Bilco

Hi Vic, No, I'm taking my pension with me to the sunshine for a week, don't fancy giving the lot to some car park shark as I did one year, they charged me damn near as much as the package holiday cost, took me ages to save it up again. OK for you youngsters, but £120 a week doesn't go far, even when you're used to eating small meals once a day!

Hi all. I'm hoping to take a week's holiday in Madeira from 18 to 25 December, and am looking for somewhere to park my car in or near Gatwick Airport, without paying a ransom in parking fees. Can anyone help with a space on their drive perhaps, and drive/collect me from the airport on those dates please, can pay an "arranged rent". Cheers.

Peregrine. Thanks for the warning. I know enough of the RSPB's workings to trust them as far as I can spit against a strong wind. I have debated with Geoffrey Wynn, and others, on radio - and been screwed by Andrew Jones after when the Law arrived with a search warrant to look for "Parts of peregrines" (1989) because of general comment that I made. There was nothing to find of course. I share the expressed thoughts and feelings of "Country Illustrated" in that I regard the RSPB as completely untrustworthy, and blind to the damage their policies have done to British birdlife. Lady Tweedsmuir's Bill for raptor protection (1954) is still running, though the original agreement was for 5 years, how's that for integrity? Sometimes I feel they may be learning, we live in hope.

I know enough about you Jeremy to know that Pigeons are your first and last consideration, so any help I can give is yours for the asking. Stephen Van Breemen trialled this product too, he contacted me and said he had lost (died) over 60 OB and YB and had no idea what was causing it. Then he tried Xerek and his troubles were over. Ask him, I am sure he will confirm what I say. This was about 18 months ago. I did not tell him the content, only that it was to treat the digestive tracts. Let me know your address (My phone is 01963-34380) and I will send you some Xerek to try.

Hi Jeremy. 137 fanciers trialled Xerek. 131 replied in writing with favourable comment, 6 replied saying "No improvement". No, birds were not tested for YBS prior to treatment, just that their owners wrote giving symptoms and asked for help. No charge was made, but several fanciers were so impressed with the results they sent in donations of cash and stamps for postage. The data is still in my possession. "Bull" you said, because you have not yet seen it happen. OK, your privilege. If you wish to join the trial, you know my address - c/o the BHW. I have no commercial interest in Xerek. I gave the formula to Richard Wylie (DAZER (UK) Ltd. an offshoot of Tyna International.), an entrepeneur, who has the marketing business to use it. At my age (77-y-o) I have no interest in business any longer. You obviously do. Next time you get YBS let me know, I'll come and surprise you.

If you cannot bring yourself to kill pests, follow Bruno's advice and you will keep squirrels, rats, cats, mice etc away from the loft, but constant observance is necessary because ultrasonic transducers "go off scale" if they become damp and they can become less effective. I also have on my loft a grid of half inch "Twilweld" netting, 18 inches wide all round the loft edge, and this is wired to an electric fence generator. Anything touching that, and the "jump on" points round the loft (which are all "earthed" with metal plates, self tapping screws and a copper wire to ground) complete the circuit, and they go straight upwards for several feet when touching it. I have a similar grid one foot wide, three inches away from the live grid on the loft roof, and this too is earthed. It deals with anything that gets on to the loft without touching the "jump-on points". The fence generator is boosted a bit higher than usual, it ensures a "once-only" contact by offenders. They stay a long, long way away after touching it the first time. Anyone wishing to test the system is welcome to come and see and try it.

Kill them, the grey ones are vermin. An air rifle (pneumatic) is excellent for the job. They are after food, will take eggs and babies in the nest. Forget their title "Squirrel" they are tree rats. If they are too fast for you and you fail to hit them on the run, use bait. A pear, such as you can buy in any supermarket, sliced in half, will bring them running and keep them still long enough for you to shoot them. Zero your rifle first !

LOL. Congratulations lads on your observance. The noise is created in the throat by pigeons and betokens pleasureable excitement. If you feed a tasty trapping mix every day at a certain time, you can watch the birds all doing it just before you feed them it. Same as a cat purring, the noise is probably unconsciously created. You can even see the throat vibrate if you look. Nothing to worry about at all.

