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8 split wood pigeons, lying on their backs . . . (1 Viewer)

M

mike160304

Member
. . . on the back lawn of an old vicarage in Alderminster, near Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire.

This must have happened during the night or early in the morning.

The wood pigeons were dead, lying on their backs, and split open down the middle, but with no signs of eating damage.

I wish I had seen this myself, but the witness was the vicar's wife. She was shocked and she panicked, as she was expecting visitors, so she threw the pigeons into the rubbish bin and did not investigate any further.

I have no reason to doubt her story, she is a very rational person, but I did ask her whether she had any problems with neighbours at the time, as this crime scene seemed to suggest human not bird or animal activity. She says she had no problems with neighbours, to that extent, and I said, OK, but I cannot think of any animal or bird that could kill 8 wood pigeons within a short time, and split them all open.

Any ideas, please, anyone?

Mike
 
mike160304 said:
. . . on the back lawn of an old vicarage in Alderminster, near Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire.

This must have happened during the night or early in the morning.

The wood pigeons were dead, lying on their backs, and split open down the middle, but with no signs of eating damage.

I wish I had seen this myself, but the witness was the vicar's wife. She was shocked and she panicked, as she was expecting visitors, so she threw the pigeons into the rubbish bin and did not investigate any further.

I have no reason to doubt her story, she is a very rational person, but I did ask her whether she had any problems with neighbours at the time, as this crime scene seemed to suggest human not bird or animal activity. She says she had no problems with neighbours, to that extent, and I said, OK, but I cannot think of any animal or bird that could kill 8 wood pigeons within a short time, and split them all open.

Any ideas, please, anyone?

Mike
Click to expand...

Could I politely request that you use an easier to read text size, for those with less than 20-20, blue isn't the best colour to see either, doubly so when this small.

Agree with human culprit.
 
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Andy I don't understand why you say the font is small... it looks larger than the normal font used here? On my screen anyway.

You can always use the zoom function on your computer to increase it I would have thought.
 
Font size has changed. Originally it was huuuuuuge. Now it is tiny.

Woodpigeons - sounds like funny business going on. Even wondering if not a grudge, but how would poisoned carcasses be prepared for baiting for predators?
 
delia todd said:
Andy I don't understand why you say the font is small... it looks larger than the normal font used here? On my screen anyway.

You can always use the zoom function on your computer to increase it I would have thought.
Click to expand...

As Dan says Delia, poster has changed it (thank you), it was probably about size 6, look in the quote box.
 
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'Split open down the middle'.. Were there breasts intact? It's a common practice for pigeon shooters to just remove the breasts and discard the rest of the bird, because even on the legs there's not much meat for the pot. Taking the breast meat saves the bother of plucking or skinning the birds once shot. Good eating.
 
Had it been foggy? And are there any power / telephone lines above ?

Collision in poor visibility is an option, birds even occasionally fly into trees...
 
dantheman said:
Font size has changed. Originally it was huuuuuuge. Now it is tiny.

Woodpigeons - sounds like funny business going on. Even wondering if not a grudge, but how would poisoned carcasses be prepared for baiting for predators?
Click to expand...

I agree with "funny business".

I typed this Size 5, how does it look?
 
Barred Wobbler said:
'Split open down the middle'.. Were there breasts intact? It's a common practice for pigeon shooters to just remove the breasts and discard the rest of the bird, because even on the legs there's not much meat for the pot. Taking the breast meat saves the bother of plucking or skinning the birds once shot. Good eating.
Click to expand...

The witness says that the breasts looked intact, but "opened out".

Vikings? - Unlikely.

We need photos of course but there are none.
Also I would have checked for gunshot wounds, in case neighbours had shot them elsewhere and then presented then to the Vicarage back garden.
Thanks for your comments.

This is typed in Size 5 by the way.
Regards,
Mike
 
mudman said:
Had it been foggy? And are there any power / telephone lines above ?

Collision in poor visibility is an option, birds even occasionally fly into trees...
Click to expand...

No power or telephone lines, collisions would have looked like collisions, I doubt that either of these could have caused this identical surgical effect on 8 wood pigeons.

This is typed in Size 5 by the way.

Thanks,
Regards,
Mike
 
andyadcock said:
Could I politely request that you use an easier to read text size, for those with less than 20-20, blue isn't the best colour to see either, doubly so when this small.

Agree with human culprit.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I thought I had replied to this, I must have done something wrong.

I typed in Size 5, hoping that that was on the large side, and did not change it.

I have typed this in Size 5, is it too big or too small?

Regards,
Mike
 
Size 5 really is too big Mike. It's inclined to overlap the lines so letters in a lower line merge with letters in the line above.

It's really better to leave the font as the normal forum default. Bolding, italicising and underlining as required.

It really is up to you though, but you take the risk of people not reading your posts if it becomes difficult.

I re-sized your original post BTW.
 
Yes, we've received your numerous blue larger font sized replies Mike. Thanks.
As one or two have suggested, it's a human action rather than a natural predator. Not being a paid detective, I would go as far as to say it's been carried out by a local hunter (removal of breasts for eating?) who's had a run in with the vicar's wife, probably about shooting. They have clearly demonstrated that they will carry on doing this by leaving an obvious tell tale message for the complainant. Not threatening, but clearly stating, " This is the countryside, it's what we do, don't interfere."

ps. I do think either report the matter to the police for investigation or just accept that this goes on in the countryside. It's tradition, "sport" for some, and a source of meat.
 
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In that case I would suggest they have been shot and had their breast 'steaks' removed.

Then how they got there is more a matter of conjecture, I would think they have been thrown over a hedge for disposal 'for the foxes to eat'. It is also possible that a fox has moved them from another location, but they normally make a better job of hiding their cache.
 
mike160304 said:
Sorry, I thought I had replied to this, I must have done something wrong.

I typed in Size 5, hoping that that was on the large side, and did not change it.

I have typed this in Size 5, is it too big or too small?

Regards,
Mike
Click to expand...

Can't you see the results of your work?

As Delia suggested, the default font size is spot on for most people who don't feel the need to alter it or the colour of the text, each to their own.
 
delia todd said:
Size 5 really is too big Mike. It's inclined to overlap the lines so letters in a lower line merge with letters in the line above.

It's really better to leave the font as the normal forum default. Bolding, italicising and underlining as required.

It really is up to you though, but you take the risk of people not reading your posts if it becomes difficult.

I re-sized your original post BTW.
Click to expand...

Thank you Delia.
Mike
 
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