly local but all different. Have to share a lot as it a well shot area. Know em like the back of my hand but new ground seems hard to come by at the mo. Loose some, gain others.

Atb  NB

[Sun Set 24/02/2018 Staffordshire England]

Great shot GG!  Be careful out there or the sun will going down on you.  Data details very handy and informative. Really like the pic of the coot as is. Bit different and really and captures the atmosphere.

NB

 

[Must be mad!]

Cheers chaps!

Saturdays session not so good. Said a balmy 2 degrees in my truck as i headed out about 9.30 for the rape fields i looked at. 200+ plus birds down feeding hard on edges of 2 fields  divided by a row of oaks where a lot of the snow had been blown off. Others joining from  and returning to the trees. The thaw had started with a strange hazy mist in the air. Put them off and had drive round where i could get as i knew 2 other shooters planed on shooting locally. Could not see or hear any about and no other birds. Farmers were still clearing the roads. Returned to the rape and the birds were back down feeding. Drove down through the drifts and set up under the oaks with the wind off my back. Put out 12 flocked shells in random pattern. 2 breasted birds on bouncers and 2 on the magnet off to the side. Couple of full bodied crows  off to the other side as a few about. Swept snow from under the magnet and random patches in the pattern. In the hide about 11oc. 1st bird returning high out of the mist ignoring the decoys  came crashing down to the first barrel . A squirrel in the nearby oak was next. Looking like it was trying to do pull-ups before falling to the ground.I laid it on it's back with its's guts out on the snow with the crows. No more pigeons returned. They had moved to the next farm i can't shoot. Though i couldn't see them in the haze i could hear them lift on mass up wind of me when dog walkers moved them. i added 2 crows that came in well to the squirrel/crow decoy  and another squirrel from the oaks. The thaw was now exposing a lot more rape. After another hour with no other shooters out to move birds around the block i decided to call it a day and went to get my truck. Typical!!! As i was starting to pack up a flock of 20 pigeons  came in. I crouched beside my truck scrambling to get two cartridges in the gun and just managed to down the last bird as they jinked away.  Now! Should i stay or should i go!? I decided to go. 10 minutes Later the same thing happened with anther small bunch. This time i had cartridges in but was to slow getting it and on to them and missed. Upside was i stopped by the wood i shot and found 4 birds i shot the night before in the rapidly disappearing drifts. 

 All the fuss folks made about the snow but nature just gets on with it. I heard woodpeckers drumming for a mate. woodies and stock doves calling. Rooks arguing over whats left of the nests in the rookery. Dunnocks and blackbirds casing each other about. Tits inspecting nest boxes. Lots of hares everywhere boxing. Even with all the snow and roads blocked folk were out coursing them and getting away with it in my area.   NB

[Must be mad!]

Wicked strong bitter cold wind blowing a lot of snow off the fields my way today. Late afternoon it dropped a bit so ventured out to see if i could get up road/tracks to nearest rape fields to look for pigeons that i thought might be on the now exposed rape and poss have a go at them tomorrow. Pushing on through a few drifts to the end of a single track road towards the farm i came across anther shooter. He was parked up and preparing to go shoot  1 of 2 woods the road went through. It had just started snowing again and i said you must be mad! But as we were chatting a small group of  pigeons got up off the fields i was heading for and were coming at height  our way and towards the woods. We froze! ( in more ways than one). As they came over he was up with is gun and bang! Down came a bird not 4ft from my truck window. We laughed about it and he said did i want to join him and shoot the other wood. Even though the sow was getting heaver and almost horizontal i said yes as i have always wanted to have a go in those woods. They are not big but contain a lot of fur trees the can draw a lot of pigeon in bad weather. First i said i would see if i could get down to my rape fields and if any birds were that way push them off  and hopefully back to him and the woods. My ol truck pushed through some drifts that were wheel arch high down the track. 200+ birds lifted out of the trees and off the field. Went as far as i could/dared and could see. i used the horn to push off the remaining birds that were reluctant to leave. Took the track back at speed to make sure i could bounce through the drifts as it was getting harder to see. It was 4.30, as i parked up i could hear shots from the other wood and just see birds coming out of the storm my way. Quickly got gun loaded and cracked down the lowest bird coming over and chucked it in the truck. Headed for a more sheltered part of the wood standing with my back to the wind thinking i must also be mad! But in the next 1.30 or so we bounced birds between us. Shots were difficult with birds just appearing above the trees out of the whiteout. Birds just drifted about after shots, others in the small groups still determined to land. I guess because they couldn't see well enough or each other to jink away fast. Taking over head shots it was hard to make out the birds at all against the snow and fading light. Any shots taken swinging into the wind resulted in a face/eyes full of snow. But by moving about to get the best position the birds kept coming  and i managed to drop a few. Not so good for the other shooter, he had enough after an hour and left making it harder for me. I toughed it out till the birds stopped coming and it to hard to see as the wood was new to me. Finished with 2 late crows that i could see well! Picked 11 pigeons and the 2 crows. lost a few birds that fell into brambles and the drifts outside the wood, and another hung up in trees. Trudged back to my truck covered in snow bag full of birds with a numb face and hands but grinning after such a  unexpected successful mad session. Pushed on to the chippy before heading home. Great to drive in the snow on empty snow roads (testing my trucks handling)! Never grow up!     Probably do it all again tomorrow!

