Roland

Aye, I've never denied a pigeon helper a cuppa! Indeed always been more than thankful and pleased to. I will admit I've met a few 'A******, but that occurs in every walk of life. Had a letter from the East Midland RPRA, on a Tuesday regards a pigeon being reported in Grantham. - Was a place we trained the birds from and had actually just returned from there. No phone number etc. Had been at least 18 months since I lost it. So on the following Thursday, after releasing my birds, I called around. The fanciers' wife was perturbed and agitated. Said her husband was at work and to come back when he was! I could see the loft from the entrance of the house. I explained I'd lived 60 miles away and as I was here … So she said, 'I don't think you can have it, as he wants to keep it and It had won Federations with it. Long story short I eventually got in the loft. MY cock bird sat aside a pair of biggish youngsters. I was more than annoyed, but left it. Reasoning was if I took it would only have returned.. and the youngsters would suffer... many thoughts ran through my head. On arriving I had another letter from the RPRA saying I had been reported for not contacting the fancier regards this stray bird. My Fed sec wanted to report him I was more than mad … however, I said best be forgotten. That it would only drag on prolong the burning hole in my gut! I went past that fancier's loft sometimes hoping to catch him … however, common sense prevailed, and the anger subsided. Was afraid if I confronted him, and he opens his mouth spouting a wrong word I would only have decked him. But then more hassle... Glad, overall I didn't follow that through in any events. Now it is just a story I relate from time to time. The seething and anger turned to shake of my head and ... Aye, I've never denied a pigeon helper a cuppa.1 Indeed always been more than thankful and pleased. Will admit met a few 'A******, but that occurs in every walk of life. Had a letter from the East Midland RPRA, on a Tuesday regards a pigeon being reported in Grantham. - Was a place we trained the birds from and had actually just returned from there. No phone number etc. Had been at least 18 months since I lost it. So on the following Thursday, after releasing my birds, I called around. The fanciers' wife was perturbed and agitated. Said her husband was at work and to come back when he was! I could see the loft from the entrance of the house. I explained I'd lived 60 miles away and as I was here … So she said, 'I don't think you can have it, as he wants to keep it and It had won Federations with it. Long story short I eventually got in the loft. MY cock bird sat aside a pair of biggish youngsters. I was more than annoyed, but left it. Reasoning was if I took it would only have returned.. and the youngsters would suffer... many thoughts ran through my head. On arriving I had another letter from the RPRA saying I had been reported for not contacting the fancier regards this stray bird. My Fed sec wanted to report him I was more than mad … however, I said best be forgotten. That it would only drag on prolong the burning hole in my gut! I went past that fancier's loft sometimes hoping to catch him … however, common sense prevailed, and the anger subsided. Was afraid if I confronted him, and he opens his mouth spouting a wrong word I would only have decked him. But then more hassle... Glad, overall I didn't follow that through in any events. Now it is just a story I relate from time to time. The seething and anger turned to shake of my head and ...

None. As you mentioned, I phoned if able. Have ALWAYS reported if not. Then arranged the return of the bird or agreed to release near to it's loft. Did take a rubber off, oft times admitted, if I had fed and watered, and felt it would / could clear. It's like the opposite, If asked it was often refused. Not asked then affronted. Anyway Buff, I do honestly realise why you are miffed. Yes I understand and agree with you as to why. But once off the chest I'd wager after a cuppa tea you cared not in the least/ Indeed was pleased to know it was actually fed and watered … and if able and asked would have paid the £1 45p. Even five times. I understand also that via posting it helped to get it off your chest. Strange that. A. I agree in sentiment … but .. lol Take care mate, and if ever my way I'd be pleased to put you up .. even give you a cuppa Gosh 1222 replies eh!

So how can you, on the other foot, call a fancier for looking after your bird … without being asked. He may, or may not be a pauper, who knows, who cares? Of course it doesn't mean much or anything … so why post! Why are we wasting time here trying to defend the fancier? as for principles you, me and all break them every day when it suits! Or are we saying others must live by our principles ---- that we don't lol. Mind I can, in all honesty see Buffs point of view (Truthfully) … he maybe should have phoned and asked for the £1 45 and then sent by carrier for £40 quid lol. lol.

