peter pandy

It wisnae six feet as I dinnae hiv arms like a fc==n gorilla it wis four feet somethin frae wing tip tae wing tip ye galloot an she wisnae layin oany mair eggs.

Will speak to Davie to-night and have more info on this subject as their has to be a reason why nature has intervened in differances in a designated natural colour scheme..

It would appear the old Scottish type pigeons have disappeared into oblivion with the adultary of foreigners or am I in the minority of myself and my thoughts. Does anybody out there stll have the old tried and tested strains which were in the forefront of National racing up to the turn of the century ?. Their were strains which came to mind but when your brain digs deeper into the memory bank you realise that they were introducing foreigners for years IE, Osmand's which were results of the best of European imports and distributed to top fanciers throughout the UK to test by the late Colin Osmand as were Steele of Uttoxeter among'st others. I suppose in earlier years their were no Scottish strains and fanciers went along to "Joe Soap" who had clocked a good yin from the Gold Cup and purchased a youngster from the loft regardless if it was related to the winner which was introduced into the mix. No studs in those days and I dont even recall anybody having Stock pigeons as every bird in the loft had to race for its perch including 500+ miles, With all the youngsters going to 165 miles and late breds made up for losses from those birds that had completed the channel races. My wee brother has decided to take the birds up again and I have given him all the birds we brought in now he has renovated his old loft and put in a stock loft to breed a team of youngsters for racing next year. We have reminded each other what we used to do and will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with as he has the very best of the Padfield family visiting them on occasions when down that way in his mobile home and returning with more "Gold" his words not mine.

Told my Mum it was a Goose back in "61" lovely. My attitude then was, If it was good enough for royalty it was good enough for the family Xmas dinner..

Minus six degrees in the loft to-day and droppings frozen on the floor so hastily switched the heater on before scraping out and gave the Hens a bit of freedom to roam the Blue sky for an hour. Reading posts regarding how we all differ regarding pre pairing ideas had me back to my teens when pairing up was something we could not wait for and the futility of it all as we grew up letting patience and nature take its course. Being a great believer in letting the birds pick their own mate has been and will continue to be my view as I have still yet to meet the fancier who could pick a pair to breed winners as its just your Donald Duck if we are being perfectly honest. The experts will say their is a specific standard for a racing pigeon but I have to disagree having had all types to score at 60 miles and 500+ miles with them coming in all sizes, Big, Small, Deep, Not so deep, Long wings Short wings, Long legs, Short legs and I wont mention Eye Sign, Like everything their is always the exception to the rule But, is their a rule !!. Its probably the same with feeding, Some feed the best money can buy and others feed the scrapings of the mill floor and both can win races. I have decided to try a feeding mixture that was written down by a very successful Belgian fancier "Marcel Desmet" for C.J.Williams in 1968 that was extremely good for results at all distances moving on to it once I have depleted the feeding I already have. One can only try for a season and ascertain the results.

Brought the subject up last night John at Clarkston show but nobody could remember anything about the 60s onwards. Really felt awfy auld remembering having to travel to Dalkeith Miners Welfare to get the birds away or Waverly Train Station.

Oh aye I remember.. The introduction of computerised results took away the Secretary's reply when fanciers wanted more names on a result "You can come along and do them"..

Pre 2000 SNFC race results, was it not 1 - 20 since it's conception if my memory serves me correct. Beats me why it was changed..

In the loft to-day I was wondering why some Blues and Chequers were not conformonist as you would assume they would be, to explain better, some have white rumps and some have grey rumps while others have the solid colour of their backs down to the tail.. I wondered if the ones with the white rumps would be more susceptable to Bassa attacks. Anybody any views on that ??.

Personally I have never had a problem with their service, as their delivery date promises.

Debarking a tree requires removing 12" wide ring round the base. Takes a while Wattie but if you have an awl drill into the centre and fill with diesel. remember that it will come down but where will depend on which way the wind is blowing. their is also the problem of it coming down on top of someone you love.. SO call in an expert Tree Surgeon and get them to do it safely. They wont charge you an arm and a leg then you can sell the remains off for logs and charge a £1 for 10 ready split and make a couple of hunred quid out of it. you need the excercise anyway. LOL

Reduced the hole size to 2" as I was feart I would cut through into the metal sheeting and it has been as succesful as I expected with it taking away down feathers from 2" below the holes which will ensure any fine bloom dust will be removed post haste.. The only downside was puting galvanised weld mesh over the roof gutter and I dont know how the *expletive removed* It happened but I managed to spear my fingernail down to the bone with a sliver of wire and geez its throbbing..Wee Mary said I am accident prone so their will be no more renovations in my life time now that job is completed allthough I am still trying to convince her the front under the verandha is still waiting to be varnished. Her reply was most unladylike with the second word being "OFF". I have for the past fortnight had the bird on 50% Barley and must say they are looking good on it..

