Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
28 August 2010
07:4967557The other day a man was feeding seagulls on the seafront here. As you would expect a large number gathered around him, but what was odd this time was the sheer volume of seagulls with brown plumage..ie young ones. I have never before seen so many of the younger ones, masses and masses of them. Ive noticed these brown plumage ones flying about in large quantities too all over my vantage point here on the seafront towers.
So I was quite surprised to hear an item on BBC Radio 4 this morning about the very same thing, while they were reviewing the papers..it seems there is a feature in one newspaper about the sudden meteoric rise in the number of seagulls. Someone suggested there may be a million pairs now, whereas I believe the official line is something like 30,000. There are calls for a cull.
I myself have no problem with seagulls (pigeons yes, seagulls no), as I clearly would be living in the wrong place if I did, but some people do and are upset by the damage and havoc they cause. There was even talk on the radio of increased attacks on people. They are quite territorial and the sheer volume of numbers now means they are ever more desperate for food. If they continue to increase at this rate then whats to be done?
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
28 August 2010
07:5667560I`ve noticed this all through the Summer Paul, and have commented about the number of youngster`s to other people I may have been with, compared with the traditional number of white adult`s. It looks the same story over Deal, though not near so many as in Dover.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
28 August 2010
07:5967561Yes thats interesting Colin...I thought it was just me at first so thats why I was surprised to hear the item on R4. If its multiplied throughout the country then we have a real problem...rubbish sacks everywhere are under threat!
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
28 August 2010
08:0367564Not just Dover, same in other seaside towns such as Folkestone/Hastings
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
28 August 2010
08:1767570At least pigeons make for good eating.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
28 August 2010
08:2067571Is that why you keep sending messages on here Sid?
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
28 August 2010
08:4167585I would like to see a vast increase in the consumption of pigeon pie Sid. There are vast numbers of the moth eaten things in Dover so any recipe that contributes towards their decline would meet with my approval.
However...it would need to be one heck of a recipe, as to prise the great British public away from their fishfingers and their burgers would take some doing, and who can blame the public out there, pigeons are dirty little blighters. We so much prefer to eat lovely little frollicking lambs and piglets!
Seagulls of course on the other hand are a protected species.
28 August 2010
08:5067593Eugh pigeon pie no thanks
Guest 702- Registered: 9 Jul 2010
- Posts: 241
28 August 2010
08:5367595Try some of these Sid
http://www.basc.org.uk/en/games-on/topnav/recipes/pigeon-recipes/index.cfm
Don't forget to take the sites advice:
"We recommend removing shot or bullet-damaged game meat before cooking to minimise any lead contamination."
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
28 August 2010
09:0167597I`m still not tempted Ken, like horsemeat or rabbit, I don`t feel I could. Still all meat though, but then so is dog to some people.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
28 August 2010
09:0767598I get alot of Pigeons and Doves in my Garden and they all look very clean and yes I could eat them if I had to,but not the ones we see in the town.
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
28 August 2010
09:2467602I have had pigeon pie, very tasty, made by a WI member. Sold on a WI market stall. If you put onion with it and some herbs and seasoning, lovely!
Why not. Presumably it was a wood pigeon, not a domestic one ? If you can eat snails.... and snook (whalemeat)...
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
28 August 2010
10:4867605regarding aggression from the gulls, i had a real problem last summer when a young one ended up in may garden having not learwned to fly, every time i went out to try and give it some food and water i was attacked by the mother.
it got worse, when i went out of my front door she went for me and anyone else that happened to be standing at the bus stop.
in the end i went out with a lump of wood, when she attacked i clumped her, did the trick she left me alone after that.
previous years i have had a young one in the garden and the parents used to watch from the roof and let me feed it.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
28 August 2010
11:0467608When we lived along Barton road years ago, the seagulls used to nest in the houses over the top of us opposite. For a couple of years, the wife couldn`t go out the back to hang the washing out, the gull concerned swooped down and crapped at the back door. The first year we found it amusing, and constantly opened the door then closed it as the gull came down, crapping. I have some cine film of it swooping. This wore off though, and after a few year`s, my mate came down with his high powered air rifle. We never had anymore problems in the next 2 years before we moved. (We`re talking back in the early 80s here, and of course you can`t do that thing now).
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
28 August 2010
13:3167610A few facts and tips about airborne vermin:
1. Do not eat town birds. They feed mostly on garbage, much of which is rotten. As a result many suffer from poisoning by botulinous toxin. If you eat one of those you will be very poorly indeed.
2. The best and most humane way to get them out of the town is to hire a falconer with a few Harris hawks once or twice a week. This has been done successfully in Plymouth recently.
3. If you want to eat game we have both a venison casserole and a game pie on the menu at Blakes. The game pie contains venison, partridge and wild boar.
PG.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
28 August 2010
15:2467613Vic Matcham,
The pigeons and doves that come into your garden ,well no great search for an answer to that one. They have probably had one good dump on your neighbours washing before they arrive at your place!!
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
28 August 2010
17:5567644I was reading the Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory annual report ast night (they are having an open days today and tomorrow,
http://www.sbbot.org.uk) they reckon there was a peak of 5,000 herring gulls roosting in Pegwell bay in December last year. I don't know how that relates to national numbers though.
Wood pigeons are a gourmet delicacy but just as big a pest in the countryside as feral pigeons in the towns, which is bad news for them as that's two good reasons for getting shot.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
28 August 2010
18:0067645My friend here from the PLO Pigeon Liberation Organisation says 'Leave us pigeons alone'!!
Sorry, couldn't eat them, I'd keep seeing those beady little eyes...........
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,883
28 August 2010
18:5067654Pigeon breast cooked in orange and red wine sauce with herbs and onion.
Game pie, pheasant, wild rabbit, pigeon marinated in red wine and orange overnight and cooked with herbs and onion.
How I miss my gamekeeper friends.
Not the way some of you might be thinking, not a for-get-me-not in sight.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,883
28 August 2010
21:3767680-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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