Blackpowder Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Yesterday afternoon with a nice stiff breeze from the west seemed a good opportunity to vist my favourite pigeon wood. Roughly a hundred yards square it sits mid field in what appears to be an area not capable of being drained. Over the past five years myself and usually one other gun have picked up some useful bags here, decoying when crops were suitable and roost shooting when good conditions prevailed. Our last good roost shoot would be February 2012 when 2 of use took 19 birds each under a half westerly gale. 2013 was useless here with at seed time few birds coming to roost. It was evident then, and again last night that the big flocks had deserted. Usually the wood reeked of pigeon poo with which it was well bespattered, and the ground thick with feathers. What was evident last spring was a pair of buzzards in residence, circling and calling, and again the same thing two weeks ago on an earlier vist. Last night strangely the buzzards were not in evidence, the same being true for the pigeons. Four lone birds beating into the wind and missed handsomely as they flared into the wood, a pack of five and one down ro the first barrel and that was it. So have any members found that a resident pair of buzzards will discourage pigeons from using a roost wood? Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFC Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 We roost shoot a wood that homes Buzzards. Not massive bags but it's worth turning out. An interesting thing I saw a few years ago was an ash tree full of woodies and squabs. A Buzzard began circling the tree and two or three adult Pigeons came out of one side of the tree and began flapping and tumbling to distract the Buzzard. As soon as the Buzzard flew to that side of the tree then lots of squabs and a few adults flew out the other side and off to a nearby wood. Three of those Pigeons hung back and started flapping and tumbling to distract the Buzzard to the other side while the first distractors and some more from the tree made their way out and off to the wood. This was repeated four or five times until, finally, the last three Pigeons distracting the Buzzard flew off and it was left circling an empty tree. Fascinating to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codeye Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Wood atside of father in laws is stuffed with pigeons and has had resident buzzards for as long as I can remember hes got lots of banties and every year had loads of young chicks with free range of his large garden and never had a problem even though they regularly fly over it .we do see them regularly on the hedges dropping down on mice and in the fields worming though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Buzzards don't seem to bother pigeons much, if at all. Do bother me sometimes, by attacking my decoys!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Its not unusual to see upwards of 17 buzzards circling over my 1000 acre wood and a number also roost in the wood. The numbers of pigeons does not change if the buzzards are there or not , but the numbers will change according to where the birds are feeding. A couple of years ago I was watching several hundred pigeons feeding on a stubble while over head 3 buzzards circled in the wind stooping onto the stubble every now and then to catch voles or mice. The nearby pigeons mearly lifted a few yards and continued feeding. In contast if there is a pergrine or goshawk the pigeons flee at the sight of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Got them resident, but doesn't seem to put the pigeons off roosting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted February 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Cheers guys, there must be some other reason why pigeons have forsaken this , which until last year was the best roost wood I have ever seen. Note I certainly have not shot them all. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I was out yesterday and encountered the same problem - a pair of buzzards - locally resident but not in this wood, wheeling and calling very close to where I was trying to shoot pigeons. The pigeons kept coming in to a certain time but were very wary and dropped in very quickly, almost to avoid attack. Both buzzards were within 30-40 yards from where I stood - clearly knew I was there but continued to harrass the pigeons for maybe 2 hours. After that, very few birds came in as it was falling dark and its something I have never seen in that wood before - it was clear to me that whilst the buzzards may not have been 'targeting' the pigeons, they were undoubtedly 'harassing' them, maybe as some kind of training or even, it could have been aerial'fun'. Shot 36 same night last year - 2 last night. Plenty of birds around earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted February 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Hi Kes. A few years ago I was shooting on a farm over rape where there were large flocks. There were buzzards about but not apparently actively hunting. However when they approached the pigeon flock those birds would lift and , how best to describe this? Fly very fast oval circcuits( if such a thing can be described) around the end of a wood before returning to feed. An evasive , defensive measure perhaps? Blackpowder In contast if there is a pergrine or goshawk the pigeons flee at the sight of them. Perhaps there is something I am not seeing, food for thought. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dangerous Brian Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 The Buzzards don't seem to bother the pigeons too much round our way. Had a downed pigeon nicked by one last year though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Got them resident, but doesn't seem to put the pigeons off roosting. same here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 I had a problen with a sparrowhawk nicking wood pigeons a few years ago. Almost as soon as I shot the first bird it was there. It was no good chasing him off the dead birds as he would just go for the second and so on. I found it was best to let it have the first pigeon and eat its fill and it was no longer a problem for that day. Ihave often had buzzards walking around in the middle of my decoys ( a mix of shells and dead birds ) , but they never touched the dead birds unlike the local marsh harriers. I have also had sparrowhawks hit the decoys several times. Not that I worry about it . It just adds interest to the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Hi Kes. A few years ago I was shooting on a farm over rape where there were large flocks. There were buzzards about but not apparently actively hunting. However when they approached the pigeon flock those birds would lift and , how best to describe this? Fly very fast oval circcuits( if such a thing can be described) around the end of a wood before returning to feed. An evasive , defensive measure perhaps? Blackpowder Perhaps there is something I am not seeing, food for thought. Blackpowder Hi BP - after your post and my experience I am convinced the buzzards, although they were obviously not hungry, were going through some of the motions of chasing the pigeons at their roost. The buzzards knew the pigeons were coming in, were not bothered by me shooting and I could clearly see they were shammimg attacks on the pigeons. I'm sure the pigeons avoided the area for nearby roosts but the buzzards obviously knew they were safe from me, flying and gliding directly over me. I need a buzzard decoy ! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEADLY PLUMBER Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 A few weeks ago on a roost shoot I shot a bird that dropped 10 meters away. I re-loaded my gun and put my head up to look for my next bird. Then through the trees a Buzzard attacked the dead bird on the ground giving it a good whack and flipping it over. Before it made off with the pigeon my young Cocker took exception to this thief taking his retrieve and charged at the Buzzard. The Buzzard made off empty handed making an angry verbal volley at my dog. I didn't know that Buzzard was close bye. They usually make some noise. I have watched them harass pigeons some times making them move on. I also get Red Kites on my patch they seem less bold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddaftspaniel Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I've often had them attack my decoys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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