who has stolen all the pigeons

[Essex Keeper]

omg went out this morning nothing about were have all the big groups gone i was seeing earlyer this week

 

we only have beans and wheat coming thro no like

[Billy.]

omg went out this morning nothing about were have all the big groups gone i was seeing earlyer this week

 

we only have beans and wheat coming thro no like

 

...Er, what?

[Essex Keeper]

...Er, what?

monday/tuesday seeing groups of 20,50,even 100+ birds to day nothing

[manxman2]

Am i right in thinking most of the domestic wood pigeon in britain migrate, and the percentage that do not migrate is only small.

 

I have said numerous times since joining here, that in the isle of man here, the pigeon population was small, however that did not stop massive by my standards flocks of pigeon staying over for awhile, i remember one particular flock of about 10 thousand birds in the santon valley using a field of Un -harvested barley, there was snow on the ground, but that field was blue with them, they stayed a couple of weeks undisturbed, as sid did not want the pheasant using the field disturbed.

 

that was not the only time, just one that got all the jiuces flowing, and then disappointment.

[Piebob]

Am i right in thinking most of the domestic wood pigeon in britain migrate, and the percentage that do not migrate is only small.

 

I have said numerous times since joining here, that in the isle of man here, the pigeon population was small, however that did not stop massive by my standards flocks of pigeon staying over for awhile, i remember one particular flock of about 10 thousand birds in the santon valley using a field of Un -harvested barley, there was snow on the ground, but that field was blue with them, they stayed a couple of weeks undisturbed, as sid did not want the pheasant using the field disturbed.

 

that was not the only time, just one that got all the jiuces flowing, and then disappointment.

 

British woodies are resident and generally stay put. I think the influx you experienced would have been migrants from the Scandinavian countries which make their way to France and Spain. Some will just stay in the UK and not make the full migration.

 

Every year at this time the forum gets a few "no pigeons" posts but they are probably just flocking up and happen to on another bit of ground.

[The Essex Hunter]

British woodies are resident and generally stay put. I think the influx you experienced would have been migrants from the Scandinavian countries which make their way to France and Spain. Some will just stay in the UK and not make the full migration.

 

Every year at this time the forum gets a few "no pigeons" posts but they are probably just flocking up and happen to on another bit of ground.

 

 

Peter Theobald shot 509 not so long ago, so that is half a flock you wont see!!!

 

 

TEH

[anser2]

I think the real truth is that we do not understand wood pigeon movements or lack of them in this country. According to DEFRA and the BTO British pigeons do not move about very much , but most of us have witnessed mass arrivals and departures from our local area. Last winter huge numbers vanished from my area of Norfolk and as yet have not returned in any numbers. I was talking to my game dealer and he said the numbers being brought this summer\autumn are down by around 2 thirds. I have not bothered to do any decoying since August. The birds are not on the 7000 acres I shoot over.

 

I suspect many pigeons are nomadic , settling while conditions are suitable and moving on when they are not. I have only ringed a small number of wood pigeons in the areas I shoot , so not surprising that I have not shot any or heard of any local ringed shot pigeons. There are around a thousand pigeons rung every year in the UK , over 1\2 being chicks in the nest. Predation is very high with nestlings and I doubt more than 50% are still alive 3 months later. The majority of adults are ringed in the breeding season. Birds that have found a suitable breeding \ feeding \ sheltered area thus are not that likely to move . They stay until weather ( snow ? ) or cropping becomes unsuitable and then they or their survivors move on.

 

Few pigeons are ringed during the winter apart from in gardens , because they are hard to catch unless enticed into shrubby areas by food where a mist net can be used. By normal catching methods the majority of wild winter birds are uncatchable. Rocket netting could catch them , but as far as I know that method has yet to be used on pigeons. Its costly and requires a lot of manpower.

 

Its well known in mainland Europe that wood pigeons are migratory and I suspect we sometimes receive a big influx of them. I have been on the coast and seen large numbers coming in off the sea on a number of occasions and on a few times seen groups heading east in spring out over the North Sea. Big movements are irregularly recorded on county bird reports too. In the Norfolk Bird & Mammal report 1992 check list they describe wood pigeon as resident , passage migrant and winter visitor and I suspect they are right and because the majority of ringed pigeons come from the resident group ( the most easily caught group ) ringing recoveries have produced a distorted picture of wood pigeon movements.

[Mightymariner]

Wise words, I think populations vary massively depending on where you live.

In this part of Lincolnshire, there is a wide variety of crops and woodland, of all types, spread all over, meaning pigeons have plenty of places to live, breed and feed - all year long.

Quite often they simply 'disappear' only to re-appear in hundreds a few days later, meaning they are either feeding further away from their home woods or they are in the woods all day.

Something to mull over during those days at work!

[woody swacker]

omg went out this morning nothing about were have all the big groups gone i was seeing earlyer this week

 

we only have beans and wheat coming thro no like

we have had a bumper crop of acorns in my neck of the woods so they are probably tucked in the woods munching away!

[chuck]

All on that field of barley thats not cut near stretton.warrington.

100s on it.

