Kyleakin Lofts

Pete, when will you learn? Alan catches you every time. Give me a wire when you sort yourself out. Perhaps you need some oiling because you are rusty when it comes to the BWF sett.

Many thanks to Rooster (Lewis) for the copy of 1989 / 90.

Thanks Tiger, but I have that one.

Thanks Alf. Rooster (Lewis) may have one, so it should be with me soon. The earlier one is a debatable date. It may have stopped the year previous. At that time it was known as Scotland's Year Book. It appears that 1989 and 1990 were the one book.

Thanks Archie.

Happy anniversary Mr and Mrs Tooshie.

Why did you split them? If it was to prepare for widowhood, then keep them split and lift the eggs, you don't need them.

Thanks Ian and Archie, but I have them. Only need the ones listed for my collection. May have to wait for bereavement sales and the likes for them to appear.

After a cold night and frosty morning, it is nice and sunny with clear skies here today.

Thanks lads. I have been in touch with Dale for some years now, but even he doesn't have any spares of them. The SHU doesn't have them either. I am looking to add them to my library to have the full compliment. Sammy, I have 1968, but was told that it was out in 1969 as well. I am not 100% sure about that one. I also have the 1988 one and believe 1989 / 90 may have been the one book.

The Sparrowhawk usually attacks mine after they have done their first circle and have just widened it out to the second circle. She is obviously near and watching. They have been locked up since the last days of August and I am dreading letting them out at the start of April. As Fifer and Rab says, they kill to eat, so there is no real time, as such. I think I had 2 spare hens last year and am hoping they have been driven off by their parents, but when there is a plentiful supply of food their territories are a lot smaller, so there is a greater concentration of them. Best of luck with your problem which is actually all of our problem because we are all suffering or soon will be if not at this moment in time. Bring pressure to bear on your Union, local councillors, MSP, MP and MEP. You could also try to influence your corn supplier and anybody that you buy specifics from. Their business will also suffer. Bring pressure to bear on your federation to compact the racing season. Start a bit later and race YB's at the same time as OB's so racing is over before they are killing for fun when they train their YB's during August. This, we are able to alter and subsequently we should have less YB losses, resulting in the need to breed less, cutting our food bills and making the corn suppliers realise that the good times are over.

Keep it up Gary. The troops will rally eventually, but they may need to see that this time is not like the previous ones. This one will not fizzle out. Contact your local councillors, they are seeking re-election. Notify all attacks complete with photographic evidence if possible. This can be done through the clubs. Encourage petition signing.

Same here!!! Best day for a while. Sun out and there is actually a bit of heat in the air.

Brought it back to the top just in case you haven't noticed it and are able to help with this one.

I used to breed and exhibit Boxers. It was very difficult to find suitable studs from within the schemes that are set up and used by all responsible breeders. We had to be careful about an illness, PA, which originated in the 1950's, but wasn't discovered until 1980's. Retrospective genetic work, etc discovered the possible origin, but given the timescale you could imagine the number of top studs affected. Heart problems exist in many breeds and the Boxer is no different. There is a scheme for this and regular testing is carried out. Align both these schemes together and it becomes difficult to find a stud which meets all the high end spec and this is what you would be required to use especially if your *expletive removed* was a bit further down the spec. After producing the pups, you then had to find a vet who would dock them. We used to be allowed to do this, ceded it to the vets, then they pronounced it un-ethical. It is now illegal in most European countries. Don't know anything about the specific case mentioned and I didn't see the programme.

Looking good.