I'll ask Adee188 and you all a simple question of reasoning. Say a friend came to your loft, or a stranger with a bird you had lot. Or you travelled to his loft to collect your pigeon. It had been well cared for. Fed and watered and looked after, and was in good condition. You most likely would thank him. Then when leaving he asked you for £1 for looking after your pigeon for the past week. You might think 'Cheeky Git, or be glad to give him or his kid a £1 etc. Would you moan? Then, later on think, seeing the bird back and happy in the loft... would you be pleased … or still be moaning about that flipping £1?

Well, some are easy to wind up Adee1888. However, the sad thing is that they don't, and never will understand. Many a time we read on here and other pigeon sites that the fancier would LOVE to know what and where they pigeon has gone, or went when missing for a few days/weeks etc. Indeed many actually fear / or worry where they are - or aren't. Weren't breakfast for a rapture. Then a pigeon turns up ten days later WITH out an Et ring! Are they pleased to know that their pigeon wasn't eaten? Suffered or deprived of food! Nah, more peed off that they lose a £1. Come on, get real here. Me! I was pleased to see it. Know it had ben fed and watered, that's a fact. I'd wager he would have been more peed of having to spend £40 for its return. He would have wondered - if he even cared - where and what had happened to it. I loved my pigeons. Fact1 I mean I loved them. They gave me great happiness and joy. I hated losing one. Indeed - like many over and good fanciers - I worried where they were. Their welfare is/was paramount. I never begrudged paying money travelling to fetch a bird - had many pleasant loft visits too at that. They gave excitement and many thought-provoking ideas. They warranted every penny I ever spent on them in ANY regards. They more than paid me in so many ways.

Thanks Buff. You strengthen my resolve to see fair play, and sensible / reasonable logic. P.s do you count the tea leaves you put in the cup .. Indeesd how many cuppa's do you get from One tea Bag? Only you could moan about a flipping quid regards someone doing you a good favour.

They do in Belgium.

His quote 'My feckin telephone number is on the bird if they want to let me know it’s been in there loft expletive remove'! I just hope it will be nice in the future for the Fancier getting a stray bird in from you to Put in a Fancier puts it in a separate loft Compartment and demands you send a courier for it! Now that is and would be the prim and proper thing to do as Governing bodies state! there we are lads, no more helping hands... Just cough up your £40 for each bird reported! many - obviously your not one of them - will offer a payment, or give the kids a quid or so when collect a stray … A £1 ring is cheap payment for letting you know it's been in a loft and FED and Watered for a quid. Besides why should a fancier phone you? Often many times leaving a message , and unanswered! Tight git lol.

Can't believe such posts as these. Sounds so very ungrateful to me!. YOU know that your bird has dropped in another loft. That someone fed and watered it! Ok, maybe took the ring off to LET you know! Or even to use themselves. Either way it tells you what and what not! Better to know than wonder if retuning a week or so after and wondering. Gosh if the first then to moan - to me- seems very unfair, or even childish. We waste. for whatever reason $#s every season etc. Yet moan when some one lets you know it has dropped in their loft! Yes could take the hassle and time to put a little message in! It's your bird to look after and take care of. Not theirs! Personally one should say 'Thanks for letting me know'! Gosh what is a quid in this day and age?!

'how many cats and dogs fell' Many believe it goes back to when cats and dogs went up into the thatch roofs to get rats … and also because many stayed there … thatch got weakened and when rain came through and the cats and dogs jumped down it was said to be raining cats and dogs. Or The origin of the idiom "its’ raining cats and dogs." though uncertain, some believes it comes from 18th century England, where heavy rains would sometimes wash dead stray cats and dogs down its filthy streets. It means it is raining very hard.

