ANOTHER LOCAL SLAUGHTER

[kevgrind]

This year has been the worst ever for falcon and hawk attacks, i HAD a smashing team of healthy darkness yb 50 in number which was a first for me (usually 30-35 is my limit) so you could guess how happy i was for the fotrthcoming yb season.

Then the local attacks started as the norm i`m used to this as we have a nesting pair only 1/2 mile from my location!!!!!

This was backed up by nearly every training toss birds split to pieces from 10-30 mile so where do you go from there???

The racing has been difficult to say the least for ALL Feds this yb season but i was left with 20 before yesterdays training all raced to Epsom so far with the Welsh North Road Fed (i have dropped 10 racing).

The final outcome of yesterdays training was 1 down again, this story ends with me on the way home from work thismorning *i found myown pigeon dead* on my local village pavement with tallon hole to it`s back around 1/4 mile from home.

After 25 years at this game i`m left wondering is it all worth the love time and money i dedicate to my love of racing pigeons? :'(

[Guest BRYANBROCK]

sorry to hear this m8 (dissappointed)(dissappointed)(dissappointed)(dissappointed)

[Guest]

Sorry to hear it YET again, I know how you feel I have lost 4 certainties to the feckers this year alone.   :o

[blue lad]

I am very sorry to here that. We have 3 sparrow hawks on rig at moment. last night when i was on shift i found  feathers off 4 birds but no remains around rig.They were y/birds lost from sat race all nehu birds. i got one back to land  on boat.but rest  were very flighty and allways stayed up high.if they took to air gulls would drive them down.Then hawks arrive and picked em off. its bloody slaughter all right.

[greenlands]

I set off with 32 cracking young birds ,exercising out of their skins next thing two or three through the loft door none anywhere to be seenin the sky.I had 13 back on the night when I locked up,ended up with 22 + 2 i had to collect,one more brough to me by another fancier that later died.They were never right after that,got one race out of them I have 10 left couldn't continue to race because I couldn't afford to loose any more.

[DODC]

Sorry to here this,we have 4 Pair of peregrine in Aberdeen alone,plus the sparrow hawks.

[abbeypap]

Sorry to hear about your losses to the birds, bad enough to know it happens but to find one of your own   I've just sat and watched a sparrow hawk take a blackbird from next doors bird table, 50 yards from the back of our loft.  Never been so glad our pigeons were all in the loft.

 

[Guest mick bowler]

Kev its only one pair theres an easy quick solution.

[cemetary]

I am very sorry to here that. We have 3 sparrow hawks on rig at moment. last night when i was on shift i found  feathers off 4 birds but no remains around rig.They were y/birds lost from sat race all nehu birds. i got one back to land  on boat.but rest  were very flighty and allways stayed up high.if they took to air gulls would drive them down.Then hawks arrive and picked em off. its bloody slaughter all right.

 

Keep them on there then, if you can catch them it would be even better,  

 

Kev sorry to here about this mate, keep yir chin up, i no its hard.  

[kev01293]

sorry to hear about your problems kev (and u other lads) it  must be soul destroying to find one of your own birds dead after being attacked by these murdering b*stards >  ok so even bops have to eat but its down to the r**b that they have now reached saturation point and all they wanna do is bury their heads in the sand and pretend it aint happening >  the way things are going bop wise i just cant see how pigeon racing will be here in 10 years     kev

[kevgrind]

Thanks for the replies lads just needed to let off a little steam, unortunatley we have up to 4 pairs of falcons in a 10 mile radius and after i posted this thread today i watched a male sparrowhawk take another songbird out of my livingroom window , if jo public still believe these BOP are still rare/endangered then spend a day in my garden they would be amazed.

[TACK3727]

Gutted for you Kev, please report it to the RPRA Hawk watch to add to the figures.

[Roland]

quote=6459]Gutted for you Kev, please report it to the RPRA Hawk watch to add to the figures.

 

Asked, and then pressed as to just what the idea was for and how was these reports going to help his RPRA fanciers, his members that pay his wages. Mr Bills was at a loss. He did state that it was really only to benefit new Starters and to forewarn them of the losses they should expect in their area  :-/ :-/ :o

Yes! he was pressed again about What Action' if any. Didn't know of any etc. Yes he was told a few home truths again. Seems a he had a few other silly ideas . Indeed a few other ideas that were way out of line and useless, and was told why they were stupid.. etc. etc. etc.

So now you have in a nut shell any and every help you can expect from Mr Bills and the RPRA other than to ask the RSPB for guide lines.

We know the RSPCA and the RSPB guide lines, which incidentally are very effective and very good and do work a treat. Which is Mix salt with lard - or as they say said goose fat, which costs but a small price from supermarkets. Rub this solution into their’ backs and some on the breast before every training or letting out. Even racing as it doesn’t affect their flying at all. It is legal as of now, and indeed had RSPB backing.... no doubt they realise that they shot themselves in the foot and are A. hoping we all forget - and 99% won't do - and B. They will legistrate against it soon.

 

 

[Guest Owen]

Well said Roland. The RPRA are like toothless lions. And as anyone could have predicted, very few are taking their Hawk Watch seriously.

There are a lot of things they could be doing to help us, but they would rather curry faviour with those that they give charitable donations to, rather than provide proper suport for their members.

They keep records of the ring issues and record transfers but they will not force the owners of strays to honour there responsibilites. They know that young bird losses are a serious problem but they do not arrange to regulate liberations. And there are liberations taking place without the liberators bothering to tell anybody.

The Sport is loosing members at an ever increasing rate, but they do nothing to publicise the Sport or take steps to introduce the Sport to the general Public.

As I said, Toothless Lions.