Kyleakin Lofts

Blue sky, broken cloud, snow on the ground crisp, but not windy.

Good morning all.

Happy birthday Keith.

Super idea, but a lot of travel to cover the top fanciers on a monthly basis. You would also require a network of reporters and perhaps a few set ups or at least after building up some podcasts, move the equipment to the next reporter area. To ensure continuity you would also need your build up of podcasts to give you the required safety buffer. None of these problems are insurmountable, so I hope the idea lifts off.

Good post here. I think money comes into play, being the root of all evil. Due to prohibitive costs Federations have dropped their Channel races. These were great trainers for the less experienced pigeons. They returned on a given route, and in this respect I agree with Davy, up the centre to Solway, then through the relevant valley to spread throughout the Fed. This no longer happens. If pigeon men could just get their heads round this idea, which I think is fact, them perhaps they could overcome their selfish outlook on racing and, due to financial restrictions, agree to Combine racing from the Channel. Not ideal, but better than National racing for the experience the younger pigeons would gain. I have no idea how to solve the problem of race route. I have heard you can train in any direction and if the pigeon is any good this fitness will make it take the correct line home. I have heard that you have to train on line. Pigeon men never agree. Is it that our pigeons are good enough and do home on line, but are decimated by raptors, thus explaining the losses, and then finally home hours later after having had to circumnavigate the problem area, making them look like plodders instead of the courageous bird they actually are?

They were there in the 60's and 70's, so don't come into the modern scenario.

Dull, grey and very, very windy here in East Ayrshire.

Good morning all.

I am a complete novice as you all know, but back in the days of the 60's and 70's when I scraped out for a National flier, the entry from the west was far greater than it is now. DRAG. The west appeared to me to fare much better than it does now. The club members had regular hawk culls at the mine bing and other areas. Re-entering the hobby, still only at scraping out level, my observations tell me that the DRAG is now laden to the EAST. There are no hawk shoots and because of the BOP problem the traditional centre route has been changed to an easterly one. The geography of the UK also indicates to me that the west is ideal BOP habitat, borne out by the accepted "fact" that the Lake District is the most populated BOP habitat in Europe. I believe the hills around the Nith Valley area, Solway into Ayrshire, and the Lockerbie hills, Solway into Lanarkshire, are also very densely populated with BOP. Seems of little wonder to me that the pigeons head North via the easterly valleys into the Lothians before doglegging to the west. Both race route and BOP avoidance tactics dictate this. Only the very rare and courageous pigeon will homes on a true line into the west through this BOP infested territory. Many may attempt it and either be turned back or fail to navigate the many attacks they suffer whilst bravely making their attempt. I accept that I may have been brainwashed by the very poor standard of fancier in the west, but I have spoken with a few National fanciers who have made similar statements, so I do doubt this. My opinion, at this stage, is firmly set on the indicators that the DRAG favours the east. The RACE ROUTE flown in preparation favours the east. The GEOGRAPHY and NATURAL BOP HABITATS favour the east. I remain open minded to have the facts placed before me which will contradict my current thought processes.

Grey sky and very cold here in East Ayrshire. A covering of snow, but not too much at this stage. More forecast to come. A picture tells a thousand stories.

Good morning all.

Happy birthday.

Good morning all.

Good morning all.

Racing should certainly start later. early season can be quite bad at times. Don't know how it compares to the past and not having raced YB's, don't know if the season could be lengthened to cover a later start, but also this sort of thing would take organisation. If the Nationals were later, then the Feds might follow suit.

Happy birthday.

Welcome to the site.

Always has been the case and also paid as soon as it is all received into the fund without delays.

He's got 2 million pigeons now because he hasn't raced them. Heard he has some local mutation of BOP that eats them by the dozen. Don't think the SNFC challenge is enough for him. Heard he is going to win Barcelona International this coming season.

Happy birthday.

Good morning all.

Good morning all.

Happy birthday.

Speedy recovery John.

Whatever floats your boat Walter. With an established family it shouldn't make that much difference and both you and the pigeons are happy. If you want a special pairing then you can sort it yourself.