soreshoulder Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 out today and only shot one, they seemed to be flocking up again even though last week they were in smaller groups. I also didnt see many feeding on the rape has it got to big for them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 i was out today and they were on clover, lots of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taff Mason Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 i think they only like the new shoots of the rape. thats why they always feed on the bare patches. i reckon your right, its gotten too big for them in most places now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Apparently, as the rape gets bigger the leaf gets bitter and the pigeons move on. Round here they are hitting the balder areas of the fields, where new shoots are still appearing, but clover is attracting them and they will be on the drillings when they start in a few weeks time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funky Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 I have been out on the last three days on three different rape fields on my permission and have drawn a blank.Seems as if most of the Pigeons have moved else where.. Also allot of the farmers are now putting the fertilizer on the fields as it is drying up .... I am off untill Thursday will keep trying to locate them ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Birds on my permissions have been off rape properly for the last two weeks. Rape is now approx 6" high and as Cranfield said, it tastes bitter to them. There are one or two bald areas where the occassional pigeon is seen, but not worth decoying. Alot of the birds I'm seeing are either on clover or on plough and not recently ploughed either. Set up yesterday on a ploughed field which is right at the centre of a pigeon highway across one of my permissions, and managed to get some to decoy into the pattern properly, first time since well before xmas that's happened. Managed two, completely fluffed a third. It was encouraging though as the birds moved around in groups of 10-15, rather than as one huge flock. This warm settled weather is helping, especially when we had good gusting winds as we did yesterday, adds movements to al deeks full bodied, half or otherwise. Floater looked superb in the winds. Both the birds I shot when cropped, had small seeds (no idea what) as well as clover and a few small snails (assume these came from the plough First time I've seen this.) Funky, Got peas going in in the next couple of weeks, if you fancy a crack them? SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funky Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 (edited) MMMMMM peas you say ,,,,,,, going in as in drilled you say ....... Well it would be very rude of me to decline such a generous offer ,,,, so my answer to you question is YES!..... To be honest mate i have never shot over drilled Peas that would be a new one for me......Thanks I recon they are having the buds off the bushes and trees could that be what you saw in their crops??? Edited March 16, 2009 by funky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommo Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 You find the rape is going sour as it starts to grow - or at least thats what the old timers say. Its reprieved by the fact that to get it going truely they sometimes spin 'sugar' on it to get it going better (heard that again today by a farmer) l think its old timer talk for fertislizer??- clover is just starting to grow properly so it is sweeter for them (you'll see them hammer this and any other young shoots at the min) Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.