Our local woodpigeons have been having a tasty feast all Winter at the expense of plot-holders on our allotments. These fat feathered pests sit in the tall trees over-looking the allotment site eyeing-up Winter greens on the plots below and planning their next banquet. As soon as your back is turned they flap their barely adequate wings and carry their enormous bloated guts down to ground level where they peck away, gorging themselves, on anything green that they come across as they waddle from one plot to the next. When disturbed they somehow manage to defy gravity and haul their huge stuffed undercarriages into the air and away to the trees. Artist and blogger Greg Becker of Plot 52 Blog sums up my feelings about pigeons on the allotment with his excellent sketches here: Purple Sprouting and here: Winter Blues.
This weekend we had a treat of a meal at a very swanky posh restaurant. For my starter I had woodpigeon served with chorizo, spring onions and wild mushrooms. It was delicious. It tasted all the better for me knowing that there is now one less woodpigeon in the world. The restaurant was over 100 miles from the allotments so I very much doubt that my starter had been fattened up on my own purple sprouting broccoli but I would like to think that I have made a start and delivered a blow for allotment holders nationwide against the pest that is the woodpigeon.
So, woodpigeons beware, I have tasted your flesh and I liked it. If I catch you on my plot I'll have you in the pan before you can say "coo"!
Trespassers will be eaten.
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Great post. They are just such freeloaders! Ours just sit on the wall, waiting for us to finish working. Surely planning which tasty morsels they plan to devour. This year, we have a dog and an array of cloches.... The pigeon al fresco catering services have ceased to exist.
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Rifle
I bought an air rifle off a local farmer with the intention of taking out a few woodies. I absolutely love 'em. Normally just breast them, as I find that's the best meat.
ReplyDeleteThey are savvy buggers though. Really hard to get in close for a shot. I thought they were dopey, but they can hear me coming a mile off.
Phil, your comment on "gentlemanbird says hello" inspired a plot52 post, thanks, I hope you like it
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