peter pandy

Special Meeting been called to dissolve but don't know by whom as their has not been a Delegates Meeting to discuss same.

Short dumpy wings !!, and no replies as to its worth !!, Well let me tell you that it is a potential champion pigeon as I have only bred and raced 3 with short dumpy wings in 60 years and they were big winners from 60 - 600 miles. When I was Loft Manager to C.J.Williams he had a Red Cock with short dumpy wings and after a couple of weeks he asked me what I thought was the best bird in the loft to which I replied the Red Cock in the Widowhood section, His reply was that I had picked the worst bird in the loft as it never homed from any race on the day and always returned on the second and after racing a season he was right. The following year at 4, I had him into the Natural Section and set him up feeding a big youngster and looking at his Hen topping 3 Feds and 3/4th Combine. They are as rare as Hens teeth.

Well the 2 youngsters have left the nest and I can find nothing wrong with them although reared this month, Makes you wonder with the parents moulting severely and rearing a pair of young at the same time. With all being separated the colony are flying freely on intermittent days putting in a goodly shift and regardless of those who say "I should be keeping them in". Each to there own and I will continue to do as in the past. Hopefully their will be a more competitive season next year for the team with moves afoot.

Oh well, Nobody took up my offer of £20 notes so it looks like I will have to depend on my FRIENDS for a Clarkston pie, Great to hear from my wee pal who has returned safely from the rigours of the Far East. By the way 6 bags please John.

Aye Andy all my birds are Late Breeds and hopefully some will develop over the next month or two and one can only keep the old fingers crossed. With the moult almost complete and only outer secondary's still to throw the Birds are raking the heavens again.

Separating the sexes this week has me rather mystified and trying to figure out how to pair 18 Cocks with 38 Hens, answers please written on £20 notes and forwarded to me.. :emoticon-0136-giggle..

Yip, I have lost quite a few to the maniacs who speed through it although it states quite clearly to slow down, just a pity some pigeons ignore the signs.

In the loft yesterday I was admiring a young Blue Cock which was fatal as it went out to-day and wrapped itself head first into a vehicle at the adjacent roundabout over the hedge. Lucky White Heather NOT.

Rumour has it that over 70s get a free pie..

Hoovering feathers every second day now and although I have had the colony out every day whether it is sunny or dreich at least some feathers are not being deposited on the loft floor and I am of the opinion they prefer to bathe in the downpours we have experienced almost daily this past 6 weeks rather than the bath which is prepared for them. The twa youngsters in the nest are coming along in leaps and bounds and will be 8 months old come the first race in May, No doubt the race programme will commence in the middle of April again but I will be giving the start a body swerve..

Hoovering feathers every second day now and although I have had the colony out every day whether it is sunny or dreich at least some feathers are not being deposited on the loft floor and I am of the opinion they prefer to bathe in the downpours we have experienced almost daily this past 6 weeks rather than the bath which is prepared for them. The twa youngsters in the nest are coming along in leaps and bounds and will be 8 months old come the first race in May, No doubt the race programme will commence in the middle of April again but I will be giving the start a body swerve..

In my rending's from last month I mentioned that all the nest boxes had been cleared of pans etc, Well to be honest it was not quite so as I let the couples go down on eggs after rearing the Late Breds to sit on china's while moulting and when lifting after 3/4 weeks was when the bowls were removed and all nesting equipment, However 2 Pairs continued to sit for 5/6 weeks and one decided enough was enough and the nest duly cleared, However the other and last pair to sit was bugging me so decided to lift them off and on doing so their was a pair of just hatched chicks. China eggs don't hatch says I to myself when it clicked that I had lifted a pair of china's a couple of weeks before from the floor but never gave it much of a thought. This sad old git has become extremely sentimental and now have a pair being reared in October which is a first for me so do not know how they will turn out but given the chance they may repay me in the future..

Nae Barley for me Steve and its a Savoy pinned up on the veranda along with the rest. Feeling much better now that the Opiates are off the menu for blinking good and the pain is sufferable if I watch what I am doing, I have a marvellous Physio who is helping out on a regular basis although I don't give much hope for my left arm, Nest boxes have been lowered to accommodate it likewise perches, anything above elbow height is a no go BUT life goes on LOL :emoticon-0136-giggle:

This time last year I was going through old articles of champion fanciers and came across one from 2012 regarding Mark Gilbert and his feeding regime of 365 days a year which I found extremely interesting so thought to myself I will give that a years try, "nothing ventured nothing gained" so they say.. To be perfectly honest I was more than happy with this year's results from my meagre team and would continue as per last year.. Now the crux of the above had me going back into the same write up as last year to find it had disappeared and was replaced by Mark advocating V/L and not his original mixture which he had fed successfully for years was Beans/Maize/Wheat and Red Band. Just wondered WHEN he changed to V/L.??.

