How Macabre

[durulz]

Well, after being unwell for the last two months, I had my first day out of the year today!
Went out on the North Downs, just outside the village of Hollingbourne, with a friend.
Now, whilst out, we came across a couple of rather macabre looking finds. It was obvious we were walking across farmland used for shooting. We saw ahead what was obviously a feeding bin (presumably for pheasants - we heard several). But then we saw tied above it the manky remains of an unknown bird. Here's a picture:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9179907@N06/4414455378/

Then we saw another. With the less decomposed remains of what we identified as a crow.
And then we found a cage, with two live crows in it!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9179907@N06/4413687287/

We found several other bins with crow remains tied above them. We just couldn't work out what the purpose was. Does anyone know? I would genuinely like to know.

Anyway. Here's a few more pictures of our jaunt.
First up is a general view of where we were. You'll see the earthworks ahead, but I don't know what they were.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9179907@N06/4414454442/

Here's a picture of my bushcrafting partner, Paul. It was just into the woods ahead where we found the crows.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9179907@N06/4414456028/

We then crossed over the road and made our way up along a path heading to the top of a chalk/flint cliff. The wind coming off from the fields behind us was immense, and rather chilly, so we decided to drop just below the top edge of the cliff and have a brew. Here's a picture of me boiling up:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9179907@N06/4413687987/

And here's a picture of Paul doing some birdwatching:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9179907@N06/4414454732/

Finally, just to round things off, here's a picture from the top of the Downs, looking south. Leeds Castle is that pale blob just below the horizon on the right edge of the picture.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9179907@N06/4414455606/

Well, that was my first day out for ages. And I bloody well enjoyed it.
If anyone knows what the purpose of the caged/dead crows is, I really would like to know.
Oh yeah, sorry about having just links to the pictures - I continually have problems putting them in the actual thread. Ho hum.
Cheers.

 

[JonathanD]

Odd, never seen anything like that. Often see gibbets, but never live animals, or corpses tied over feeders.

 

[PRKL]

would have let the crows of that sadistic box immediately though.birds belong to sky,not into cages.

those tied remains dont feel good at all,like some hoodie punk kids were taking their sick enjoyment there.

 

[Alexlebrit]

They have similar habits in France, and they claim that a dead crow will put off the other crows from feeding.

Then they have crow traps, a bit like those cages but bigger. They put one crow inside alive and that apparently attracts other crows to it. The cage is designed so they can get in, but not get out, except they do cos I always go along and open the cage letting any birds out.

 

[Miyagi]

They have similar habits in France, and they claim that a dead crow will put off the other crows from feeding.

I used to see this a lot when I was younger, crows, squirrels, pigeons and foxes strung up on fences.

It was an old gamekeeper's habit apparently.

Not seen this in years.

Liam

 

[poddle]

Looking at the picture it seems that you were near a pheasant feeder, and that suggests that the crow has been shot by a game keeper.
Crows are hung out to deter other crows, whether or not this really does, well I don't know, but its a very common practice.

As for the crow in the cage, well its not a cage, its a version of a larsen trap used to catch crows, magpies and other corvids.

The bird will be destroyed in 24 hrs or less, but by that time it probably would have attracted another bird to the trap to take its place and so on.
Please don't have too much sympathy for the crows, they are probably the most destructive bird, raiding song birds nests for the eggs, and are almost impossible to control.

There is another version of the Larsen trap called a ladder trap that catches dozens at a time.
Hope this clears things up for you

 

[tobes01]

The strung up crows has been discussed elsewhere here.

Larsen traps - which are the cages you saw - are legitimate and very carefully regulated corvid control mechanisms. Crows, magpies and jays can wipe out bird populations (not just pheasants) so the idea is that a live bird goes in as a decoy, and the others mob it and get caught themselves. The decoy bird must be inspected, fed and watered every day, and where I shoot the convention is that the decoy is allowed to go free in return for its service. If you saw two birds in it then the trap's been successful and the visitor will be destroyed.

Be warned that interfering with a properly-managed trap is an offence. Not nice, but a fact of life where there's shooting - the natural balance has been messed up by all the food being put down (pheasant feed and poults), so that has to be redressed by trapping.

 

[durulz]

OK, cheers guys.
Thanks for letting me know what it was all about.
I must say, it did look all rather sinister and disturbing. I've lived in the countryside all my life, but never seen anything like it before. The more you live, the more you see.

