Axel Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 Got half a dozen pigeons the other day, in a wood as they were coming into roost. Good shotting but not quite sure what was in some of their crops i.e. 2 had corn and OSR in but the others had small, darkish, soft berries; anyone know what these are? Good shooting! Clipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete evans Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 ivy perhaps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 Almost certainly ivy berries. I have alway thought they were a "last resort" food for pigeons, as they are so bitter ( they will even taint the meat, if the birds eat enough of them). But in the last few weeks around here I have noticed lots of pigeons on the ivy, even though there is still quite a lot of "better" food about. Its also noticeable that they have started on the rape, perhaps not in large numbers, but with that steady intent. We just need it to stay dry, which its not doing here this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 I have alway thought they were a "last resort" food for pigeons, as they are so bitter You couldnt be more wrong Cranfield and I mean that in a nice sort of way. Before the arrival of winter rape the Ivy berry was the main stay of the wood pigeon in winter. The birds love them. I have seen them gorge on Ivy in preference to all else locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesspencer_2001 Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 Went out rough shooting in arable and finished with a roost shoot and came away with 4 pigeon. Looked in their crops and they were packed with ivy berries. On the walk round every tree with ivy on it had a pigeon and flocks of 50+ were in some of the big trees. Anyway Cranfield have you tasted Ivy Berries to know that they are bitter cos i thought they were poisonous. Spenner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 jamesspencer_2001, I have tasted ivy berries, just enough to know what they taste like and obviously not enough to kill me (if they are poisonous). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big dave Posted December 19, 2004 Report Share Posted December 19, 2004 There are still alot of berries in the hedges around where i shoot, has anyone had any luck at lofting deek's in the hedges. I am thinking of putting one of my flappers on a pole and see what happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 I saw "****-loads" of pigeons out yesterday on one of our paddocks and in the trees surrounding it. I can honestly say I have no idea what they were feeding on, because the nearest tree ith Ivy on is about 100 yards away from where they were. Maybe clover? Wookie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrie0 Posted December 20, 2004 Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 Dropping off wood at the farm we tip at , which has acres of osr next to it (not the same farm though ) I kept my eye out for the woodies ,none on the fields at all but in a small copse in one of his fields you could see all the pigeons on the ivy, even hanging nearly upside down pecking away ,they would fly off to a nearby tree have a rest and then back on to the ivy . Seems like they love the stuff . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
napier Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 go on www.pigeonwatch.co.uk and look at crop watch it will tell you what they are feeding on.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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