Hi lads hers a story for the raptor alliance, as you are all aware Pembrokeshire has some serious raptor problems, the worst in the world I would say for pigeons.
But this week, well last night to be precise it took a turn for the worst for me at least, so much so that if It wasn't for the fact I live in a rural area with the luxury of having no neighbours...if you know what I mean? I would give up pigeons today.
This week I have seen at my place buzzards, kites, kestrel, sparrow hawk, Goshawk and peregrine, which is a daily thing and some wont bother the birds, with the exception of the Goshawk which until this week I have never seen in the wild before in my life.
This all changed the other day when a Goshawk attacked my pigeons around the loft, unlike the peregrine who just kills at altitude this bird has rewritten the book on death.
Without going into great detail and producing a post of a thousand words, I will say one thing.. give me 10 peregrines any day of the week compared to this bird, and I will never complain about the peregrine again, The Goshawk is faster than the peregrine and attacks anytime and any where, and its like a rocket, the peregrine can get some speed up in a dive, but Goshawks have the capability of finishing the pigeon sport here once and for all, from a standing start after hitting a bird to the ground it caught a good racing hen within yards and dropped it.
In my opinion if this birds presence persists and grows there will be no pigeons racing out of Pembrokeshire within 5 years, I hope Im wrong and they are isolated but this bird is mental and much worst than a peregrine. I thought we had problems until this week, now I do have a problem it has to go and soon or Im going to have to pack it in.
I was at the loft last night about 6pm, birds out, standing with my shot gun in hand ready to scare the raptors off with the bang
and I failed to stop the Goshawk bring down 2 birds in front of my eyes, so what chance would anyone else have. the birds are ok but I have lost 4 around the loft now in a week just at exercise.
These birds are killing machines and must eat several birds a day, nothing can be safe and if the rspb care about birds in general forget sorting out peregrines the Goshawk would be top of my list or culling.
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The N.E.H.U race from Melton Mowbray 21/4/2012 was won by Peel bros of South Shields, they took 1st club 1st fed, also taking 2nd and 4th club and 15 of the 25 birds clocked in the club......well done Peel brothers.