[worthy130]

You should be glad there are no pigeons on your permission Farmer must be happy, you have done your job well

Edited October 9, 2010 by worthy130

[ironhorse]

I have been shooting pigeon for the past 20+ years on a large estate in Hampshire, crops grown in recent years due to government subsidy and alike; tend to be Rape/ Wheat / Barley and Oats in the main. Over the time I’ve been shooting on this estate I have seen a definite decline in wood pigeon, about the only time of year there are any numbers of pigeon feeding seems to be a couple of days after the rape has been cut, and I can only assume the larger number of pigeon is only due to all the pigeon on the estate being in one place. Years ago pretty much as soon as rape was showing in the field the pigeons would flock to it, however these days unless it’s very cold or snow on the ground pigeon don’t seem to bother to much with rape, and at harvest time machines being more efficient in bringing in the crop and spilling less this too seems in my opinion to be effecting pigeon numbers, there is fewer pigeons nesting and there for fewer pigeons fledging, certainly in my aria. My conclusion is the pigeon decline is down to 1 change of crops grown, 2 better harvesting and less spillage. 3 more efficient planting machines

[yickdaz]

this can be a minefield this debate. this is just my opinion we (me old fella and me) have had up to the best 5 months pigeon shooting i can remember and thats 24 years worth. we have 6 permissions dotted about in different areas in a 20 mile radius and 3 of them have produced above normal bags and numbers are more than double of what we would normally see.on 1 farm you would be lucky to shoot 200 in a year normally but we have totaled 603 in 3 months so i don;t know if its a regional thing or a personal permission thing but i do know from reading and seeing bags that quite a few members have a lot of pigeons in their areas as well.

• 
  

and from what i see on the annual running totals from 2006 up to 2009 the average running totals is around 23;000 per year and we are on 20;000 already with about 2000 that can be added that members don;t put on the total. so for me i can;t see a decline in numbers if anything i;m seeing more about than ever but again just my opinion.

[duncan]

plenty in bedfordshire, had a good day Saturday

[Cookiemonsterandmerlin.]

I have had a below average year but and its a BIG but is I think there is many factors .

 

Birds have been moving more it use to be that the first gale in autum would dictate how many birds where on your patch for the winter .Now they seem to move though the season after a good day on some stubbles in the last week the birds have pushed on dispite still good numbers of beans /maize/wheat on the stubbles .

So they have not gleaned it clean just moved away this never use to happen with beans there would glean it to it was clear.

 

The birds are getting more wary on some overshot farms causing bag numbers to be lower but the population increasing.

 

Kind regards OTH

[AlistairB]

plenty in bedfordshire, had a good day Saturday

 

Where was that? I had sweet FA on sunday near Sandy, still too many stubble fields left that i'm not allowed on!

 

AB

[Dr D]

I have often see thousands of birds in the winter coming in high to N Ireland across the Irish Sea. I have know idea where they really come from, but here we refer to them as Scottish birds. mind you the kilts are are a bit of a giveaway

[manxman2]

Good sight isnt it DD.

 

 

It was woodies or townies that appeared on the horizon here, like big swarms of gnats from str8 out to sea.

being stuck in he middle of the irish sea really restricts species here on the island, the now wild wallabies are all we will have that you boys dont.

Edited October 14, 2010 by manxman2

[snozzer]

I had a game dealer phone me up this morning desperate for birds...

[Outlander]

Just come back from visiting a couple of my permissions and saw only 6 all morn, not seen many at all to date, but if anyone north of Bedford is having trouble getting through them please give me a shout I've got a whole day tomorrow going to waste if I can't find any.

 

Cheers

Outlander

[GP1]

Been out three times in the last 10 days and had a 54 /74 / 81 bird day, so it looks like its getting better here in Norfolk

Edited October 15, 2010 by GP1

[UKPoacher]

Here's what I believe.

 

Every year there are mass migrations of woodies into France and Spain and back again from North Africa. They shoot and net millions in the Pryanees every year. A lot of birds also come in from Scandianavia. Given that mainland Europe does not have the same benefits of the Gulf Stream that we have our areas are less prone to prolonged freezing and therefore we will also attract pigeons migrating from colder northern areas such as Denmark, Germany and Sweden.

 

The reason why people don't see as many pigeons as they did years ago is in my opinion down to there being more available crops to disperse the population more widly. Rape is now grown all over the place as part of a thre or four year cycle whereas thirty years ago it was a rare crop. Also, many people don't understand that at certain times of the year, now for example, pigeons can harvest acorns, beech and hawthorn and achieve a far higher intake per unit of energy expounded than if they nibble freshly sown crops. The woods are full of the pigeons you are not seeing on the crops. They can't be in two places at once.

 

In another month or so, once the nuts and berries are gone we'll see the annual return to pigeos feeding on rape or when snow is down, any crop that is not covered.

[manxman2]

Pryanees is where all our song birds have met their end, who in gods name can enjoy eating so many, the greedy ******** are prepared to wipe them out..

[duncan]

Where was that? I had sweet FA on sunday near Sandy, still too many stubble fields left that i'm not allowed on!

 

AB

i was on the other side of the A1 between Shefford and Haynes

[motty]

Last week i saw around (best estimate) 4,000 pigeons feeding within the space of a few bean and wheat stubbles. Only managed to shoot 41 on beans. They are well flocked up now but there are certainly plenty for me to shoot over the rape in that area shortly.

Edited October 14, 2010 by motty