  Sorry to ramble on folks! NB

[Fulica atra ( Re posted )]

Didn't manage to get out with camera today but there's gona be some amazing drifts and wind sculpture about. Wonder what's knocking the numbers of coot and grebes back? As they  both quite aggressive and territorial birds. Less moorhen and mallard about my way to. Never hear the so called experts talk of the noticeable decline in water birds. Rubbed the ice off me face before i thought to take a pic. Got a few good pics but nothing like the quality of yours. Snapping with a canon EOS 700D and 55-250 lens. looking to get a bigger/better lens for better wildlife snaps. what would you use or recommend??  NB

[Have you ever wondered?]

29 minutes ago, JDog said:

Why, long after Autumn in very cold weather and snow that some plants lose their leaves?

Many common garden plants like Viburnum rhytidophyllum, Ligustrum vulgare and Cotoneaster salicifolius are losing a lot of their leaves during this cold snap. All evergreens like those ones actually take up water every day of the year if it is available and when it is not available due to it being locked up by frost then the plants shed their leaves in order to safeguard the plants future. Next years buds have already been formed and the leaves are no longer required.

These are some leaves in the road this morning having been shed from gardens nearby.

 

For those of you whose Privet hedges like this one are defoliating then fear not as they will recover.

 

This Aucuba japonica in my own garden is showing signs of stress due to the lack of water. It will recover fully.

I  was wondering that earlier JDog. Leaves limp and curling on privet hedge  and others droping. I thought it was wind burn.  NB

[Well I tried....]

A140 in Suffolk blocked by badly drifting snow! Lorries etc stuck buried in deep drifts all night near me! Heard gritter/plough truck ended up in ditch further up near Scole trying to clear the road last night. Farmers pulling lorries out and trying to clear drifts today. Other farmers been told not to clear roads as they are not on the councils contact list. They scraped the drift fencing posts and burnt the mesh fencing that used to be put up on that stretch when they contracted the roads out to private contractors. After the last lot of snow we had local farmer and plant hire boi's were told to stop clearing roads after someone reported them and they were not on the approved list. Whats happened to common sense and using local knowledge!! NB

[Fulica atra ( Re posted )]

Cracking pic that GG! Don't seem to be so many of them about now. Out and About snaping up one of the farms meself today, trying to snap stormy snowy sun set. Breath froze on to me beard and tash it were that cold in the wind! Had a laugh when the farmer came past on his quad towing his 3 kids in an inflatable dingy! Great day to be out!  NB

[My modified decoy shells]

7 hours ago, lakeside1000 said:

I did a mod to my shells a while back and have been very pleased with the results so I thought I would share a few photos, first I threw away the pegs that come with half shells, then shaped a length of stiff wire to lay inside the shell and protrude at the underside of the head to form a mounting peg, finally for taller crops I drilled some grp tent poles to take the wire so I could raise the shells up above crop height, in a good breeze the decoys move from side to side with a walking type movement, I fit all my shells with sillosock covers which act like windsocks to enhance the movement,

 

Looks good Lakeside! I'll give it a try. what adhesive do you use? I also add more white. Neck bars really seem to stand out on the woodies feeding under my bird table/feeders at the mo.  NB