Hawks

[Walter swanston]

I lost five pigeons yesterday on a 25 mile toss due to peregrines.Today the young birds were taken about 6 miles and at the lib. Point were clearly terrified to leave the basket,nothing in the sky that I could see, eventually they were persuaded to fly and flew straight into a clump of trees and I ain't seen them since.This is no way to keep pigeons and I am seriously considering giving up racing I believe the doo game is f.....d.

[Tony C]

The only way to beat them is to get them of the protected list................ the only way to get them of the protected list is to fund a count on their true numbers.

 

 

There's a reason why the RSPB wont commission a count!!!

[Walter swanston]

The RSPB don't want to know.In this area tourists are invited to come and stay in hotels and campsites where they can observe peregrines preying on pigeons.

[Tony C]

The RSPB don't want to know.In this area tourists are invited to come and stay in hotels and campsites where they can observe peregrines preying on pigeons.

 

Us the fancy would have to fund the count............. but by whom

[geordie1234]

could we fund a count for peregrines?

[Walter swanston]

The RSPB and the government would not countenance any. findings by the Pigeon Fancy

[Tony C]

The RSPB and the government would not countenance any. findings by the Pigeon Fancy

 

They're is an alternative http://www.bto.org/research-data-services

[billt]

Remember as with most British birds, not being on the protected list doesn't make it legal to kill them

[yeboah]

I lost five pigeons yesterday on a 25 mile toss due to peregrines.Today the young birds were taken about 6 miles and at the lib. Point were clearly terrified to leave the basket,nothing in the sky that I could see, eventually they were persuaded to fly and flew straight into a clump of trees and I ain't seen them since.This is no way to keep pigeons and I am seriously considering giving up racing I believe the doo game is f.....d.

Feel for you Walter ,we are having our birds murdered daily I have witnessed what you described and am certain your birds were targeted yesterday with a family of falcons when your birds turn up give them rest and let them settle as they are truly stressed at present ,I have had 3 return tonight from yesterday's strike one with horrendous injuries all have been to ground 30hrs after being liberated from10mls However every dog has his day

[tigger ritchie]

Feel for you Walter ,we are having our birds murdered daily I have witnessed what you described and am certain your birds were targeted yesterday with a family of falcons when your birds turn up give them rest and let them settle as they are truly stressed at present ,I have had 3 return tonight from yesterday's strike one with horrendous injuries all have been to ground 30hrs after being liberated from10mls However every dog has his day

It's time we change our way and not breed to feed then breed early and race early in year before there young are in the sky or nest race mid week in the old birds program then they will not be in the sky to wreck this sport or feed there young

[Guest theflyingscotsman]

had a similar thing happen to me yesterday let my hens out for a fly while i was painting ma garden fence hens were on the house roof then took off like a bat out of hell couldnt see properly if it was percy or hawk but my birds didnt come back for over 2 hrs nerves as hell looking all over the place and jumpy when i got them in the loft 2 of ma hens were shaken like a bloody leaf ?these gits are either feeding big young or its the young out learning to hunt ?i was a gamekeeper a few years ago and i have seen these buggers do some damage out on the grouse moor even to the pheasants and partridges but now they just seem to be every were just no ending to them?(

[VAGIN]

I know how you feel Walter I put a post up at the weekend I had 6 returned hawked and i am still 4 missing from a 66ml race on saturday,Thats half my team out of action. I was watering my garden last night when I heard the strange screeching cominig from the woods about 400mtrs away I stood and watched and there it was a hen sparrowhawk tryiing to encourage 2 of her young out of the woods .What chance do my birds have now They will only leave the loft now with me in a basket. As you said Walter is there a future in pigeon racing Unless there is a holy mirical Cant see by the trees

[big blue bar]

This the time of year I dread the most when the young are learning to hunt with the parents I've seen it close hand last year ybirds coming home ripped open so badly injured having to put them down

[mealyhen]

How could anybody toss birds the day after a hawk was in at them.your right give them up and stop this madness.

[geordie1234]

I think racing our ybs earlier or not racing them at all could be a positive step forward

[Kyleakin Lofts]

Everyone seems to be breeding earlier, so instead of messing with darkness, etc, train them up and have any age races around the time the feds are going with the national.

Given some thought, with the reduction in numbers as the season progresses, rather than running transporters half full, joint convoying frees up transporters for shorter any age races.

[geordie1234]

Everyone seems to be breeding earlier, so instead of messing with darkness, etc, train them up and have any age races around the time the feds are going with the national.

Given some thought, with the reduction in numbers as the season progresses, rather than running transporters half full, joint convoying frees up transporters for shorter any age races.

Makes sense imo

[yeboah]

How could anybody toss birds the day after a hawk was in at them.your right give them up and stop this madness.

We have no choice where we live a hawk free strike is not an option,

I am 20 missing from first group this morning 3singles in last half hour 2missing part wings the other it's tail the majority of the others will be grounded and will work in the next 24hrs .

That is why we give them a light feed and water before training sending them hungry is not an option in Moffat

That's another this one's intact

[geordie1234]

Would you be allowed to send young birds as trainers with old birds if they were bred early enough?

[Guest paulrstokes]

What is the RPRA raptor alliance actually doing??

 

I know many have given funds etc, and I report strikes etc, but what action is being taken

[yeboah]

What is the RPRA raptor alliance actually doing??

 

I know many have given funds etc, and I report strikes etc, but what action is being taken

I have been on radio,tv front page of local papers over the last 20years with injured and maimed pigeons tried my best with mp's all same outcome yes you guessed correctly my friend sfa

Bop would have to be taken out at same rate as our birds for people to take note

[Tony C]

Wouldn't be a bad Idea if a website was created showing ways to best manage this problem.

[gordi.b]

I took 40 ybs for their 8th toss about 20 mls they had beaten me home the the previous days, I set them off at 3-50, and sat in garden waiting at 7pm I got worried at 8-10 1 arrived on its own , from then till 10-20 they dropped in singles and doubles. 1 arrived with no tail and 1 with leg nearly detached another with a puncture wound in its side . 16 missing , is this really worth it?????? :emoticon-0179-headbang:

[sapper756]

I took 40 ybs for their 8th toss about 20 mls they had beaten me home the the previous days, I set them off at 3-50, and sat in garden waiting at 7pm I got worried at 8-10 1 arrived on its own , from then till 10-20 they dropped in singles and doubles. 1 arrived with no tail and 1 with leg nearly detached another with a puncture wound in its side . 16 missing , is this really worth it?????? :emoticon-0179-headbang:

 

where did you release them from Gordon?

[gordi.b]

where did you release them from Gordon?

down at go cart track at haddington brian , totally gutted never had any home since