birdsallpl Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Whilst carrying out crop protection yesterday over freshly drilled beans, there were hundreds of birds on the fields. However about 70% were Stock Doves. The flocks were mixed with Woody's. The Stocks were landing in amongst the decoys all the time, which actually helped to draw the wood pigeons in as well but made snap shooting to the sides quite difficult. I have obviously had a few Stocks about before but never in such vast numbers. Has anyone else experienced this recently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Not in my experience in East Anglia. Not many pigs either at the moment. Where were you shooting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Whilst carrying out crop protection yesterday over freshly drilled beans, there were hundreds of birds on the fields. However about 70% were Stock Doves. The flocks were mixed with Woody's. The Stocks were landing in amongst the decoys all the time, which actually helped to draw the wood pigeons in as well but made snap shooting to the sides quite difficult. I have obviously had a few Stocks about before but never in such vast numbers. Has anyone else experienced this recently? Ye, damm nuisance they are too, especially if you have to shoot sun in eyes, you don't know to shoot or not until it's too late... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Loads of the things around this way . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 North Leicestershire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren 67 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 More stockdoves than woodies last weekend around Warwick area. Diff wing shape and wing beat to woodies helps me tell diff but still seem to leave em come in close to try and make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 We have a farm with a resident flock of at least two hundred stock doves on it , they are feeding on the ground cover at present . We have found locally that the stock and collard dove have increased in the past four to five years. We did come across a young lad at one farm that had shot a number of stock doves with his air rifle and thought they were pigeons , when we told him they were protected he just asked WHY??. Innocence of youth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tandytommo Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Loads about in NW Leicestershire many more than previous years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren 67 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 At least he knows now P.C better to educate him than rollock him. Good on ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpman Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Yeah loads in leicesterhire seeing more and more. Karpman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Yep same here, Leicestershire/notts border. Very frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goober Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Noticed large numbers over past couple of months here(Cardiff/Newport)when pigeons were scarce.pigeon numbers starting to build up last few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I have been posting for a couple of years that there seems to have been an explosion in the stock dove population. Flocks use to be in single numbers, but now I am seeing 50 to 100 bird flocks quite commonly. Mild Winters, longer breeding season, plenty of food, being protected, there are probably loads of reasons why this is happening, but it is happening. Despite a good search round, I can't find when, or why, they became protected, I can certainly remember when they weren't when I was a lad (or perhaps people didn't bother so much then). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I agree there does seem to be an increase in the infernal things. Very often when a group of a dozen or more has approached the hide I have dismissed them mentally as 'bloody stockies' only to find that there is a woody amongst them and the chance is gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebar Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Last Saturday I had stock doves visit, commit and land throughout the day,2 on one occasion wandered around the pattern for several minutes appearing to be mesmerised by the magnet and flapper movement. If only the woodies were so willing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MirokuMK70 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I shoot near Lichfield - loads there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I have been posting for a couple of years that there seems to have been an explosion in the stock dove population. Flocks use to be in single numbers, but now I am seeing 50 to 100 bird flocks quite commonly. Mild Winters, longer breeding season, plenty of food, being protected, there are probably loads of reasons why this is happening, but it is happening. Despite a good search round, I can't find when, or why, they became protected, I can certainly remember when they weren't when I was a lad (or perhaps people didn't bother so much then). They were on schedule 2 of the Protection of Birds Act 1954, but not on Schedule 2 of the Wildlife & countryside act 1981. Like you I can't find when they were removed. It would appear 1981, but I thought you couldn't shoot them before then. I've been shooting since about 1967 and don't remember ever shooting any, but then again maybe there wasn't any around at that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebar Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 During the 1960's I can't say I remember seeing them, maybe they were mis-identified at that time and lumped in as "ferals"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootnfish Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Plenty round here, quite often have them making me throw a fresh cup of coffee on the floor or a newly rolled fag in my fresh cup of coffee. On a positive note they do help pull pigeons in if they are loitering around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Plenty round here, quite often have them making me throw a fresh cup of coffee on the floor or a newly rolled fag in my fresh cup of coffee. On a positive note they do help pull pigeons in if they are loitering around. Yes, they can act a realistic decoys but often the woodies seem to hang back and watch the doves go in. Usually, the doves realise that the deeks are dead and get up, exit watching woodies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootnfish Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Maybe, but more often than not i find the pigeons still come in even when the stock doves have landed and taken off as its only a couple leaving the decoys are still there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanz Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Cheshire yesterday hoardes of them on drilled wheat,they caused us real problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 (edited) not seen any at all down here,for years not any on the farms i shoot. Edited March 23, 2014 by mossy835 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
army646 Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Plenty in North Yorks around harvest time last year. It can be quite difficult when you have young woodies about that have not really developed the white wing and neck markings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Loads of them around here, at least a dozen landed today into my pattern... there are in greater number than woodies at the moment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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