Novice

We might struggle to get a liberation- Charles

I note the met office and BBC weather are now mentioning thunder in the Carlisle area for Sunday. It looks like an early liberation on Saturday or not at all. Obviously this depends on how far down country your planned liberation is.

Eakdalemuir observation station reported mist early morning yet a contact in Langholm stated that Saturday weather was great all day.

I doubt if there was a common factor in all the poor races yesterday. Frankly each organisation (and loft within that organisation) may point the finger in different directions. The fact that North and South road pigeons are liberated in a corridor on the east coast on the same day is ridiculous to say the least. All race control (at least into Scotland) should be coordinated centrally especially for young birds. Once we have sorted that lot out we then need fanciers to realise that inexperienced, untrained pigeons seldom become assets. As far as my own organisation is concerned yesterday the birds hit rain in the last 30 miles which was heavier than predicted.

Dull but still dry in Ayrshire with full cloud cover in Ayrshire.

I met George the other day and he gave me the impression he was a guy who was on top of his game.

Grey misty with drizzle in Ayrshire

Ayrshire also postponed but Sunday is not a great option either at the moment.

The Matt White barless pigeons went to Louella and Ian Noble the SHU president. Ian has 1 hen left and I don't know about Louella.

Maybe not dying but certainly changing. Our federation registers as many rings as it did years ago but they are divided between fewer fanciers.

Broken cloud sun breaking through but a touch of mist/low cloud on the hills in Ayrshire----better than expected so far.

The best information I have from one fancier is that the UNC had high velocities above 1400 and this fancier had full returns.

Yes of course you are correct Dr Anderson had a very famous family of pigeons based on the Bricoux. Other names associated with the family in Scotland were Davie Forsyth, the Mc Alpines, Bob Jamieson of Lochwhinnoch and Willie O'Neill of Larkhall (I think). I had some from Bob in 1966. Absolutely beautiful birds which could also race. The first hen I had bred 4 winners in her first season breeding with me and I had only just started in pigeons. The pigeons owned by Davie Forsyth were eventually so inbred that they were crying out for a cross.

I think he may actually be referring to the person after whom the pigeons are named--Dr Bricoux

Another point is that there so many of these sales that supply has outstripped demand and therefore the birds are virtually given away. The breeder is not subsidising the club or organisation he is actually subsidising the buyer.

I have never seen Redstarts either but there are a variety of birds turning up in areas they have never been spotted before. I photographed Mandarin Ducks just off Loch Lomond about 2 weeks ago. I think this is due to the abnormal winter we have had.

Hmmm lol Stevie indeed. Maybe I just have a suspicious mind.

Stuart you are correct about the birdage but these races are cancellable if the fanciers show no interest. It was an attempt to give fanciers a wee bit more value for money while the transporter is standing there idle taxed and insured. The SNFC thing is a different story altogether as Ayrshire program was decided before the SNFC I think. We had hoped for a first race from Newbury but that was changed and I am slightly dubious as to why.

Thanks Lindsay that is useful information.

Thanks for that Stuart. Just as long as I don't get a reputation for breaking promises.

I notice my name on this list-R REID. I wonder if there are 2 fanciers of this name as I certainly have never promised a pigeon for this sale. Can you please clarify? Thanks R Reid

The best person to help you is not local to you but that is Jim Savage in Ayrshire. If you are still in need of help I can supply contact details.

There is a pigeon genetics group on Face Book. It might be a worthwhile exercise to raise this subject on there.

These people continue to race them then blame everyone but themselves for poor returns.

I'm glad a stopped bidding on a son of Express at £260 in the Blackpool auction as I had doubts about whether they would cut the mustard to my area. A clubmate of mine was very friendly with Chris and also Pearson and Dransfield and had birds from both lofts with little success. That may have been a reflection on him as a fancier and not the birds.