Pompey Mick

This week my Club sent 222 birds to Kingsdown with the Solent Fed, last week we sent 224 with two more members competing. I sent 10.

Solent Fed is at Kingsdown, another new racepoint. Guernseys are a No go as we suspected.

Richard, I'm assuming that George Gelder will be obtaining the distances as he has done for all the other changes. I hope I'm right.

Thanks for your help Mark.

I've just been informed that the Solent Fed is racing from Kingsdown on Saturday. Anyone know where it is? What a way to race pigeons when your Federation gives you a new racepoint but don't know where it is.

It's , honeysucklelofts@aol.com Hope this helps

Be my guest Superstar, The idea of this thread is for members to put their photos on, and I must say you have a loft set-up worthy of photographing. It must be a pleasure to sit and wait for the birds in such pleasureable surroundings. Here is my Uncle George's lofts, he is an active 85yr young fancier, still as keen as mustard.

Solent Fed is at Guernsey according to the Secretary, He is adamant that they are going and that everything is booked. I admire his attitude but I feel he will be disappointed. If we don't go your guess is as good as mine to where we will be racing this week.

I got 4/4 from the Solent, last one took 5hrs. Club winner was 1295, I was well down on 1201. Most had birds away, but much better than last week.

Portsmouth fine & sunny, Lt N wind.

Seperate the birds and take away the hens, strip the loft of nestboxes and perches, feed & water the cocks in a basket at the new address as many days as you can, let them return to an empty shell off a loft. When you move , re-pair the pigeons and settle them to their nest boxes, once you are satisfied they are settled let out the Cocks only. It took me two nights to settle my cocks, once they are settled let them all out. When I did this the hens all nighted out but returned to the new loft the next day. I removed my old loft on the fourth day.

The last 3 pigeons I had reported through the telephone No clip rings were from non-fanciers. I have repatriated about six birds in the last month but I get more birds reported by non-fanciers than fanciers. It makes you think.

Solent's at Exeter, I'll send 10 if it looks good, but there again it looked good last week and we still had a stinker.

Here are the lofts of Mick & Sue Betteridge (Portsmouth) there is just enough room left for the rotary line. They were 1st,2nd & 11th Sec, 4th. 10th & 30th Open BBC Bordeaux this year.

Looking at the DEFRA site it would seem we have reverted back to the British Isles only permit with the Channel Isles once again excluded. I would have hoped that we could have convinced DEFRA that banning racing from the Channel Isles serves no logical purpose in the transmitting of this disease, even more so when the only case we have had in the British Isles was washed up in Scotland. France has declared itself AI free so where is the problem? I think this siege mentallity with the Channel as a moat goes back to WW2. If you read DEFRA's own risk assessment for AI in Parks & Open Spaces it makes you wonder what the problem is, I am sure we could have used this risk assessment to help our own cause.

The Solent Fed had a very poor race from Seaton flying to Southern Hampshire on what looked a perfect flying day, liberated at 7.00 in a Lt SW wind with plenty of sunshine en route. My Club sent 236 birds, the winner took 2hrs 15mins for 86 ml when we were expecting the birds in 1hr 40-45 mins. 17 members sent, one failed to time in and it took over four hours from the first to the last member clocked. The Club ended with about 60% returns but the birds were all day coming, we're all scratching our heads on this one.

This is a photograph of a real small set up, Paul, This is the lofts of Mick & Sue Betteridge and it shows the whole 'garden' apart from a small 6'x4' shed just visible on th right. To this loft they clocked 1st ,2nd & 11th Sec. 4th,10th & 30th Open BBC Bordeaux last week It shows what you can achieve with limited resources.

Looks like Kevin & John Zerafa are keeping up the good work with a probable 1st Sec B from Saintes with the NFC. That makes two 1st Sec. and two 2nd Sec with the NFC and BBC so far this year.

Really struggling from Seaton, just 89mls with the Solent Fed, got 4/12 so far on what seemed a perfect day. I am not alone with returns about 20% locally.

Portsmouth 8.00. Sunny Lt SW Wind

I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate three fellow members of my Club ( The Milton Homing Society, Portsmouth) on their performances from the NFC and BBC races from Bordeaux last weekend. Firstly, Mr & Mrs. Mick & Sue Betteridge, for their performace in the British Barcelona Club winning 1st , 2nd & 10th Section, 4th , 10th & 30th Open racing to a very small loft set-up in a tiny back garden. Then I must congratulate 'Bomber' Mellis for winning 1st Sec, 8th Open in the NFC followed by Kevin & John Zerafa in 2nd spot in the Section,15th Open. Bombers & Kevins lofts are featured in the Members Photos Section under 'small City lofts' thread.

Solent Fed at Seaton, hope for an early lib before the rain comes.

Here is a photo of my pair of Roland Janssens, the White Bandits, I am crossing them with my own pigeons, They are producing competent good looking racers. I purchased them from Nicholas Adshead in Selby. See the link in Ace Lofts post.

I have noticed in some recent posts that members are having trouble posting photos due to size. I've posted this information before but it's worth repeating. There is a very easy to use photo resizing programme on a free download at; www.naturpic.com

You are right Rose, they will be staring to erect the show tents and the perimeter fencing, It will take place on the 4th,5th & 6th August and takes over the Common thereby stopping any liberations taking place from Portsmouth.