We also found a dead fox as well. But not just dead, ripped apart. I'd say no more than a couple of days old. Jack the Ripper would have been proud of this one. Lots of horse hooves around too. Looks like the 'no hunting with hounds' law is not being obeyed.

Also, forgot to say, we saw a hare as well. Live, not dead. Big bugger it was too. As we made our way back we passed through an old bomb crater that some luftwaffe pilot left behind and then whoosh! Out ran this hare, quicker than a greased whippet. Impressive to see. It stopped halfway out across the field, watching us, and then disappeared.
All in all, it was a bizarre day. At times I thought we'd stumbled on the set of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

 

[Chopper]

Looks like the crow mans lair to me....any sign of Gummage and Aunt Sally.

Bit spooky.

 

[Miyagi]

Looks like the crow mans lair to me....any sign of Gummage and Aunt Sally.

Bit spooky.

I don't think Durulz would have stopped for "a cup of tea and a shlice of cake" had he been asked!!!

Liam

 

[harryhawk]

As said before....Larsen and Ladder traps are legal in this country......As long as they are visited once every 24hrs.....Fresh water....Fresh food....And a roof to protect the decoy bird are provided.
I've used them to great effect over the years.okenest:
Song bird nests raided in their gardens by the murderous corvids is not a happy site.


And all those that think that this is wrong......Ask the RSPB who use these same traps on a few of there protected sites......But of course you won't find it in their literature

 

[Tengu]

There are loads of crows round here.

Havent seen a gamekeepers gibbet in yonks.

I wonder if there is any scientific study to see if they work?

 

[JonathanD]

There are loads of crows round here.

Havent seen a gamekeepers gibbet in yonks.

I wonder if there is any scientific study to see if they work?

They work for me. Some I've seen in Dorset & Somerset with birds and foxes keep me well away, the smell beggars belief.

 

[Shewie]

There's definitely something a bit creepy about dead crows.

I used to see them strung up quite often round the fields where I grew up. The old Ambrose brothers who ran the farms were old school and would encourage us to help keep the vermin down.

 

[Alexlebrit]

As said before....Larsen and Ladder traps are legal in this country......As long as they are visited once every 24hrs.....Fresh water....Fresh food....And a roof to protect the decoy bird are provided.
I've used them to great effect over the years.okenest:
Song bird nests raided in their gardens by the murderous corvids is not a happy site.


And all those that think that this is wrong......Ask the RSPB who use these same traps on a few of there protected sites......But of course you won't find it in their literature

I'm not keen on them, but if used properly as you've outlined, I'm OK,with them. Sadly the ones that have been used round here aren't visited, no food, no shelter, they're just left.

And there's not a lot of song bird protection going on, the same people who people who put up the trap recently grubbed up the hedges round all the fields, and went into an acre and a half of woodland with JCB's and chainsaws leaving something that looks like the Somme.

Sadly countryside management seems to be a dying art in this part of rural France.

 

[Biker]

I'm not keen on them, but if used properly as you've outlined, I'm OK,with them. Sadly the ones that have been used round here aren't visited, no food, no shelter, they're just left.

And there's not a lot of song bird protection going on, the same people who people who put up the trap recently grubbed up the hedges round all the fields, and went into an acre and a half of woodland with JCB's and chainsaws leaving something that looks like the Somme.

Sadly countryside management seems to be a dying art in this part of rural France.

Ain't that the way in France though Alex? They have a whole different mentality towards animals to what I've been used to. I'm not happy with it, it's just different. Seeing dogs in cages is especially upsetting.

Haven't seen any of the crow traps though. Seen, well heard actually, plenty of shooting but mostly they're pigeon hunting. Living in rural Normandy just about everyone I know owns a shotgun, another bit of a culture shot to the system.

I must admit, had I found that trap I'd have let the bird out. Couldn't sleep at night regretting not freeing it. I'd have probably gone out in the car wearing my dressing gown with a torch just so's I could get if off my conscience.

Yeah, I'm a softie at heart.

Glad to read you got out and breathed some fresh air Durulz.

 

[Alexlebrit]

Yes, I find the caged hunting dogs upsetting too, especially when their owners only hunt a few times a year, but keep their dogs because they've always had them.

Most annoying is the digging up the hedgerows, grubbing up the field boundaries, and generally abusing the countryside with industrial machinery, it's so short sighted. But that's drifting so far off topic, I won't start my rant here.