Homeowners have been told to prepare for flooding as some parts of the UK could be hit with almost a month’s worth of rain on Friday. The Met Office issued weather warnings across the west of the country as they predicted as much as 60mm of rain could fall across Dartmoor, in Devon. The average rainfall for August in England is 69.3mm, meaning almost an entire month’s worth of rain could hit the area in just 24 hours. Understanding how many gallons of water are within a square foot is useful in determining the amount of water required to fill a structure such as a pool or a pond. Performing this calculation requires you also to know the depth of the area in which the water is located, as you need to have cubic feet to convert to gallons. If you have the depth, you can calculate the gallons of water per cubic foot by performing some simple mathematical operations. Step 1 Measure the depth of the structure in which the water is located. Step 2 Multiply the depth in feet times the width and length of the pool (square footage) to find the cubic feet. For instance, if the pool is 3 feet deep, 10 feet wide and 20 feet long, you would multiply 3 times the product of 10 times 20 to get 600 cubic feet. Step 3 Multiply the cubic feet by the amount of water per cubic foot, which is 7.48 gallons. In this example, you would multiply 7.48 times 600 to get 4,488 gallons of water. This means that 1 litre (L) of water weighs 1 kilogram. Weight of water by a unit of measure 1 gallon 8.345 lb = 3.785 kg Now a football pitch – is far, far less in size than a decent size rain cloud! So let's use the size of a football pitch. So let's say and to make it easy via dropping down round figures, to a more apt mathematical action: 300 x 150 equals 4.500 x 45 = 2,025,000 x 8 = 16,200,000 x 3.785 = 648,000,000 kg = 71,444.322 Tons: now you can multiply that 2- 3 even dozens of times! Now as we all know, water is a solid... tankers of 3000 or more tons of metal float on it. Admitted sea water is heavier/denser carrying salt and minerals. Yes, many vessels of metal, wood, plastic stay afloat on a river! Yet, for some reason, rain stays in drops. - Whatever the origin. You can fly a plane through it. On high, you can walk through it – getting a good soaking lol. A heavy raindrop will bounce three or -6 inches when hitting the ground. What would be left if it all dropped on you? Your car, house or street? When a rain cloud gets too heavy amazingly, it Thunders and lightings! The lightning destroys so much before allowing it to rain. Now is that in so very great detail designed … or just happened!

Extend! Maybe, but safer and far more sensible to start the seasons later. Young birds will thrive in September. Indian summer and still plenty of light! True 'DODC'. Me? Well A. I am surprised that the 'Old and Antiquated' race programmes even get a look in, let alone done and still happen every season. Ok we are creatures of habits, and hate change. Yes we get comfortable with habits, good or BAD! You know, the coffee has been percolated for ages now, and YET still most can't smell the coffee. You couldn't 'Adam and eve it'!

You know, and it's a true story. A fellow offered a cleansing excursion. £400! Said obviously when, why and how he wouldn't say — obviously reasons for any clear-minded reasoning. Yes, I know of a fancier that put it forward to hid club. Never mind a fed for apparent reasons. There were 29 fancier in that particular club. About £15 a member. First off they were worried that they wouldn't get results for their £15! Paid upfront! They wanted to know his name and address. How and when he would do it. Even suggested if they went ahead could they have a fellow to keep an eye on him. What! For £15! Now I know many would say 'Weer I'd willingly pay that and NO QUESTIONS asked'! 'less than a bag of feed' says many more. I'll tell you what and right, even with a guarantee it would never come back to any member or club it will be voted out overwhelming! Indeed some will / would even say 'What £400, I give him/them that myself'! Know some fanciers that say nothing but smile and advocate that as soon as one comes, it leaves. Funnily enough, I did hear and tell that we have been visited twice here about via a Percy. I never saw either one myself. Indeed it seems we are most fortunate here about. Have heard we get a problem from a Goshawk, never seen as such either. Bilco was right! But nigh all dismissed his views. Indeed the vast majority are still waiting for a knight in shiny white armour or moan that some wealthy .business man should have his office set up Think Tank and DO the necessary. No, you couldn't make it up"!

Any kind of aspirin etc. By the way, that salt poured on any carcass etc. did work extremely well. It was advised / asked by the government for salt to be put on any. B.O.P. are also scavengers and always looking for an easy meal. Mind any pain killer etc. would have the same effect I guess.

