Kyleakin Lofts

Welcome to the site.

Been busy, good afternoon all.

Grey skies, but not too bad a day overall. Birds out.

Ice and heavy frost this morning and very cold, but luckily no frozen drinkers.

Good morning all.

A fresh and clear morning with a touch of frost on the ground.

There are still around 5 members of the BBC who live in Scotland. I do not think any of them send to races. In the past there have been several Scottish fanciers who have entered and had birds return, just check the Squills Year Book. George Gauld (deceased) was the last I knew who flew, albeit BICC, and timed from Tours? in June? to be on their result. He used to single them up from Morecambe, I think Budgie Crawthorne's place. Last year the BBC opened a marking station in Carslisle in an attempt at being inclusive and fulfilling their name of British. What a buzz and I would love to savour it, but at the moment I've never had a bird officially past 240 miles. Their final race is from Bordeaux and would be well over 800 miles to me in Ayrshire around late July / early August, I think.

Good to know which site you are on now. Good pointers! Does the dust show it is mouldy and the dull bounce indicate dampness?

The magnetic flux is emitted from the high tension cables. I do not know about the possible cancer effects or the possible effects on homing ability. Research may have been carried out with regards cancer, but my cynical outlook makes me think that cost of remedying it would overcome the effects insofaras, they wouldn't come clean. I know the peregrines love them for lookout posts and they are even erecting nest sites on them for the peregrines. I also appreciate the wire hazard. Can't really make comparisons with the old strains, but looking at National results, the old established fanciers are always there abouts. Perhaps I presumed incorrectly about their families being old and established, but they certainly seem to home well.

I believe they all contain the same feed values and are difficult to notice if they become mouldy, but that aside, cribs maize is dried more naturally and red maize apparently contains more sugars and becomes a favourite of the birds once they are used to it. Red Bordeaux cribs maize fits the bill. I have also heard the birds prefer the smaller maize. I do not know the facts behind any of this. Are you the Neil from London area whom I spoke to previously on another site?

They do emit a magnetic flux and some years back they were accused of causing cancer since the incidences of cancer were greater in areas close to pylons. Whether that was ever proven, I do not know. Nobody knows with regards to loss of homing ability, but my belief is that the race for speed has diminished this. Scientific feeding so they have just enough to make it home, but at greater speeds leaves them succeptable for failure to rise again when forced down for any reason, weather or predators. The old plodders came through 'hell and high water', but we have lost a lot of our old blood / strains and with them some of the homing ability. I have no proof of this, but it is my belief or opinion whichever you wish to call it.

Great news Walter, I'll send the rings over for the young birds tomorrow. :emoticon-0140-rofl:

Good morning all.

Overcast and raining here in East Ayrshire.

A mild spell often fools nature, but the frost isn't long in nipping it in the bud. It should be really cold, frosty and snowing just now, but it isn't, so it is mild for the season. It is bound to change.

Happy birthday.

Good morning all.

Grey skies, cold with some wind.

Good weather have a look and listen, then open trap; close traps check all settled. Poor weather have a look and listen, then check all before starting to feed etc; check all settled at night.

Mild day here. Dry and no wind. Still dark.

Good morning all.

Still dark, but appears calm, not windy or rain, and looks like it might be a clearer day.

Good morning all.

Good post and to the point. Good post Walter. Excellent post. Just what I thought.