Wee Mary stitched them up cause she says I dont need pockets to put anything in especially cash !!.

Aye and you need 5ft arms to get into them..LOL

I can see quite a few problems with that type of ventilation Andy as you cannot create a vacuum with such large air spaces. I can only go with my past work experience when trying to create a larger vacuum the engineers fitted smaller pipe work and used 75 psi steam into the vent to increase what was desired. My problem of course was not removing the felt from the roof before cladding with box sheeting however I will cut one 3" hole into each running box in the ceiling to ensure their will be no loss of pulling power. Many who have tried this type of ventilation are doomed to failure as most lofts face South but the wind has to go up through the box and the prevailing wind being from the West to South West then that has to be the way the front of the loft faces to ensure success. With all the vents now fitted tomorrow will see me cutting holes in the roof sarking planks..

Is it not amazing that in your team of pigeons when all are being fed the same feed that some can put on weight whil'st others come into marvellous order especially when they are all being treated exactly the same.. Wedneday night at Clarkston show my 2 entries are lumped next to a couple Powder Blue Pieds and look quite dowdy next to them, Not saying they were show birds or anything like that but they won 1st and 2nd however Wee !! Tiger consoled me with a Steak Pie because their were nae mince pies left with the human dustbin TommyBhoy scoffin 7 in a wunner, Greedy Bassa..LOL "better pit that in, jist in case" Been looking through the Screwfix book and decide that 4 adjustable vents are required along the front under the verandha and 1 on both sides to increase the air flow through and having a type of box corrugated sheeting on the roof I will bore holes through the sarking roof and into the box space above which will create a ventury between the roof space as I cannot have the birds being attacked when sitting in the verandha so the windows will have to remain closed with no loss of incoming and increased expulsion of air without draughts.

Blinking smashing looking team John. Who took the snaps ! David Baillie by any chance ??.

It's only a bit of fun Alf so bring yer doos, The club needs the money.

Bill's still smokin his cigars John.

Beautiful blue cloudless sky yesterday had my Hens raking the heavens with flashes of silver where the sun caught the underside of their wings which was the only clue as to where they were with them being so high, The only competition up there were the aircraft taking the Polar route to the other side of the world leaving vapour trails in their wakes and it was a joy to behold. All locked up fed and watered had me giving the hedges a final trim for the Winter then reclining with a coffee in the greenhouse, I dont know where they came from but I was visited by Hedge Sparrows, Pied Wagtails, Robin and Blackbirds and a Bassa Hen Sparrow Hawk which flew straight into the netting on the Loft Verhanda chased by a crow and knocking itself senseless onto the ground, No dogs out for a change to get it so arming myself with a garden rake went chasing after it as it was unable to fly, It ran round the side of the loft with me in hot pursuit and as I was about to do it in my knee packed in and I could only watch as it half flew onto the neighbouring fence and disappeared into the hedges next door, I managed to get the dogs out and went looking for it but to no avail Bassa..

Trump for me.

Is that the kitchen sink yer shoving John, You'r certainly no travelling light. Aw they tools tae hit a wee baw !!

Twas I who had the toothache a fortnight ago and had it pulled as soon as possible. Now I am a big fearty when it comes tae Dentist's but they have modern anasthetics compared tae 22 years ago and I had tae ask the Lassie if she was goin tae extract it or no and she telt me it wiz oot. Ah couldnae believe it as I niver felt a thing but declined hur kind offer tae tak the rest oot wi them no bein in the best of health. Ah jist telt her they were 70 year auld an maybe get anither couple oh years oot oh whits left in there. She laft an charged me 12 quid refusin tae gie me a discount fur ma age cheeky bugger then she said see you soon ? ah dinnay ken if mayby she fancied me for my charmin ways or if she jist wanted tae get tae wurk oan ma gub again ?? If its the latter I hope she has an awfy long wait at 12 quid a time.

Paired up far too late Steve which I wont be doing again hence an earlier post that St Valentines Day will be the future pairing date. I have absolutely no intention of darkening youngsters as it aint natural and it has to have a detrimental affect in their make up is MY way of thinking BUT hey ho my Naturals will show them the road next year ""Mark My Words"".

Alf, It is my intention to have every Yearling in the loft out to Buckingham 300 miles next year and all the two year old's at a 500 mile race ""not the Gold Cup"".