kitchrat Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Do red kites “dormitory roost”? In a wood yesterday evening doing a bit of mid-week roost shooting with the farmer. Found a corner with lots of pigeon **** and waited. A fair number came in, not so high as over my Saturday wood so I managed to knock 9 down. As it was getting very dusk, a red kite was soaring over the same corner of the wood, almost hovering on the wind. Then 2, 3, 4, until we could count 13 in the air, with more coming (but they could have been the same ones doing a lap of honour!). Whilst we had no trouble identifying them and not shooting, it was off putting and we quit early as they were coming in to land, presumably to roost. Left them in peace. Quite strange, kites wouldn't kill pigeons but odd to think of them sharing the same corner of the wood, in such numbers. Today, on the beans, it was back to the old doves, using them as cover, I'm never sure if I should shoot or not, until it's too late. Must be a dozen pigeons still alive that shouldn't be. That's my excuse anyway. *****y Doves!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manymissedpigeon Posted February 9 Report Share Posted February 9 Afternoon ‘kitchrat’ My neck of the woods is not that far from Harewood house where red kites were released a few years ago, indeed, whenever you go to an outdoor function there, then you can count them by the dozen as the car parks empty and they start scavenging plus we are inundated with buzzards as well. On an occasion last year I had to leave a field with quite a few dead birds still out due to an emergency and when I returned a couple of days later there were a good dozen buzzards circling around with the remains of the pigeon showing as piles of feathers here and there. My point is, maybe you lost a few birds in the woods whilst roost shooting on an earlier occasion and the kites were either still feeding on the carcasses or had maybe tied in someone shooting with free food later? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted February 9 Report Share Posted February 9 On 06/02/2024 at 17:14, kitchrat said: Do red kites “dormitory roost”? In a wood yesterday evening doing a bit of mid-week roost shooting with the farmer. Found a corner with lots of pigeon **** and waited. A fair number came in, not so high as over my Saturday wood so I managed to knock 9 down. As it was getting very dusk, a red kite was soaring over the same corner of the wood, almost hovering on the wind. Then 2, 3, 4, until we could count 13 in the air, with more coming (but they could have been the same ones doing a lap of honour!). Whilst we had no trouble identifying them and not shooting, it was off putting and we quit early as they were coming in to land, presumably to roost. Left them in peace. Quite strange, kites wouldn't kill pigeons but odd to think of them sharing the same corner of the wood, in such numbers. Today, on the beans, it was back to the old doves, using them as cover, I'm never sure if I should shoot or not, until it's too late. Must be a dozen pigeons still alive that shouldn't be. That's my excuse anyway. *****y Doves!! I believe that they do, as they are quite a social BOP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted February 9 Author Report Share Posted February 9 3 hours ago, Manymissedpigeon said: Afternoon ‘kitchrat’ My neck of the woods is not that far from Harewood house where red kites were released a few years ago, indeed, whenever you go to an outdoor function there, then you can count them by the dozen as the car parks empty and they start scavenging plus we are inundated with buzzards as well. On an occasion last year I had to leave a field with quite a few dead birds still out due to an emergency and when I returned a couple of days later there were a good dozen buzzards circling around with the remains of the pigeon showing as piles of feathers here and there. My point is, maybe you lost a few birds in the woods whilst roost shooting on an earlier occasion and the kites were either still feeding on the carcasses or had maybe tied in someone shooting with free food later? After a bit of Google time, they do community roost : Roosting Summaries (friendsofredkites.org.uk) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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