Post by Lesley WestonPost by GaryNPost by GaryNPost by GaryNNow this is really over the top.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8357592.stm
I particularly loved the bit where her son could continue to feed
the ducks because he's too young to be fined! WTF?
It's illegal to feed the pigeons in Gloucester Green, Oxford but
there's a woman who does so every day. I've never seen her fined
or even approached by the private security monkeys.
gary
I particularly liked this one on today's BBC news
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8388077.stm
Now you can't park on your own land!
gary
Even better...
Gasp, shock, horror - I put this one up for most
incomprehensible/ridiculous headline of the week (so far) award. Who
has ever seen a skateboarding pigeon? Also the "Most Senseless
Illegal Prosecution" award (so far)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8388649.stm
Does this mean that I'm not allowed to go out shooting pigeons on the
farm? After all firing a 12 bore shotgun at a pigeon probably comes
under the description of "intentionally killing a wild bird" - well
it does if I'm firing it. Do reared pheasants, allowed to roam in
the woods once out of the rearing pens, count as "wild birds".
They're not native to the UK.
Introduced by the Romans so technically not. However they are now so
prevalent that they are regarded as such. Native or not are they a wild
bird? If a Lesser Spotted Short Legged Long Beaked Dribbling Warbler on
it's migration from Iceland to Africa is shot by accident is it a wild bird
despite not being native?
Post by Lesley WestonPost by GaryNPigeons, of all varieties, are classed as vermin and may be legally
killed by anyone, by whatever means, at any time; along with most
Corvids (not Jays, or the Ravens at the Tower) and also Starlings.
That's the law. I would frown upon someone killing a wild bird that
isn't on the list of vermin or agreed game species but a pigeon FCOL?
Plenty more where that came from.
I've never eaten pigeons, but they're supposed to be pretty good.
Crows, not so much.
Pigeon (proper woodpigeons) casserole is excellent but don't bother with
all the tedious plucking and drawing. Two or three pigeons (preferably
dead) Just pluck enough so that you can see the breastbone, slice through
the skin straight down the line of the bone and then peel the skin back
from the breasts. Slice the breasts clear of the bone, dice, fry with
onions to seal, then chuck in a casserole dish with about a pint of stock,
1/2 pint cider and the root vegetables of your choice (carrots, leeks,
turnips and potatoes work for me). Cook for about an hour at about gas
mark 5 or whatever the colonial equivalent is.
Apologies that my recipies do not involve precise weights and measures but
that's just the way I do things. Anyone wanting more precise details than
"About that much" or "About that long" can go and buy a bloody cookery
book;-)
The book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pigeon-Shooting-Archie-
Coats/dp/0233989331/ref=pd_sim_b_5
by possibly the best pigeon shooter in England, 500 in a day, contains a
whole section of tasty recipies.
It is possible to make a meal out of a crow (yes I have tried crow pie -
once only!) but I'd have to be bloody hungry!
Post by Lesley WestonPost by GaryNOh and it's also legal to shoot various kinds of duck, geese, snipe,
woodcock, grouse, capercaille and ptarmigan. All of which is
"intentionally killing a wild bird". Maybe the people passing
judgement are off for a drop of Pheasant shooting next weekend but
hitting a pigeon wiv yer skateboard isn't on Donchya Know
There's not much information in the story. Perhaps his crime was not
so much killing the pigeon as not killing it quickly enough; there are
laws against causing suffering to any animal, farmed, wild or pet, and
so there should be. Or perhaps it's just as loony as you say.
If it's anything to do with causing suffering then every bugger who goes
game shooting, including a lot of MPs and several members of the Royal
family, could be done for it. In general there is a 'runner' - a pheasant
that has been hit in the wing and can't fly but can still run, out of every
5 hits.
The article clearly states that he was accused of intentionally killing a
wild bird. Nothing about cruelty. The problem is in the definition of
"Wild Bird"[1]. Shooting a homing pigeon is illegal because it's classed
as a domestic animal[2], shooting a 'rat with wings' town pigeon (and for
C's sake don't cook one of those) is a public service.
If the law says that you can kill pigeons then you can kill pigeons. What
it doesn't say is "You are allowed to kill pigeons except by belting them
with a skateboard"
The laws about what one can and can't do get more ridiculous by the day.
I'm allowed to use a brishook or machete on the allotment but I'm not
allowed to carry them there, not even in a rucksack. Although it has to be
said that the PCSOs who tried to explain this to me decided that discretion
was the better part of valour when facing someone with large sharp bits of
metal and buggered off somewhere else.
gary
[1]The SO when she's had a bad day but I'm certainly not allowed to shoot
her.
[2]Really - I kid you not.
--
"History is written by the winners which is why French history books are
blank from cover to cover"
The Pub Landlord.