Fife Blast From the Past

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Pigeon lofts at West Mills Dairy, Kirkcaldy,  early 20th century. The pigeons are released at various distances and trained to return to their home loft. The competing birds are banded to identify them, they can fly for several thousand miles and can reach speeds of ninety miles per hour! Pigeon racing started as a sport in Belgium in 1818, when a hundred mile race was held. The late 1800s saw the sport grow in popularity in the United States, France and Britain. Today, pigeon racing is particularly popular in former mining communities in Scotland. Also looks like my grandad in the photo.