JDog Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 More than two weeks after the three fields in question were drilled with spring barley with loads spilled on top the pigeons have found the bounty. I have driven to these fields ten times since they were drilled and seen nothing until today. Even with the help of Aga man last Friday I couldn't make out what these large flocks were doing. They certainly were not feeding on those fields. Today there were four to five hundred on the fields. What took them so long? Couldn't they see what was staring them in the face? Sadly I will not get to shoot them as I am going away early in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 More than two weeks after the three fields in question were drilled with spring barley with loads spilled on top the pigeons have found the bounty. I have driven to these fields ten times since they were drilled and seen nothing until today. Even with the help of Aga man last Friday I couldn't make out what these large flocks were doing. They certainly were not feeding on those fields. Today there were four to five hundred on the fields. What took them so long? Couldn't they see what was staring them in the face? Sadly I will not get to shoot them as I am going away early in the morning. And that's why they have only just turned up , Lincolnshire birds are super intelligent , or at least according to Mrs Fenboy they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 On the way to work there is a small field that is right next to the road. This field is planted with rape but will probably be a write off because the crop has been damaged by excess water and pigeon attack. Some days the pigeons are coming across the road like leaves on the autumn wind and the field is grey but the next day there isn't a bird to be seen out there. The field would be very difficult to shoot over because of the size you would either be shooting at the road or nearby houses and a primary school. I don't think that it would be long before someone would start complaining if anyone set up there. I think that the birds are laying up in a fir wood about a field back on the other side of the road which is part of a syndicate shoot. I think that the landowner has probably left this field alone as a write off and if the birds are out undisturbed on there they aren't out on other fields. I wonder where the birds go when they are not on the field and why not feed there all of the time. There seem to be lots of birds out on the grass at the present. Any grass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted March 30, 2016 Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 (edited) They certainly take some weighing up! just like women, the things you imagine they want and they seldom do until it suits them Seriously though i witnessed first hand last Friday that those pigeons were not feeding anywhere, the few we managed to whittle down from the sky had empty crops, even at 3pm. I have a feeling they Knew the seed was there,just feeding there didn't suit them until now. Same with chitted peas, one day a field can be blue with pigeon and void the next, only for the pigeon to return a week later? Spoilt for choice perhaps. Have a safe journey J, hope you get a bagfull over the weekend. I will be reading your report from the comfort of my caravan in North Yorkshire Edited March 30, 2016 by aga man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 and when you get back they will be gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightymariner Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 It bodes well for some of this spring barley I have then if they are taking a while to find it.....we may have another day or two on them soon. I had to pass on one good opportunity as we go away today, and it's killing me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlander Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Bedfordshire birds are no better , Ive got two fields of peas that have been drilled for ten days now and ive hardly seen any activity at all over them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 As I previously wrote yesterday the pigeons were coming across the road like leaves on the autumn wind and the field was grey and I could actually see the birds out in the short plants but the today there wasn't a bird to be seen out there. today there were several in ones, twos and three along the grass verges as I drove along. I also notice that there seems to be a lot of pairing up on the lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 More than two weeks after the three fields in question were drilled with spring barley with loads spilled on top the pigeons have found the bounty. I have driven to these fields ten times since they were drilled and seen nothing until today. Even with the help of Aga man last Friday I couldn't make out what these large flocks were doing. They certainly were not feeding on those fields. Today there were four to five hundred on the fields. What took them so long? Couldn't they see what was staring them in the face? Sadly I will not get to shoot them as I am going away early in the morning. My Essex birds are NOT thick, in either sense of the word! There are not a huge number about in my area but those that are are much smarter than I am and outwit me on most of my outings. (Goes to show how a university education doesn't automatically bring success in the "real world"!). In my defence, I only shoot over winter rape..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 I had a long day on Thursday for a mere 9 pigeon at the supposedly bumper ,'Cushat Wood'. Over the past 10 years when these fields around the wood have been spring sown I have had several 40 and 50+ bird days so it is a bit of a hot spot. Quite a lot of spilled grain on the unrolled field but the pigeon had not found it but drew a few in with the decoys. The birds were shot between 11:30 am and 3pm , when I dressed them out yesterday not one had as much as a grain of seed in their crops. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Ours seem to be sitting in trees or on plough most of the day ,then have a quick ,late afternoon feed on rape.Not bothering drillings at all ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 I just had a round trip of about ten miles and there were none on that field of rape that I previously mentioned but there were two groups of about twenty in two fields next to each other of new drilling and odd twos and threes on other fields. There were some up in trees that looked as if they were eating new leaf bubs and some on grass verges. No specific pattern there and I bet that if you were to set up on one of the sown fields that they would all clear off. might be worth a look at the weekend though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted April 3, 2016 Report Share Posted April 3, 2016 (edited) In my area pigeon sometimes hit a field within hours of being drilled and on others it takes them a week before starting to use it. With todays drills very little seed is left on the soil surface. However If the soil light and is dry enough and we get a bit of wind it will expose the seed and the pigeons are on to it in a shot. Not that I have had a chance to shoot pigeons for the past few weeks. Typical hardly a bird all winter and as soon as drilling started and pigeons are everywhere , on rape and clover as well as on the drillings. Having just got a new dog I have not got the time to shoot and now we into April its time for my personal " closed season" in the hopes local flocks will have chance to breed and build up a bit before I start shooting again at harvest time. Edited April 3, 2016 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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