With winter fast approaching the loft has had another coat of external varnish applied with wee Mary finally giving in and completed the front under the veranda. It is a relief for no doubt many of us that the body moult is almost completed and only a few feathers are being blown around now. I have treated them with Sedochil and Naturaline on alternate days and the colony has responded well in their new coats. Sending away for an 8x4ft sheet of Polycarbonate cut length wise has had me renewing the front of the Loft with a 4ins gap at the bottom letting air "ventilation" in and keeping rain/snow out, The last sheets lasted 9 years so had my money's worth out of them.

An age thing does not come itself and this past fortnight has been a bit of a nightmare having had to resort to Opiads after my shoulder operation and Physio to repair and strengthen the damaged tendons, The long shot being I appeared to not give a toss regarding what was going round about me so stopped the Opiads and went on the shakes resulting in sleepless nights and loss of appetite "Good for the figure says wee Mary", However not to be outdone I contacted the Flu to go with the rest of my problems. Taking myself down to the Loft was an effort although I persevered regardless to complete the requirements of the colony and remove a bucketful of feathers daily, Where they are all coming from at this time of year has me wondering if we are in for an early severe Winter and the Northern Geese are heading South I reckon a month early. Nest boxes are now devoid of all equipment and the Late breeds have started to take to the sky ""No losses in my 2019 team"". Another couple of weeks should see them bunching up and touring the countryside. My heart goes out to those who persist in Y.B. racing and I don't miss it in the least, Preferring to rear only from those which have completed the O/B season 2018 Yearling L/B included, which have been at 250 miles..

Many Happy Returns Kevin & Alex.

With this years youngsters now out the nest and stretching their wings it appears all is well with only 2 fatalities which were dead in the nest for no obvious reason, So I am extremely pleased with the outcome, There are no favourites amongst them for obvious reasons and will be taking to the big blue in the next week or so, Plenty nourishment for muscle growth and feather quality is a must for the colony and will be provided for, with them lacking for nothing. It would appear by the latest question regarding ACV that not many give their birds the benefit of an acidic level in the crop and gut however I have gave it for more years than I can remember apart from this time last year and that was an error of management that will never be repeated, I changed my usual product this year to Braggs with the mother and am sure it is the very best available and will continue its use 2/3 times weekly. My other must have is Naturaline which I believe gives a quality of feather that is superior to any other product, But that is my belief and I shall not change it To finish, Thank-you for the Birthday Wishes yesterday and at 73 I don't feel a day older than the day before..

Tommy had ZERO returns at 16.00 Hrs.

Aye it's done well for a 2 Y/O Late bred as are all in the colony. Continuing on I then sent 3 to Reims Nat 570 Mls which was all that was available due to nesting cycle and had high hopes for one and the other 2 were last chancers, Three days after lib I had my fancied one return minus 1/4 of a tail and all the Secondary's from one wing, Yet to see another feather and that concluded my racing for the year. Some would say it is a short year however the time and effort I spend in that period is quite sufficient for this auld timer and I do have a young bird team to rear from all that remains which will keep me occupied till September, Hoping to Winter around the 50 mark and have the Late Breeds exercised and muscled up over the Winter months ready for next year. The young bird racing in the Fed ceased after 3 races due to losses and it is well documented my feelings on the slaughter of the innocents..

Hi Kevin, Quite a few guys have been enquiring regarding my absence and to be perfectly honest "it's an age thing " I think.. I have to consult my diary for notes and will start from where I ceased. I did not participate in the Buckingham Nat as to my mind it's a waste of time in this neck of the woods and it would appear to have been a disaster returns wise according to locals, so the following week I sent 2 to Ripon and my ETS packed in so it was a trip to Dougie Bald for repairs. Meanwhile a wee 2 year old Blue Hen was telling me she wanted a new nest site on top of all the nest boxes in the East Section, So I obliged and shoved an empty bowl in the corner and she went a bit scatty not allowing any loft mate within 8 feet of her, On checking the Loft Book I noticed she had only 2 Races and won 8th fed Ripon and 11th Fed Newark, 160 & 235 Mls.. With her new Nest Bowl position she laid perfectly and sat her first live eggs 10 days and she went to Maidstone with the Nat Winning 3rd Fed 40th Sect 377 mls. Hatching and feeding a pair of 6 day youngsters for departing to the Gold Cup she was my sole entry arriving with DRIED MUD up to her knees and 1 YARD from gaining an Open position, Well she never had a drink in the basket. She still won 1st Fed flying 525 Mls but I was rather peeved off and could have wrote much getting me into trouble.

Just out of hospital having my shoulder repaired with 3 hours of surgery and wish all true distance fanciers the very best wishes and decent returns, The ultimate race for testing the quality of the loft will be my last race for 2019 and like all who have sent if you aint in it then ye cannae win it. :drinking-coffee-200:

My wee Blue Hen that scored in Maidstone, in at 17.45 and that is me all home.