peter pandy

4 Training tosses + 2 Races = Losses 24, Damaged Birds making it home, 2 without tails, 2 with injuries to legs, 1 with side cut. The Race team has without doubt been hammered at every occasion when basketed and it is heart breaking when favourites fail to return. Is there an answer to the dilemma ??, I do not think so with the protection wildlife now has.

3 from 3 out of Stobbs Camp so cannot complain, A bit of sad news to-day with the news of an old friend passing away, Ex Celtic player Frank Brogan who graced Parkhead many moons ago aged 79 R.I.P.

50/50 Raced and Latebreds Steve.

With racing commencing, this week saw me basket 16 yearling Cocks for a 15 mile toss on Monday with full returns. Wednesday had me basket the same 16 for a twenty miler and disaster ensued with only 3 returning on the day, Thursday another 3 turned up throughout the day and Friday 2 put in an appearance, So it will only be the Wednesday arrivals which will be going to-night to Stobbs Camp. My only wish now is I be reincarnated as an EAGLE OWL..

Still not paired up as I decided to try a different method and if National racing has to be postponed due to whatever reason yet to be conjured up by the frogs I will wait and see. Lockdown has proved that we humans are not mentally prepared for isolation and conversation on phones or SKYPE are no substitute for face to face dialogue. My resident Magpies have nested in my neighbours tree and Crows seem to have parked themselves in the garden under the bird feeder which appears to have been a bit of a deterrent as the colony are content to put in a good shift peaceably when given their liberty. Hopefully racing will commence now that "Wee Burnie" has seen fit to allow us weans a wee bit of freedom to go and not vote for hur. Tic.. Take Care, and wear a Mask.

Wishing you all the best for a speedy recovery Tommy.

Atrocious weather the last couple of days has kept the colony indoors where its quite comfy and great condition wise, No discoloured wattles tolerated in my loft at any time as I would term it a weakness and the wheelie bin would be the cure. With 22 Cocks and 30 Hens some are going to be disappointed next month when the doors are opened and the usual melee occurs "but" when left alone all turns out well. Some may say it is the lazy way to pair up ?, yet I have practised it for many years and never been upset at the outcome. Many roads lead to Rome is a true saying.. Mind now keep safe..

Don't know where I came up with the 17th March for pairing as it should be the 28th and the full moon which is my usual pairing cycle and birds in the wild are at their most ardent.. Well I think so, However nobody ever told Wee Mary.!! Cocks out to-day saw them put in a good shift and with all the recent rain filling the bird bath they all went in for a dip leaving the white scum on the top for me to clean out. The perch section went out yesterday and after a session had just landed on the house roof when a gust of wind blew them off, 1 went straight into my garden hedge another hit a hedge across the street another landed on a parked van and 2 landed on the middle of the roundabout, all appeared to be stunned however the hedge ones were only losing a couple of chest feathers. I will say the rest were very lucky as they went down the avenue three feet of the ground and for once their was no traffic they could have flew into. Remember keep safe..

In the loft yesterday 17th I just said to the colony, Well you lot have hardly had a bit of freedom this past 4 weeks due to the atrocious weather and you will be having your nookie in 4 weeks time you can go out in alternate days to get fit Oh and if you are wondering what is in the water its only yacult. This lockdown has me talking to myself and daydreaming the time away after all when the loft is scraped and hoovered clean I then sit down with a cuppa and watch them tearing around the skies which in all probability most of us do. Experimenting with different feeding can only be proved or disproved once racing begins as I do not feed appropriate brands where Companies designate cheap alternatives encouraging their profit margins so prefer to make my own. Mind now keep safe.

Wee Mary and I went for our covid jags yesterday and as we were sitting in the 15 minute reaction area I started to get this tingling feeling down my left side and said to my beloved I think I am having a bad reaction when my mobile started ringing in my inside left hand pocket !, Idiot she said but I had forgot it vibrates first before ringing did not wash with her who is never wrong, So as it was Valentines Day I said I will take you for lunch !, Where to said my wee darling ??, Well I noticed a Burger Van round the corner nearly got me a skelpt ear, some folk you just cannot please. Back home and I was just glad to escape into the Loft where all is hunky dory.. Mind now KEEP SAFE.

Aye Stevie and be lumped with all the maladies that Y/B racing brings !!. No Thanks, I will probably pair up on St Patricks day 17th March which should keep the moult in abeyance for distance racing in June July. Youngsters will be bred at my usual time after designated O.B. racing is completed. All is still looking good with the colony so will leave well alone.

