Novice

Training need not be a traumatic experience if the line of flight is prepared in advance.

I had watched this thread with interest awaiting DKJ's input. Davie you are an excellent fancier with top quality healthy birds. Because of the above the system will work for you. Problems arise at the first few races because mediocre fanciers with even worse birds which have not been through any form of selection before racing attempt to enter them in races. It's all about horses for courses and that applies to both birds and fanciers.

Moon pointers as my mate Archie refers to then. If he buys a pigeon unseen and it's a moon pointer it goes straight back where it came from.

Believe me I haven't been sooked in. It's the Elected representatives decision how they spend the money. Current fashion seems to be not to use ground troops ( which would have seen mission accomplished in Syria years ago). They prefer to throw the money away trying to bomb people who are buried deep in a maze of tunnels. I agree that if ground troops are sent into any situation they need the proper equipment. Enough from me I have said more than my share now.

They are brainwashed from birth. They have total disrespect for the infidel. For those who are on unfamiliar territory here then they need to read up on exactly what these people believe in the name of religion. FGM, child brides, disrespect of women, sex slaves, their right to kill the infidel and take what is his. The list is endless.

Totally agree. Without a nuclear deterrent Putin will walk all over the top of you. I believe that it is a condition of NATO membership that a given percentage of GDP is spent on defence. If trident replacement is a sensible means of doing this then great. If no one had nuclear weapons then we would live in a safer world but that's not going to happen is it? The SNP need to be ousted as soon as possible because they only pursue their own agenda whether it benefits the voter or not. As far as wee Nippy is concerned she is a complete joke.

From my interpretation of the above your pigeons did not have Para but you were advised over the phone to vaccinate on 3 sepearte occasions. I think Belgica were trying to cover all contingencies and make a few pounds at the same time. I heard a similar story from a fancier 2 years ago and, like you his birds recovered but he never really knew the true cause of his problem. I think an accurate diagnosis can only ever be given by Post Mortem examination and that is the best route especially with valuable stock. We should all have a contingency plan for events like this because it can happen so easily because of our method of transportation. After thinking about this I realised that I had seen it written that vaccination against PMV protects against PMV but it also gives the immune system a "kick start" . That may be behind Belgica's logic and they may be prepared to explain that to you if you ask them.

66% that's better than an Otterburn race and, considering the dismal very wet weather here from about 09:00 it's great returns.

Happy you got one. Well done. The section birdage is exactly the same as last year.

No Roland I was thinking of something slightly stronger. Application on the skin behind the neck would suffice.

We I've in hope of a miracle like DDT but that's not going to happen.

At your loft in 5 years it may not be any worse as they are territorial. However, losses from racing will increase as they reach saturation point.

All the luck in the world Mike you need it in that area.

There are disasters caused by abnormal weather but, without a doubt the peregrine is the prime cause of losses. There are known examples especially of with young birds of entire convoys refusing to face the falcon while racing into the west of Scotland. Many of these birds enter lofts in the Solway area and are returned home as strays. Stopping racing for a year would hardly resolve the issue. Stopping racing for several years would severely depleted the song bird population then predator numbers might be controlled. We can alter racing and breeding cycles to avoid racing at peak killing times but training only a select few birds at that time.

I believe the product in question was Travipharma Antisect. Like many others I used it and I need to say it is a good insecticide. The difference between an effective insecticide and a PESTICIDE is that a pesticide either has to be more toxic or more concentrated . Concentration can be achieved by boiling for example. I believe many people have been trying to eliminate a pest using insecticide. It cannot work.

Please take your time and read between the lines.

Baroness Young in her capacity as Chief Executive of the RSPB proposed that we try taste aversion. Basically we should fly pigeons which don't taste very nice to predators. Perhaps her proposal should be acted on.

Both reading and speaking to fanciers about races with horrendous losses I hear comments like "that's pigeon racing now" . It's almost as though some fanciers have accepted this as normal. This attitude has to change. We don't do enough to help ourselves!

I assume it's not bumblefoot which we see in ferals occasionally. That's a bacterial infection and I suppose could be resolved with the right antibiotic. I don't know which would be best.

Yes I know that. That's the entire point of the trumpet blowing on Facebook.

That's a matter of choice Lindsay. Occasionally these things can be overdone. He works hard at it and gets results which I have been monitoring for a couple of years now.

He blows a fair trumpet as well!

1357 Ypm to Blackpool. Timed 14:54

It appears to be sunny in Ypres now. Hopefully it will remain like that till tomorrow.

You mean the old line crossing the channel at the Cherbourg peninsula---------spot on!