I expect these two 'members' may well be hawk lovers, but nothing wrong with that, only their trust in RSPB honesty is at fault. I have an ex-census taker living near me, who assures me that actual numbers of sparrowhawk and peregrine populations have been regularly mis-represented at all levels of recording, i.e. by the census taker, area collater and by HQ publisher over the years. Motivated by fear that 'antis' will get uptight if the true numbers were published. I decided years ago to "Know thine enemy" and went out and bought any and every publication on these raptors, to bone up on knowledge of both species. I formed an immense respect for Derek Ratcliffe after reading his masterpiece "The Peregrine Falcon" (£25) and his untimely demise last year was a loss for bird lovers world wide. He was that rare avis, an honest man. I strongly suspect that anyone killing either raptor in the actual defence, at home, of their pigeons would not be prosecuted by the RSPB. It would not be in their interests. I may be wrong, and would not be tempted to brag about such an act if I ever committed it, but such is my belief in the last decade, due to the soaring increase in raptor numbers. Camels are designed to carry just so many straws ! See what happens in areas like Plymouth and Exeter as an example.

I rather suspected as such Tammy. If you have a lawn in front of your loft that the birds pick about on, look for a tiny little plant like a Clover leaf and a tiny yellow flower. This is called Trefoil and is toxic to pigeons, makes them sick. It grows in a 'creeper' formation, pull it up and burn it or throw in the dustbin. YB learn about it by eating it, and throwing up !

Yes. Probably half a dozen or more causes would show the same symptoms, which is why it is important to be sure you know what you are treating, in order to use the correct cure. "Gut" problems in general will react to Furazolidone medications, within reason. You mention nestboxes, were these OBs and not YBs? Or did you mean perhaps box perches, and not nestboxes?

The content of "Xerek" is, as stated on the package, "Mixed Carbonates" - the actual Carbonates concerned and the percentages of each are a trade secret ! One that it does not have in it is Bicarbonate ! Apple Cider Vinegar won't cure YBS. I tried it myself over some weeks in varying dosages, it had no effect. The cause of YBS is fungal, in my opinion, and it comes from the corn I believe. I actually discovered the effect in Germany in the 1960's when I was reading up on a cure for Salmonellosis and/or E. Coli in a scientific paper from a cattle veterinarians association in the USA. I then applied the scaled down dosages of what I believed was the correct mix of Carbonates to sick birds I had at that time. After altering the % twice I hit on the correct mix. I kept the treatment to myself for 40 years until Colin McCarthy in Ebbw Vale old me he was packing up the sport due to YBS. I suggested he try the mix I would send him first, so he did, and stayed in the game. Then I conducted a field trial of 137 fanciers who had YBS and all but six (6) replied that it worked 100%, so I donated the formula to my old friend Richard Wylie of DAZER (UK) on condition the Fancy was not screwed on the price. After manufacturing costs, emballagement in metal foil and advertising, it sells for £5 or less. All of this was published in the BHW.

Lovely debate. Good to see everyone becoming involved, BUT, Paulo, you make one cardinal error. I did NOT say that Wiley - or anyone else for that matter - should not have the right to criticise. (God knows I've done my share in the last 40 years in print). Read my original posts No 5 (and No 14 to Darran) again, a couple of times. My remarks are addressed to "any of you above who are making sour comment" I said that while we have the right to hold an opinion, we do NOT have the right to express it in libellous terms in an International publication , as this Forum is. Read what I wrote. I agree that Wiley didn't call the Booklet "Rubbish" - that was another man who has wisely kept his head down ever since. Otherwise I agree with you Paulo.

Emtryl was taken off the market because it was alleged to be a cancer causitive substance. Made by Rhone-Meryl in France. Was widely used throughout the Pheasant and game bird industry to treat gapeworms and blackhead, also for treating Turkeys. Pigeon fanciers used it for donkey's ages to treat against Canker. Ronidadazole now the preferred treatment. Flagyl and Canestan both contain the same substance, Dimetridazole and are useful in treating Canker.

Hi Roland and RCH (Molly ?), Shelf life of Xerek is 5 years, just ensure it is kept dry, no nicks or tears in the foil sachet. If it didn't work for Tammy_1 then it wasn't YB sickness, more likely some bacterial problem, the content of Fural is Furazolidone I suspect, which is excellent for gut complaints, but I thought that was off the market in UK ?

Bravo Wiley. It takes a man to admit when he's overstepped the mark. You'll go a long way. You have my respect. Bill. Cheers Darran !

Quote from Darran: "everyone is entitled to an opinion no matter who they are". I agree with you entirely. I also think that anyone who has NOT managed to carve his name into the pillars of our sport (as John Halstead has) - and read above please Darran - has no entitlement to call the work of John Halstead "Rubbish". Now I know Wiley didn't write that sour comment, but another man did, in reply to Wiley's opening comment. Yes, we are all entitled to our opinions, but that doesn't give us the right to express them in libellous terms in International publications. Don't you agree ? Bill.

