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What Would Pigeon Be Feeding On In Woodland This Time Of Year


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Hello guys

 

Just a question really, I'm not after crops just what they are likely to be after in a woodland, do they eat acorns or sweet chestnut? , hawthorn I know of but can't find many areas with them left, trying to look fora good place to set up for an hour or two...

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ACORNS - and your beloved pheasants too (unless they are stuffed full of raisins of course :thumbs: )

 

Beech nuts are another popular feed for pigeons. Beech mast it is called, little triangular (pyramidal) nuts.

 

Watch for flight lines - pigeons flying will often home in on tohers feeding on the ground, so when you see a flying pigeon suddenly change course and drop down, investigate further!

A pair of binoculars are worth their weight in gold - but only reasonably good ones. POOR quality (cheap) are WORSE THAN NONE AT ALL, and not worth wasting money on. You can get some FANTASTIC binos of the auction site - I got my Zeiss 8x30B (with red T* lenses - the latest and best version) in their hard case, unmarked and perfect. £110 posted. The equivalent today are £1000+

Nikon Monarch 8x36 are a fabulous air of modern binos - reasonably compact, bright and excellent quality, about £250 NEW, pick up a used pair much cheaper. There are so many opportunities to get REALLY GOOD binos I wouldn't bother looking at Bushnell, Burris and all the other cheapos.

 

You can cover a massive amount of ground with bins - and see things lurking that you would otherwise have missed - the red wattle of a pheasant peering out from in th ebrambles, that you would otherwise have walked over and flushed. Instead, you can get in position and watch for an opportunity. The same with pigeons in cover of trees, the binos will pick out tiny details that you cannot see with your eyes.

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Cheers guys, much appreciated, doesn't seem to be many berries on my permission looks like most of them have been eaten...I did put out 4 decoys yesturday and Jesus did I have some fun, pigeons coming in everywhere, with the thick branches and leaves I only managed to get 1 with the air rifle...straight through the neck....opened the crop up and it was empty....first time I have ever seen this, looks like food is precious at the moment. Could help me out with some decoying, going to try Wednesday........I saw sme red berried down the bottom of my woodland but didnt now what they were, not rose hips or hore thorns, didnt look like ivy berries either, was wondering if the pigeons would eat them, if they do the decoys are going up and I'm gonna see if I can get some!.

 

(In fact the pigeon is roasting in the oven as we speak!)

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Hello guys

 

Just a question really, I'm not after crops just what they are likely to be after in a woodland, do they eat acorns or sweet chestnut? , hawthorn I know of but can't find many areas with them left, trying to look fora good place to set up for an hour or two...

Good, question. I'm glad someone asked it because i was thinking the same thing.

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Craig - get a picture of the red berries and post it up. If the leaves are double rows of pointed leaves (like a spear point shape) I would guess they are rowan (Mountain Ash). The birds will eat them, but normally when the weather gets harsher - a fall back larder if you like.

 

Got any elder berries left?

 

In Majorca the other week we saw woodies congregating on a spiky thorn tree covered in small red/black berries - obviously the black ones were ripe. So your red berries could well be a crop they will go for- keep your eyes on them!

 

Your pigeon with an empty crop - what time of day did you shoot it?

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Cheers guys, much appreciated, doesn't seem to be many berries on my permission looks like most of them have been eaten...I did put out 4 decoys yesturday and Jesus did I have some fun, pigeons coming in everywhere, with the thick branches and leaves I only managed to get 1 with the air rifle...straight through the neck....opened the crop up and it was empty....first time I have ever seen this, looks like food is precious at the moment. Could help me out with some decoying, going to try Wednesday........I saw sme red berried down the bottom of my woodland but didnt now what they were, not rose hips or hore thorns, didnt look like ivy berries either, was wondering if the pigeons would eat them, if they do the decoys are going up and I'm gonna see if I can get some!.

 

(In fact the pigeon is roasting in the oven as we speak!)

loads left the hedge rows are still full of elder berries,sloes hawthorn berries,acorns rose hips infact i hve not seen it like this for years. this was on one permission last week

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Paulus they are some great pictures I will post some up of what there's berries look like

 

I have a food for free book I carry round with me so I will see if they are in there

 

Not sure what elderberries look like the picture in my book isn't that great.

 

It was about 1 in the afternoon with the pigeon had an empty crop, didn't think they digested that quickly from the morning feed?

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Paulus they are some great pictures I will post some up of what there's berries look like

 

I have a food for free book I carry round with me so I will see if they are in there

 

Not sure what elderberries look like the picture in my book isn't that great.

 

It was about 1 in the afternoon with the pigeon had an empty crop, didn't think they digested that quickly from the morning feed?

you could well have got it before its afternoon feed, what did its keel (breastbone) feel like that is the best way to tell how fat they are, these are elderberries

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Brilliant mate thank you, it's was a very skinny bird, breastbone was quite weak.....the first time I have felt one when carving the Brest and my knife feeling like it would go into it

 

Thanks for the picture. I'm starting to look at all the different berries etc etc that I can consume, and also the ones rids are most likely to go for.

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Brilliant mate thank you, it's was a very skinny bird, breastbone was quite weak.....the first time I have felt one when carving the Brest and my knife feeling like it would go into it

Thanks for the picture. I'm starting to look at all the different berries etc etc that I can consume, and also the ones rids are most likely to go for.

One of my permissions is covered in berries still, been a very good year for them.

 

With the elder berries, never mind eating them, pick when the sun has been on them so the natural sugars are high and they make an excellent vino.

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