Dodgy Trapper

The market at Reading is still there.Shame it cannot go back there. Have heard of so many good stories, even now people talk about Reading Market. Thanks Jimmy ive been around too long too know what iam talking about and Pigeon Racing means more to me as much as my family. Wheres the younger ones going to come from if we cannot accomadate them on basket days.

A couple of the major problems I am sorry to say is the older generation and wealthy in pigeon racing. Examples: I have spoke to many older fanciers over the past few years from different clubs and many refused to accept the ETS system, (I must add now I haven't got ETS). but I can see the benefits for all generations, retired people, handicapped, and most of all for the sake of the future for the sport the working class young & old. Now everyone knows there are lots of people working many different shift patterns and have family commitments, ETS would solve this problem for them, I for one would like the system because I don’t like handling the birds on arrival,. Secondly regarding the large national & classic clubs, most of them basket the birds when people have to go to work, this is another example of the retired folk and the wealthy fanciers also who don't have to worry about work leave. They just think of themselves and not others. Do they worry about the future of the sport?.More are leaving (less competition maybe?. Can you imagine the problems people must have all across the country trying to get time off for basketing their birds each week. (not everyone can get other fanciers to help and I for one don’t like asking) Thankfully I don’t have to rely on other people and can get time off work. sorry to be negative but I want the future of the sport to thrive. If basketing stops one fancier from competing then that to me is one to many. To solve one of the above problems would be to basket birds late afternoon early evening. Regards to ETS, I think this will help bring back more fanciers in time as the ETS systems are now being accepted by all and will allow people to cope with day to day challenges and their hobby.

Have a small syringe with a rubber tube, for young squekers which need to be fed. The rubber tubing goes down into the crop (less messy). Also when you have to sow the crop area up i use Germalene product called new skin (its like nail varnish and heals up any holes.

Does anyone know farms in the Berkshire & Oxon area which are selling corn (tic beans & others).

Y/Bs birds have been lost in big numbers in the nationalsand federations down south and in training also. the problem is fanciers keep their losess quite. the results dont tell you how many never made it home (missing?). Large breeders of ybs, say 100 could lose 50 and still have 50 left. Until we are all honest about this problem things will not change. we need to talk more about it and try to learn how to correct these loses.

So What was the bottom line on this story, meaning the main reason.?

So whats the law on Having a loft or shed in your garden. Dont the RPRA help us in these matters (in England). What was the reason for the council gave?.

How many Y/B birds did you lose?. How many did you end up with?. Compared to the last few years, was it more or less loses. Which race caused the most losses, in the races you competed in?. How did your fellow fanciers fair?. Be Brave and Honest

I think there are a large number of fanciers all over the country losing young birds this year, well trained birds at that and in racing aswell, its just a lot of fanciers keep it quite. The reason cannot just be hawks, although they are a problem.

Hi Do remember a few years ago someone tried to stop this bloke who had doves. What they were doing was flying onto the complainant's garage, it went to court and this bloke with the doves won. The reason he won was because he lived in the house before the complainant (who's lived in one on the new houses recently built near the dove man). Dont know if this make interesting reading?.

Very Quiet on returns from these races? (good or bad). I think many may still be in Europe and have not crossed over the channel.

First of all sorry to hear you fanciers up North had a bad Y/B Race.(i know the feeling). What i would like to know is what were the returns like for fanciers who sent from France, BICC Falaise + BBC Lamballe on Sat 22/08/09 I had 6 from 14 (gutted were well trained 40 miles 3 times a week for the last 6 weeks). My friend had 1 from 12. And also with SW winds nice sunny day, perfect weather can anyone suggest what may have happened?.

I have had my birds 30 miles away, same spot 4 previous times. But 5th toss with 26 birds same spot 2 home on the day (first bird taken 4 hours), next day 14 through the day. Nothing i think you can do about it, alot of people are saying its been a funny year.

There was a young bird race not last saturday but saturday before where there were bad returns. Think it was the welsh boys racing from Swindon (wonder how many birds were sent last Saturday compared with previous?.

I found in the past some people do not like to mention amount of brids lost,best way to gauge returns is to compare amount of birds sent following week.

Bershire its blue skies not much wind (heaven)

Weather in Berkshire cloudy outbreaks of heavy rain and sometimes the sun breaks through.

Hi I live in Berkshire i can pick the bird up just give me the details,(at work until 1.00pm)

So reading this then all the birds that have taken good positions in National races in recent years have come home and not many birds went missing. One thing i do know is some of the top fanciers numbers have dropped going into the next race with some not even sending.

After listening to some good fanciers racing from France this year in the National races it seems that they would mark this year as a funny season. Decent loft stars missing and loses in some races when they should have made it home. Nobody can explain it, after all race conditions seem to be ok, they were looked after and birds came back in good condition. (Some fanciers have kept quite). Has anyone any views about this years racing compared with other years?.

BICC Tarbes up 5.45

I know of fanciers putting TCP in the bath water, only a small cap full. Keeps feathers clean and surprisingly silky feathers. I used to use it but got feed up with the smell.

Is Bill Carney still alive.Good old pigeon man Is there a website with photos of the different coloured eyesign a pigeon can have?

When i get the odd y/b stray in and i report it and the fancier say do you want it, sometimes i say yes. Treats them the same as my y/b's. Have a 07 stray (transferred i may add) pigeon is entered at Tarbes BICC this Saturday, been coming well from France this year (you never know). There is only one judge in pigeons and its called the basket.

Heavy mist from this morning in Berkshire has now lifted and clear skies appearing.