Quote from Darran: "everyone is entitled to an opinion no matter who they are". I agree with you entirely. I also think that anyone who has NOT managed to carve his name into the pillars of our sport (as John Halstead has) - and read above please Darran - has no entitlement to call the work of John Halstead "Rubbish". Now I know Wiley didn't write that sour comment, but another man did, in reply to Wiley's opening comment. Yes, we are all entitled to our opinions, but that doesn't give us the right to express them in libellous terms in International publications. Don't you agree ? Bill.

Hi. I read John's book and thought it was very good advice indeed. I know the bloke personally and reckon that if any of you above who are making sour comment can match his achievements, in the same sort of competition, then you are entitled to say what you like. But if you haven't, and can't hold a candle to what he has won, then use the brains God gave you and sit down and read what he has written. Pamphlet ? Yes, it measures 38 pages on good quality paper with 8 colour photos, and the definition of a Pamphlet in Wikipedia is "less than 48 pages, after which it is a book" so technically you are right Wiley, but what he has written is worth a guinea a word as the old saying goes, because he tells you how, and why he conditioned his birds and motivated them. Apply his methods to your team and it may well be you who writes the next pamphlet. Ten quid in this day and age buys you two packs of cigarettes, or four pints, or the log of how a good fancier beat the backside off most of the opposition in National and Classic races. Use the sense you were born with, stop and look at what is there in the printed word, and make use of it. Condemning a man's work as "rubbish" without being capable of producing anything as good (backed by performance) betrays the heckler as an idiot to any man of average intelligence. I fly against John Halstead in the BBC and CSCFC (when I fly) and I think I am doing very well indeed if I get one before he does. Cheers, Bilco.

Hi Archie, I still have the memory of that bottle of Bells ! Cheers. Yes, over 2,000 rings in that collection, all found at Peregrine nests. I wonder where those rings went in the finish? Maybe see you again next Jan? I'll be looking in at the DAZER stand to see how Richard is getting on. Happy Crimbo old son!

Never seen anything faster than Xerek, and I don't say that because I discovered it. DAZER markets it at £5 a sachet, post free, and it has the birds looking to go flying inside 4 hours.

Hi Fifer, Is this Archie? Seems to me I have read that "per Mare, per terram" before? I had two nephews in the Royals, both went on to 'interesting' work elsewhere. By the way, I agree with you, writers - as opposed to reporters - make a newspaper readable, and therefore "superior" rather than "inferior", but you might be surprised to discover the number of 'editors' who don't know that basic fact of life. They usually learn after losing their best writers to 'inferior' magazines. Bill.

Hi Fifer, Is this Archie? Seems to me I have read that "per Mare, per terram" before? I had two nephews in the Royals, both went on to 'interesting' work elsewhere. By the way, I agree with you, writers - as opposed to reporters - make a newspaper readable, and therefore "superior" rather than "inferior", but you might be surprised to discover the number of 'editors' who don't know that basic fact of life. They usually learn after losing their best writers to 'inferior' magazines. Bill.

Reply 9 - Vic. Obviously you are a novice fancier who has only been in in the sport for a year or so. The "RP" was once THE weekly racing pigeon paper, and the BHW merely a two-page broadsheet when the RPRA stepped in and bought it for a song. LPW backed it with ALL its advertising, to the total exclusion of the rest of the sport, and since the newspaper (BHW) had now an unlimited pocket to pay its way, it fast started modernising and expanding. Its cost and advertising charges were much cheaper, fixed by the Management Committee, and dedicated to choking the life out of any other publication by grabbing all the revenue going. It succeeded. All it had to do was pay its way, then when that was achieved, to pay the cost of subsiding the RPRA's expenses, which it still does. By undercutting the rest of the Fancy Press in price and advertising it effectively destroyed the competition, all of it, barring the "RP". No need to make a profit, a recipe for success in any sphere. I believe that the Siamese crook who organised the Lancaster Hotel race a few years ago robbed Rick Osman of around £40,000 by absconding with the funds, leaving Rick to foot the bill. Being an honourable man he did, and ruined himself, that's how the "RP" left its founding family, the Osmans. Nobody who knew the founding family, or the "RP" in its heyday, would dream of calling it 'inferior', no matter how badly its fortunes have fared since. I wonder if the depth of your pocket matches the reckless courage of your comment? Under the new owner of the "RP" (Pigeon Health Ltd) there may now be a new dawn, and that could herald trials for the BHW. You may revise your opinion yet Vic. Bilco.