Reports by Joe Murphy I received a letter from my son Kevin regarding a pigeon tracking project he is hoping to run in conjunction with Angus College. I have mentioned this in my column before and he received a very good feedback from fanciers the length and breadth of Great Britain. However, like everything in life, the stumbling block is MONEY and he is hoping to obtain some sponsorship with his request in this letter. Keptie Road Arbroath Angus DD11 3EA Telephone 01241 432600 Fax 01241 876169 PIGEON TRACKING PROJECT Dear Fanciers I am writing to you in the hope that you will be interested in the above research project. I am currently in the process of developing a study into racing pigeons with a particular focus on the route they take to get home. I know previous research has looked at the homing ability of the racing pigeon but I would like to utilise the technology that is currently available to enhance this research and try to establish what route the racing pigeon takes to get home (especially when flying over stretches of water) and more importantly when a bird gets lost where does it go? As Director of Learning and Teaching at Angus College in Arbroath, where we have an animal care facility at the College, we teach students from an introductory level through to Higher National Diploma / 2nd year degree courses and we also have a new John Tranter, purpose built 24ft pigeon loft on the college grounds. As you will be aware, the number of losses occurring each year in the pigeon sport is showing no signs of improvement and whenever you speak to pigeon fanciers it’s the same old story; high losses in young birds and very few fanciers that are able to build an established team of 3, 4 and 5 year old experienced birds. I appreciate birds of prey and other factors must be taken into account but one question that always lingers is where do these pigeons go? Why in a seemingly perfect flying day are returns not 100%? The research project that I am interested in running will use a team of racing pigeons based at the college and monitor over a 3 year period the route the birds take to return home, observing them by the use of a GPS/GSM module attached to the bird that will show live on a PC screen the birds route home. I have discussed with a design company a prototype device that would be fitted to the birds, either clipped onto its leg or to its back. The device will be GSM and GPS module controlled that gives off a signal every 5 minutes to determine the birds' location with an accuracy of 10-15 metres and consisting of a battery life of 72 hours. From this we will be able to monitor the birds’ flight direction and establish over a 72 hour period where the birds go to if they get lost. The overall aims of this project will be to: •Collate scientific data from weather stations, Solar Influences Data Analysis Centre (SIDC) and Solar & Geophysical Activity Forecasts to determine if naturally occurring events (solar flares, K factor etc.) impact on the birds' homing ability. •Monitor the flight of both inexperienced and experienced birds to fly from distances up to 300 miles. •Determine if the birds improve their line of flight by repeated liberations from set locations. •As the birds will be required to fly across stretches of water (both the Tay and Forth estuaries) the direction of flight will be monitored to see if the birds cross the water directly or find the shortest/easiest way across. •Monitor over a 3 year project the developments of the birds and how they improve with age. Do birds that have developed as a ‘leader’ as a young bird continually improve and become the birds that determine the line of flight, pace of the race etc.? •Some birds break from a batch and make it home first – is it possible to determine this and identify the leading birds? The use of the GSM/GPS device will allow us to test individual birds. •Try to establish why birds get lost and where do they go. As the device will be activated for up to 72 hours, we can determine how far off the line of flight the bird went. E.g. If a bird becomes dehydrated and goes down for a drink we will be able to pin point the location and how long the bird was inactive and how long it took to return home. While some birds will be fitted with a GSM and GPS trackers, some will be fitted with micro-cameras to photograph the line of flight and evidence what happens to birds in flight. This project is also about raising the awareness of pigeon racing and involving students at the local college where various student groups will get involved in the project and use this as a real life project to enhance their own educational studies. I aim to publicise the progress of the research in the fancy press throughout the duration of the project. A research project such as this offers an opportunity for a large corporate company, or individuals to positively associate itself with the event through sponsorship. The cost of conducting this research project comes to around £28,000 (mainly due to design and development costs of the GPS module). In return, we are offering the following sponsorship package: •Corporate branding of all literature associated with the Pigeon Tracking Project such as adverts, posters, brochures and the website. •Positive public relations enhancement through mention in all press coverage related to the event. I do hope you will look upon this request favourably and will be keen to support the tracking project. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from interested parties. Yours sincerely Kevin J. Murphy Director of Learning and Teaching Email: Kevin.murphy@angus.ac.uk. Tel: 01241 432669 Conclusion Various tracking devices have been tried before but many were considered too heavy and nothing was ever done (due to the weight etc.). In this project that Kevin is trying to organise, the tracker would be the equivalent size of an ETS ring. My personal feelings are the advantages of doing these tests would benefit the sport in general. For example, the detour birds would take if attacked by a peregrine. Another issue could be the K factor that I have spoken about over the years. It will also assist if clashing was a problem with the losses we have experienced over the years. One way or another, all the information gathered can be used for the benefit of the sport and hopefully sustain the future of our sport for a long time to come. Regarding asking for donations, I doubt if individual clubs would support this request but there are other pigeon organisations like National Clubs, RPRA, SHU, WHU, UNC, NIPA etc. who COULD support this venture and every donation would soon help reach the target mentioned above. There are also individual fanciers who might wish to contribute to this worthy project and if so then please contact Kevin at the Angus College Keptie Road Arbroath Angus DD11 3EA or telephone 01241 – 432600. If I won the lottery then I would personally fund the project as I think it is a worthwhile and a scientific exercise that could only benefit our sport. Kevin and I are prepared to breed a round of youngsters for the college loft and hold a one loft race within the concept of the college. We could offer each bird at £50 and it will be raced at the college loft in Arbroath with the first bird from the last young bird race from Wakefield, a distance of 200 miles, with the winner receiving a 1st prize of £250 and the fancier who had drawn this bird would then be given the chance of owning the bird along with the prize money (if the fancier so wished). All the other birds would continue to be flown from the college loft to help with the tracking project as they get older, as mentioned in Kevin’s letter. All proceeds from this one loft young bird race would go towards the purchasing of the tracking fund mentioned about. I think this is an excellent idea for ordinary fanciers to feel part of this development and every £50 donated will help the college reach their £28.000 target. If anyone reading this is interested and would like to take part then please let me or Kevin know your details: name, address, post code, telephone number and email address with all cheques made out to Angus College. We will put all fanciers’ names in a hat for a youngster and after the draw will notify every individual wishing to take part. The college students will run this venture and hopefully have a web site set up so fanciers can follow their birds’ progress throughout the season.

Contact Homing Pigeons on here. http://www.homingpigeons.co.uk/index.htm

Seems like there are so many of them that food is becoming scarce, so they have no fear only the drive to survive. I am aware this was a "pet" one, but even the wild ones are at it. Not so long ago in Wales a similar incident occurred.

Sorry to hear you are under the weather Mark. Hope you keep up the good progress.

Which one is the Gold Cup?

Funny.

If I remember the article it stated something like 300 pigeon rings to every 1 wild bird ring.

As has been said, the merits of close inbreeding is the ability to "fix". The problem with it is that you may also "fix" traits that you do not want and therefore culling has to be very strict. Line breeding also has these properties, but at a slower rate therefore allowing more time to correct. With both you need to start with top quality stock as neither will give you what you do not already have. Outcrossing really only means breeding birds of different strains together. If you think about it logically, pigeons all carry the same number of genes. Some just excel at what we wish them to excel in. From a certain point of view there is no such thing as outcrossing, in that, all of them are pigeons. To this end, if you pair two pigeons that excel in the traits that you are looking for, you can expect some of their young to also excel in these traits. Thus pairing winner to winner could be just as successful a way to go. Now if the winner to winner comes from within your own loft, you will eventually be line breeding or inbreeding until the time you introduce a winner from elsewhere.

Last season my raced youngbirds went down as yearlings, however, the unraced, untrained latebreds fared far better. I was advised to stop racing the latebreds as they were carrying nest feathers which break down in the adverse conditions we were experiencing and to continue training them. When thee better weather came along they performed sufficiently. The yearlings were not given this grace. We will see how both fare as 2YO's.