Why Didnt They Make It ?

[1967]

Dose anyone know why the U.N.C. held over on sat and the London birds were not libed till 12.15 from Berwick on sat the same line of flight as the pentland and Midlothian birds libed at 8.15 what was the weather like on route?How long did it take the birds to leave the race point?

[b.massey]

Cant see that working these raptors are versatile and will find plenty other food sources they don't need our pigeons to survive the hard winter.

 

 

That's what we want tho, if they only have small birds and other sources then the public will wake up at the damage they do, as long as there feeding on our pigeons no one outside the fancy cares

[andy Burgess]

Dose anyone know why the U.N.C. held over on sat and the London birds were not libed till 12.15 from Berwick on sat the same line of flight as the pentland and Midlothian birds libed at 8.15 what was the weather like on route?How long did it take the birds to leave the race point?

ive heard from a third party that the birds circled(burled) for 30 minutes ,before leaving .only to return 15 minutes later , to circle for a further 15 minutes ,before finally making it away ?

[Tony C]

Dose anyone know why the U.N.C. held over on sat and the London birds were not libed till 12.15 from Berwick on sat the same line of flight as the pentland and Midlothian birds libed at 8.15 what was the weather like on route?How long did it take the birds to leave the race point?

 

By what I've read on pigeon-chat it was raining 50 mile below Berwick and had been raining all morning, how far this stretched down to I don't know.

 

There were two other north Rd liberations out of Berwick, the North London Combine libbed at 11:40 & the Essex & Kent Combine libbed at 12:30.

 

We down here also had crap racing on that day.

[Rooster J. Cogburn]

I think the governing body should ban birds out from Oct to January! I know this will upset people as Xmas racing is local here but a few months with none of our doo's out could see a few struggle over winter! If people need birds out section to clean then can just be basketed up and be down to the club officials to keep everyone inside rules

 

Not a good idea in my eyes.

 

I actually think some of the losses to hawks in the spring and the losses of birds racing in the early part of the season would be less if more fanciers had their birds out all winter.

 

This is just my opinion and only based on personal experience,circumstances and theories.

[b.massey]

Not a good idea in my eyes.

 

I actually think some of the losses to hawks in the spring and the losses of birds racing in the early part of the season would be less if more fanciers had their birds out all winter.

 

This is just my opinion and only based on personal experience,circumstances and theories.

 

 

So what's the answer? Won't need to worry about having birds fit in about 5 years as there won't be any racing happening! We are on the brink of collapse and I can't see a long future left at the rate it's going the now! More and more clearance sales every time I pick up BHW so what's the answer? Just accept it

[Guest IB]

So what's the answer? Won't need to worry about having birds fit in about 5 years as there won't be any racing happening! We are on the brink of collapse and I can't see a long future left at the rate it's going the now! More and more clearance sales every time I pick up BHW so what's the answer? Just accept it

 

I don't think there is a single solution, just the same as I don't think there is a single cause, for losses. So I wouldn't for a moment suggest to you that you have your birds out in winter because I know from your past posts that you have a serious BoP problem at your loft. But others here have found what Lewis says to be true, that birds held in over the winter are more easily picked off when given their freedom again. In my case work patterns and daylight hours at that time of the year mean mine can only get out 1 day in 7 anyway, and they do get out, weather permitting.

 

IMO 99% of not getting taken by BoP has got to be down to the pigeon. They have that instict, and the ability. I think its us thats managing / training / breeding it out of them.

[just ask me]

Falcons head for the coast after ducks and even migrate during winter not them all of course our biggest problem is we fill the sky with our birds when they most need it right during there breeding season and when the young falcons need plenty of practice training there hunting skills

 

A big change of our race program would be much more effective

[Guest latecomer]

got one of sat. birds reported in n/Ireland on Monday flown well down this was a 3 yr old that had been clocked from ypres as a yearling

[walterboswell59]

These birds are not only getting attacked at lib point it's every

Other 1/2 mile on the way home and sent in all directions north

South east and west .Walter it's a good idea but when did you

Last hear of all pigeon men want to do anything as a group we

Can't agree about anything, and until we do the sport will stay

On a downward trend,sad but true.

dead right m8 we are our own worst enemy leave it to someone else to fix one says black ones says white just for the sake of it gulkie

[JOHNSEE]

i cant get my head round it ? 5 of the 6 still away have carded this year ,rarely late home .they all raced over 200 miles the week before ,9 of those sent in the first 16 of the club and first 36 of the fed .1 x 2yr old won cards as a yb ,many club and fed cards as a yearling ,and same again this year .oh and was 3rd club 5th fed from same race point and wind last year ?? doesnt add up. only 3rd season up here , much more of this and i shall be looking for canaries

 

Andy....when I kept birds years ago there was nobody that I knew was more critical of their own birds than I was,over a period of time almost every bird was a first prize winner in a club sending between 300/400 birds.but we still had losses and it was very hard to understand what went wrong,indeed one never finds out why winners fail to return home but fail they do,as long as you were happy with their condition and confident that they could compete you have played your part,you wont find the answer because no one has it....move on keep trying,the only part of your post I would look at was the fact they were in a race of 200 miles the week before. soldier on and good luck.....p.s. if your serious I have a few canaries I am trying get rid off...lol

[JOHNSEE]

i think it was the weather andy, i looked at the sky on saturday morning and said to myself, i bet they get a bad race today, sun and moon out together all day.