Trudging through 12" of snaw and into the loft temp -5 had me hastily switching on the ATX heater for warmth. Colony in fine fettle and one could have a game of marbles with the droppings. Global warming is a bit of a laugh this past week and no doubt the experts will have an excuse up their sleeves to bamboozle us pilgrims. Reading the weeklies lately many writers have little news and have reverted to long ago write ups such as Alf Baker etc brought back many happy memories to me from the 60/70s and some of the successful tricks that were tried which I tended to forget over the years. Also fanciers lofts I visited in that period of time. Well some of the impatient fanciers will no doubt have youngsters and all I will say is BEST of LUCK with them as it aint for me. Remember keep safe.

Gave him twa saltires as they were free.

You never said it wiz yir burthday yesterday when on the phone or I might have wished you many happy returns. :scotland:

Well done Derek as it helps in these times to give us all hope for the future.

With this contraption out of commission for what feels like a lifetime it has been overhauled by my laddie and I am now back where I belong out of wee Mary's way and the marvellous excuse of being unavailable to do her bidding with the reply of "Cannae the noo too busy" !! well sometimes it works. Handling a couple of Hens in the colony had me thinking that lighter feeding could be the way forward if they can hold bodies as the distance increases ??, however I have my doubts that the Virus will stop racing this year although I hope not as the Hens are out daily putting in 1-2 Hours high up on the days that it is not raining. Cocks are kept in now as they just want to sit around the loft and office roof and call down to the Hens on the veranda although they can only see an outline of them through the sheeting. Patience is a virtue according to the boss, so I have told them the same. It was a total shock to hear the news of Kevin Murphy's passing and as our family has been through the same losing our eldest son 30 years past, Sadly time does not really heal the wound but memories of good times will always be with you. God Bless Joe and Family.

Sincere condolences to your family Joe, on the loss of your son Kevin. R.I.P.

R.I.P. Davy.

And you Alf.

The year 2020 is almost bye and good riddance, Yet I was invited to join another club in February and what a difference a set of members they turned out to be, Helpful and considerate they are and cannot do enough for the oldies amongst them. Down in the loft the colony is looking beautiful now they have completed the moult and with a change in feeding by omitting Beans & Peas lately going for a lighter diet it appears to be working as they put in a good shift when given their freedom, Bird Flu and the one hour exercise period would have had me or the colony breaking the law as I have to wait till they want to alight usually around 90mts, They are certainly much lighter body wise however when or if racing commences the proof will be in the results. To all my friends, "YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE" wee Mary and I wish you all A VERY GOOD NEW YEAR. :drinking-coffee-200:

Funniest for me was "The Charity Shop" with the ugly sister, Laugh we could not stop.

Had a fancier visit the other day who I believe said he was from Coatbridge and is moving into the area in January. Hopefully he will be another member for A/V. Giving the colony the usual lettuce the other day had me wondering if other fanciers do the same as myself, Firstly I always purchase the Little Gem variety and slice down in half "centre wise" for Twa sections, screw in a 1:1/2" woodscrew down the stalk 3/4s, tie a length of copper wire to the screw head and attach wire to mesh on the front of the veranda, this stops it from ending up on the floor and never ever any waste. When the lettuce is gone you only have to unscrew the core from the screw and you are ready for the next one to be hung.. Nae Waste saves money "Tiger".. Mind now KEEP SAFE

Wee Tiger, or as I usually call him the "rotund one" harping on about me being a skinflint !! and anyone who knows me will know I am an extremely generous guy !, However there are times when I do forget to lift my wallet as an auld age penshunner is want to do and should be forgiven for having a terrible memory. Downstairs and wading through the lawn to the loft and its contents of highly thought champions "to be" or "maybe" if I can muster the effort this coming season are in extremely good nick and a pleasure to eyeball as I am sure every fancier will be thinking the same with their own colonies, Dropping manure is small balls unless they have been stood on however I have no nest box fronts and each box has a 3 ins square wood block where the Cocks stand and no messy feet with all their droppings at the side, First encountered this when working with C.J. Williams and reckoned it was a good idea although I modified them by hammering a 4ins nail halfway in the bottom then cutting off the nail head, Drilling a hole through the floor of the nest box kept them secure, allowing the block to turn facilitating scraping as I clean all surfaces daily. Remember to keep safe.

Somebody told me that Peri's migrate !, However, with the colony housebound weather wise for a couple of days The Cocks had the freedom of the sky yesterday. After an hour or so all were ensconced apart from 6, with 2 turning up in the dark and 4 spending the night elsewhere returning at 8am to-day. Afternoon to-day when chores were completed I noticed a deadly hush (deaf) so had the binoculars out and picked up two spots high up just under the overcast clouds a pair of the Bassas circling, They took about 30 minutes to clear the area. They could not be pairing up this early, could they ??, because they were acting as if they were. Perhaps a total lockdown will be the answer. Keep Safe

I had to collect the creosote from you, and you never offered me petrol money for the 50 mile roond trip that Wee Mary and I had to make. :ph34r: