Hi, I live in Warrington and I kept pigeons 40 years ago. I just love and admire what they can do. The bench mark of 500 miles on the day is breathtaking. I keep up a bit with changes. Things have moved on so much from Toulet clocks to ETS timing but the challenge is still the same. This year I have picked up 3 strays. The first was on a shopping trip to B & Q. We left the bird perched on the back seat while we shopped and then drove home with it free in the car. The owner collected that, a yearling hen, from 50 miles north of us. A weekend in Whitby meant I could pick up a NEHU bird from among the ducks in the park in Thirsk (a stop for coffee and a scone)and hand it to a fancier in Whitby. On the way home a stop off in Helmsley and some encouragement from my patient wife meant NEHU 2011FUT851 was on its way to Warrington when it really wanted to go to Hartlepool. We have added 80 miles to its journey but not much choice. Now this bird could eat and picked up quickly. I have released it with a favourable wind hope to hear from the owner who I have spoken to. My grown up kids think I am nuts when we have pigeons in the kitchen. Perhaps I should keep a bag of grain and a box in the car, as well as a first aid kit! I was building a summer house and thought it would make a great young bird loft. Maybe when we move I could get a few young birds or some pensioners. Signing off, an old age pigeon fancier.