 

 

what about all the other federations racing that day who had excellent returns ,very good velocities I cant believe that the moon or sun played a part.....

[JOHNSEE]

just had 1 reported in Newcastle, flown out

 

there is part of the answer your looking for....

[andy Burgess]

there is part of the answer your looking for....

please explain ??

[JOHNSEE]

please explain ??

depends how you wish to view it how far is Newcastle from the racepoint,is it on the line of flight when did your bird arrive at the fanciers loft,like I mention in an earlier post there are many thing that could have happened and you will be no nearer finding out....cheers

[andy Burgess]

depends how you wish to view it how far is Newcastle from the racepoint,is it on the line of flight when did your bird arrive at the fanciers loft,like I mention in an earlier post there are many thing that could have happened and you will be no nearer finding out....cheers

around 150 miles , Monday night ?

[daviedoo22]

around 150 miles , Monday night ?

Your bird has possibly flown 3 times that amount of miles.Plus a bird reported in Ireland, they have been burst up.IMO.

[JOHNSEE]

around 150 miles , Monday night ?

 

one thing for sure your bird did not get flown out or take untill monday night to cover 150 miles,see what I mean,are you any closer to discovering what happened to your bird,is it possible that they clashed with birds flying south and on discovering the error tried to make its way back north (I do believe there was liberations of north road flyers as far north as perth on sat.)any other birds reported preferably south of you racepoint...?

[andy Burgess]

one thing for sure your bird did not get flown out or take untill monday night to cover 150 miles,see what I mean,are you any closer to discovering what happened to your bird,is it possible that they clashed with birds flying south and on discovering the error tried to make its way back north (I do believe there was liberations of north road flyers as far north as perth on sat.)any other birds reported preferably south of you racepoint...?

no i know that , yes i believe the liberation of the London feds North of us had an impact ,but many did make it home ??

[JOHNSEE]

no i know that , yes i believe the liberation of the London feds North of us had an impact ,but many did make it home ??

 

I cant remember a race where no birds made it home,In 1969 my father and I timed the only 2 birds in the club on the day from christchurch 404 miles,when we timed our birds there was around a couple of hours of daylight left a fancier next door to us felt that these two birds were lost,but were lucky to be heading the right way....who knows maybe he was right,many birds failed to return to their lofts that week-end and more to the point never ever reached home why we never found out,pigeon racing has and will continue to be full of ups and downs,disapointments are often and replacing these birds Andy will be difficult, but stick to it,there is still a lot of pleasure.....all the best.

[Guest stb-]

no i know that , yes i believe the liberation of the London feds North of us had an impact ,but many did make it home ??

idont think clashing comes into it at that distance apart , the birds would be on there way for a few hours and flying at different levels and prob different corridor , have in the past seen the up north combine birds heading north and the north roaders heading south and when they pass each other they dont even look at each other they just pass on there way , doos being scattered all over and getting reported in wales ireland etc in a west wind have been chased and only percie does that to make doos fly 100,s miles the wrong way against the wind .

the south roaders and north roaders on the east have passed each other since doo racing began , remember its not just scottish doos that race from the south and have to contend with the north road feds comming down

Edited June 5, 2013 by stb-

[JohnQuinn]

whats everbody,s opinion why some made it home and many didnt last Saturday 1st of June .assuming some will say health ,if they were healthy ,why then ??

 

IMO...Good health only carries the birds so far, then its down to motivation and fitness.

It may well be that we lost good birds last Saturday, however the fact is they weren't good enough on this particular day. Good doos need to be in good form and if not they can go down just as easily as the ordinary doos at shorter distances.

Sending doos to get them fit for following week or a future race, is IMO! one of the biggest mistakes fanciers make.

If a bird has flown 500mls last year and goes down at 150/250 mls this year, it simply means it was in better form when asked to fly 500mls than it was when being sent to a shorter race. Mind this is JMO!!!

 

Ps....Some doos will always perform well, i am referring to the IF's BUT's and MAYBE'S, who have flattered to deceive on 1 or 2 occasions in the past.

 

Pps....Bear in mind that EXCEPTIONAL pigeons can, and do!!! still fall foul of the Pylons or the Percy's when we send them racing.

[moscow master]

There not called homing pigeons for nothing there basic instinct is to home whether there fast or slow they should home back in the day if one was missing in came in two or three day later skint where it had knocked a wire now there's thousands going missing every year

[lanarkshire lad]

idont think clashing comes into it at that distance apart , the birds would be on there way for a few hours and flying at different levels and prob different corridor , have in the past seen the up north combine birds heading north and the north roaders heading south and when they pass each other they dont even look at each other they just pass on there way , doos being scattered all over and getting reported in wales ireland etc in a west wind have been chased and only percie does that to make doos fly 100,s miles the wrong way against the wind .

the south roaders and north roaders on the east have passed each other since doo racing began , remember its not just scottish doos that race from the south and have to contend with the north road feds comming down

Good post rab

[peter pandy]

30.40.50 years ago Federations were sending 6,000 birds to the first race and were lucky to get 1500 at the last. 4,500 went missing almost every year, putting it into perspective we are losing no more now than we did then. I have stated on more than one occasion that 2/3rd of your racers is the rule for losses.