pigeon controller Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 Last week we were requested via a text to shoot a small five acre field of barley as it was being ravaged by pigeons and corvids. The instructions requested that the corvids be left on the field to deter others. We left the field with approx fifty corvids scattered and processed the pigeons. The farmer phoned on Tuesday and asked us why we did not leave the corvids on the field as it was devoid of any birds and feathers?? We shot it again on Sunday and this time left seventy birds on the field, had a call today not a bird on the field ?? I can understand a fox or badgers removing a few but not all. Im just concerned that a local cat or dog has presented there owner with one hundred and twenty " presents" at there back door!! Any Ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacko3275 Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 You imagined shooting them or they was just playing dead till you had left ... my friend lost 30 chickens to a fox in a night so maybe a few foxes the area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 Very strange indeed. I make a point of making sure that I don't put the blacks in the bottom of the hedge where I might be sitting next as they tend to hang around for a while even with a few foxes about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillStone Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 I actually find foxes will rarely take corvids and if they did there'd likely still be a fair bit of evidence in my experience. round my area there are so many red kites and buzzards (I am talking 100+ circling the mower when they silage) and they seem to love the crows they will eat enough where it is until they can pick it up then take the rest off to favourite trees where they eventually let the wings fall to the floor once they've demolished them and they will clear up 50/70 crows in no time at all! so if you have many of them your way could well be those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 I would say badgers, they will eat anything and everything AND there are a lot about, eating everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 It was me, I spotted that someone had been shooting and left all the birds on the field so and picked them all up and put them in the ditch, had to do it twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted May 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 3 minutes ago, old'un said: It was me, I spotted that someone had been shooting and left all the birds on the field so and picked them all up and put them in the ditch, had to do it twice. I thought so, you just can't leave things alone!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 Bloody hard work I can tell you…..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 Interesting. I would have said foxes and or badgers. We’ve never been asked to leave them on the field, but are often asked to leave a few hanging upside down on the barbed wire fence or hedge.....corvids do not like this at all and will shy away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 You don't live anywhere Mr Peckem by any chance ? 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 After the first lot going missing over night , would it been possible in hanging a few up on canes with the bag from your second visit ? , anyhow glad your keeping well and avoiding catching this nasty virus . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 I think it could be badgers, making a cache, ive heard of mink doing similar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 2 hours ago, Westley said: You don't live anywhere Mr Peckem by any chance ? 😄 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 hello, any feathers or carcasses left about ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted May 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 1 hour ago, oldypigeonpopper said: hello, any feathers or carcasses left about ? No totally clean field, that's why I reported it , normally some trace of the birds left?? DB did suggest the local Currie house, bad lad!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 9 minutes ago, pigeon controller said: No totally clean field, that's why I reported it , normally some trace of the birds left?? DB did suggest the local Currie house, bad lad!! hello, ok so in just a few day 50 dead corvids disappear leaving no trace, raptors ? badger ? fox ? very intriguing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7daysinaweek Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 Local cult? We have a couple up round my neck of the woods 🧛♂️ Ooohhh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOXHUNTER1 Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 17 hours ago, KillStone said: I actually find foxes will rarely take corvids and if they did there'd likely still be a fair bit of evidence in my experience. round my area there are so many red kites and buzzards (I am talking 100+ circling the mower when they silage) and they seem to love the crows they will eat enough where it is until they can pick it up then take the rest off to favourite trees where they eventually let the wings fall to the floor once they've demolished them and they will clear up 50/70 crows in no time at all! so if you have many of them your way could well be those. I always leave corvids in a hedge bottom and find they never get touched by foxes , always just rot down naturally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clodhopper Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 Is it an age thing? Are you sure you went back to the same field?😀 Seriously though, that is a large quantity of birds to just disappear. Even if fox etc had taken them I am sure there would be some trace, feathers in hedge or under a fence that the animal had passed through. My guess would be human interference of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted May 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 24 minutes ago, Clodhopper said: Is it an age thing? Are you sure you went back to the same field?😀 Seriously though, that is a large quantity of birds to just disappear. Even if fox etc had taken them I am sure there would be some trace, feathers in hedge or under a fence that the animal had passed through. My guess would be human interference of some sort. We did think it could be a local , but for what purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Prawn Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 17 minutes ago, pigeon controller said: We did think it could be a local , but for what purpose. Just a random thought is there a chance some local do gooder saw a load of dead birds in a field and collected them for some kind of investigation into how they died? That huge flocks of starlings found dead recently might have buoyed someone to investigate having not realised cause of death was deliberate human activity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 iv shot a load of crows and rooks, put them in the hedge next day all gone, next farm over i left 36 rooks next to a pond next day all gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 For my money islandgun is close with Badger/s but I think its mainly fox and more than one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 When we used to trap a lot of foxes using two trap's we never caught one using crow's infact the crow's were never touched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted May 6, 2020 Report Share Posted May 6, 2020 10 hours ago, pigeon controller said: No totally clean field, that's why I reported it , normally some trace of the birds left?? DB did suggest the local Currie house, bad lad!! THAT may just not be as batty as it sounds though ?? 5 hours ago, The Mighty Prawn said: Just a random thought is there a chance some local do gooder saw a load of dead birds in a field and collected them for some kind of investigation into how they died? That huge flocks of starlings found dead recently might have buoyed someone to investigate having not realised cause of death was deliberate human activity? Perhaps they are making a new Harry Potter film and needed extras ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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