Eagle owls are classed a native birds … but don't know for sure that they fall under the Protected birds. the RSPB certainly spout scare mongering in the media saying taking babies from prams - in day light and dogs on the leash etc. They cull. The twitter brigade seem to miss that! But the the pigeon fancier spurn and fight against any help! Yes they do... you couldn't make it up!

Like the B.O.P. brigade said salt won't work as they do drink water … Only those held in captive. They don't in the wild. They certainly didn't prior and during the last ww2 war. Indeed the RSPB etc. actually brought salt out as a deterrent! Like a few other goodies that they spout they use... But not A. The same strength given or same name. Be interesting to hear their' spouting on pain killers, Goldarn sheep dip, let alone the juice of the Rhubarb leaves lol Strangest thing is the fancier would, and will much rather believe them than the truth eh! Know a few fanciers that don't like necking etc. So give them a aspo or such last thing at night. Remove the carcase in morning.

Plenty of time for longer races in September. Usually is a Indian summer. Also many today have E.t. clocking so not problem if working. Sadly gone are days when neighbours or their kid etc. would stand in. But you know - to the vast detriment to the sport - many over the last 30 - 40 years have bleated regards having long races for youngsters. Yes mainly because they wanted to keep their' birds back for the next season or two etc. Which meant - besides other things- their' lofts filled up with pigeons not deserving to be there. Yes, getting nest boxes for more of the same, or worse! Then over breeding to make up for the loses. putting the blame on any and everything bar the truth. Blame the fanciers. No of course not throw away willy nilly … but if healthy and conditioned they should be given the chance to prove their' metal, the merit and capabilities. saves money and wasting time. But of course along with other detrimental happening permanently in use, it is ruining the very essences of the homing ability we all - supposedly - require as to a 'Win'! Any safe win will do eh!

And for those that treat as 'Humans'. When you were 19 or so trying to sow your seeds, what would you think if teased every week and then banish and sent up the road 2 or n3 hundred miles.... Park up at the nearest town dwelling where life would be a bliss most likely :emoticon-0127-lipssealed: lol

And were pleased to see them too eh! DODC.

Well, does it matter? Really? The message spouted is loud and clear 'I can't afford to lose them … I can hardly afford to keep them... Give us a break'! That is why the governing bodies don't and can't act. Gosh, the numbers suspended would desecrate our numbers of fanciers overnight. Well, finish the sport a darn site quicker than it is going downhill fast now! Suspend them! They would just pack up! Indeed one moan and groan regards this … but in reality, isn't it the simple fact is that 'You don't moan and groan, BUT are happy to beat them each week as they prop up the ladder. So one says 'I do' etc. Bully for you! It cost hardly a few pence to water and feed and then send them up the road like most … or worse. Never mind the Rules! The lord of the rings answers that when saying 'Bo&&%ocks to the rules. Best, we accept changes that are and have been for the past 50 years or more forced upon

Good to see them eh mate! Never mind survive. They will stay away and condition them selves far, far better than we ever can. Back in the days of genuine good pigeons, before drugged and infested with nigh 200 different rubbish stuffed down their throats, they would come back during the week and even win on the week- end. Now propped up with expensive lame crutches most are no hopers. The excuses made are stupid beyond compare to many. I know, 'Works for others' etc. and other garbage. In reality the way the fancy treat the pigeons as a whole, the biggest surprise is that there are any left to race.

Well done Walter … makes you, and those that know you, proud.

Simply many don't/won't report because of the countless times they heard hard luck stories, or don't want it back. Many say 'Can you send it up the road after a few days … should clear. Many do just that any way. Others sadly cull it saying, If no good for me I'm doing the fancier a favour'. Plus so many now can just about afford to keep / race pigeons … but can't afford to lose them. J.M.O experiences.

Seems anything is worth a try! Lol. don't ever see many doing oat different season in and season out. So then it will stay the same or most likely worst.

Remember, if one can improve a bad pigeon 20%, it will still be bad after a good one has been improved 20%! This rubbish about making a pigeon better to be a location would only work if the other location only flew lesser pigeons and no 'Good' to 'Exceptional' Flyer BECAUSE they get the best out of their pigeons also … Most like the races that they have prepared for.