Where are all the pigeons?

[oscarsdad]

Today I’ve been to three farms, two in east Notts and one into Lincs - all the pigeons seem to have vanished! None at all seen in Notts and in Lincs where there are two very reliable flight lines I only saw 4. 
 

Anyone else struggling to find them? 
 

All I shot today was putting a mixy rabbit out of its misery. 

[Wilts#Dave]

Poor time in the pigeon shooting calendar generally, when all drilling’s are gone and the wait for peas to grow/barley to ripen! Time to keep an eye on spring fodder crop/rape/clover etc if you’re lucky enough to have any! 

[oscarsdad]

Agreed - I found a lot of pigeons just now walking the dog around the village. About 50 all on either lawns or ivy berries. 

[marsh man]

May and early June are normally lean months around our way , our Peas are now showing above ground although we don't get any problems until they area few inches high , others might get them when they first get above ground level but we don't .

We have still got a few on patches of stunted Rape and the afternoons seem to attract more action than the mornings .

Another reason is this time of the year they tend to stay in the woods eating the fresh buds and not forgetting a lot will be sitting on the nest.

So depending on what crops you have got to shoot over you might have to wait a few more weeks until crops ripen up a bit and the Winter barley get knocked about with the wind and rain .

GOOD LUCK and keep looking as you never know when you might drop on a few .

[clangerman]

today’s reccy seen one on peas three on rape patch always the same when buds get going saves them flying out i suppose 

[Walker570]

50% are sitting on nests around here

[muncher]

I found some and a fox today. 
 

[NatureBoy]

Nicely done! What did you have them on Muncher?     NB

[muncher]

That’s on drilled maize, but they were after last year’s old cobs. 

[Spr1985]

Quite a few about round my way, below is the first picture in a panoramic of 3 (it won’t allow the other two to upload) they are all over that fresh drilling and also dropping into the corner and stunted patches of the adjacent osr field. I’ve spoken To the farmer and waiting on the paperwork I’ve submitted (licence insurance etc) to be checked and fingers crossed I may finally get a permission 😁

[Centrepin]

Loads on a field at the back of my caravan near Boston/Spalding between showers.

I've also seen huge flocks on fields around here and the Fosdyke where they're currently drilling or have drilled. Also crows/rooks nesting in trees on several properties. 

I would certainly be door knocking if I lived round here or thought I could justify the travelling to shoot.

[dead eye alan]

13 hours ago, Walker570 said:

50% are sitting on nests around here

+1 And mostly on buds, saw 50 on one hawthorn hedge yesterday and more joining.

Edited May 8, 2021 by dead eye alan

[matone]

14 hours ago, Spr1985 said:

Quite a few about round my way, below is the first picture in a panoramic of 3 (it won’t allow the other two to upload) they are all over that fresh drilling and also dropping into the corner and stunted patches of the adjacent osr field. I’ve spoken To the farmer and waiting on the paperwork I’ve submitted (licence insurance etc) to be checked and fingers crossed I may finally get a permission 😁

Good luck!

[Spr1985]

5 hours ago, matone said:

Good luck!

Thanks 👍🏻

[AULD YIN]

Next to nothing in outskirts of Edinburgh not fired a shot for months ,seen hundreds of geese on one field at the start of last month.never seen that amount in my life before.

Edited May 8, 2021 by AULD YIN

[Newkid]

Loads in the hedge rows down the country lanes near me 

[mgsontour]

I've been getting a few on woodland flightlines but no decoying and the birds are skinny not plump

[Centrepin]

32 minutes ago, mgsontour said:

I've been getting a few on woodland flightlines but no decoying and the birds are skinny not plump

Most of the ones I've shot, very few unfortunately, but they're skinny young birds.

Edited May 10, 2021 by Centrepin

[marsh man]

30 minutes ago, Centrepin said:

Most of the ones I've shot, very few unfortunately, but they're skinny young birds.

Apart from one young one ( and that one was in good condition ) all the ones I have been shooting on rape these last few weeks have been in very good condition with plenty of body meat , and these are not a patch on the ones that come into my garden and stuff themselves on food left out for the smaller garden birds 

[mgsontour]

2 hours ago, marsh man said:

Apart from one young one ( and that one was in good condition ) all the ones I have been shooting on rape these last few weeks have been in very good condition with plenty of body meat , and these are not a patch on the ones that come into my garden and stuff themselves on food left out for the smaller garden birds 

My garden and surrounding area must have the highest population of diabetic pigeons in Britain I kid you not, my dogs go nuts with them flying so low over their heads

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, mgsontour said:

My garden and surrounding area must have the highest population of diabetic pigeons in Britain I kid you not, my dogs go nuts with them flying so low over their heads

Must be more Wood Pigeons in the towns parks and village gardens than their ever was , our village is on the edge of the countryside and is full of pigeons .

I used to shoot some fields that were about a half a mile from the sea and between these fields and the sea were some houses , a holiday camp and a large grave yard , the amount of pigeons that came out of that area was at times staggering , a few bags went into three figures and 30 / 40 for the afternoon was normal , I have now been moved for just over four years and in that time some of the fields I went on are now covered in new houses , no doubt the pigeons might be still their but would now have to go more inland , or stay in the new house owners gardens .

[oscarsdad]

4 hours ago, mgsontour said:

My garden and surrounding area must have the highest population of diabetic pigeons in Britain I kid you not, my dogs go nuts with them flying so low over their heads

Here too...the cocker runs around like a loon chasing them and they nest in our hedges which winds the dogs up more. 

Edited May 10, 2021 by oscarsdad

[Piers Austin]

We were wondering the same! No pigeons in Hampshire and a mate has just come back from visiting family in Lincolnshire, same story. Two farms we shoot have 4 fields of peas , usually suicidal but nowt! Where are they all? 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Piers Austin
Wanted to ‘Follow Topic’ but that option not there, so a pointless exercise!

[Centrepin]

I was out today,  saw one only.

Usually I say "time spent in recce is seldom wasted" but just recently absolutely nothing. Few crows, a single Jay and two jackdaws.

 

[clangerman]

last woodies i shot was 3 on the 9th for the pup any seen on reccys are a quick snack and leave some winter barley is in the head peas are getting higher so decent bag won’t be far of