Just A Thought But It Makes Sense

[Guest darren cantrill]

I was chatting to a dear old friend the other day and he brought something to my attention and it made sense to me any any way here goes, 2 peregrines live in a town that has 30 flyers with 30 youngsters 900 pigeons come young bird racing there are only 300 left and many are without youngsters before the end of the season so decide to breed more pigeons the next season 25 members breed 40 youngsters only 250 are left for racing and before the end of the season many have no birds to race so decide to breed more youngsters so 20 members breed 50 youngsters and the same happens again till eventually 15 members are breeding 70 maybe 80 youngsters a piece now my old friend brought something to my attention that there was now 5 peregrines surviving in this area and it was a case of sustainability if there were 15 members with 20 pigeons wouldn't some of the peregrines go hungry wouldn't they only breed if there was enough food I don't have the answers for him but I can certainly see his point of view breed more bigger food supply more peregrines Id be interested in other peoples opinions on this and there thoughts if any on how it would effect percys chances of survival if tried out would he migrate to be a problem somewhere else what I do know is this we bred more this year and they took more so I know its partly my fault wont be breeding more than 30 next year that's a fact used 80 rings at our pen plus buy ins plus gold rings just to feed the peregrine ive been a fool!!!!

[yeboah]

The racing pigeon is full of protein for the falcon and an easy target when flying in a batch ,but they will kill whatever to survive ,It has been witnessed at nest sites remains of crow lapwing seagull duck which is a favourite all we are doing is providing an easy option each training toss nod race day to a point where it is fast becoming cruelty .

[geordie1234]

Next year I wont be training old birds trying to limit the chances of getting attacked....

[JohnQuinn]

They can kill just about anything in the sky as the link shows, so i doubt very much they would starve. jmo.

 

 

imo, it's too late to do anything at all about it, the government have no inclination whatsoever to change the law protecting them. For the Very Small number that are killed illegally. it will make little to no impact on the overall numbers across the country.

I don't believe that Every corner of the country has been claimed territorially by resident peregrines, but when that day eventually arrives we must rely on mother nature balancing the books a little by evolving pigeons into something much more difficult to catch.

 

In the meantime i will take it on the chin and carry on racing the pigeons who have been clever enough not to get hit by percy, maybe they are the start of mother nature's balancing act???

 

Ps. Theoretically your friend has a very valid point, the problem would be getting enough fanciers to breed less Yb's.

 

I have downsized by around 30 Yb's this season, thinking quality over quantity an so on, to date i've lost about 7% of my team racing, 8% counting training. I'm interested to know what other fanciers %ages are, would think i was somewhere in the middle.

[billt]

You're old friend is 100% correct in his opinion, the more we breed the more they feed, I think Percy is that good that they will always find a meal but our flying in batches isn't natural and will always be a big attractant to Percy, also, what are people breeding these large numbers from, surely they haven't got that many class birds to warrant the numbers

[R.A.M.C.63]

You're old friend is 100% correct in his opinion, the more we breed the more they feed, I think Percy is that good that they will always find a meal but our flying in batches isn't natural and will always be a big attractant to Percy, also, what are people breeding these large numbers from, surely they haven't got that many class birds to warrant the numbers

 

:emoticon-0137-clapping:

[Novice]

In the simplest of terms we control the food supply but we are too old fashioned to change our ways and withdraw this food when they are feeding young.

If we withdraw pigeon from the menu they will decimate the song bird population, various other breeds will become endangered and then and only then will numbers of raptors be restricted.

 

We have been the RSPB biggest ally in their programme of raptor reintroduction.

[grdkeith]

if you believe that the peregrine is the only reason we are getting such erratic racing then he has a point, i dont think the peregrine is the only problem , in our area there is a peregrine nest no more than one mile from 3 different lofts and has been for at least the last 12 years.They are not as good at catching birds as some would have you believe having most success when hunting in pairs.

My ybs were attacked upon liberation when training once this year and three times last year but did not scatter as many have experienced but cleared the site double quick and got home, one theory is that because seeing a peregrine was no great shock to them they did not panic as they might have done but instead just cleared asap. it is too late now as they are everywhere and i believe we just have to accept their presence and get on with it !!

[Guest stb-]

if you believe that the peregrine is the only reason we are getting such erratic racing then he has a point, i dont think the peregrine is the only problem , in our area there is a peregrine nest no more than one mile from 3 different lofts and has been for at least the last 12 years.They are not as good at catching birds as some would have you believe having most success when hunting in pairs.

My ybs were attacked upon liberation when training once this year and three times last year but did not scatter as many have experienced but cleared the site double quick and got home, one theory is that because seeing a peregrine was no great shock to them they did not panic as they might have done but instead just cleared asap. it is too late now as they are everywhere and i believe we just have to accept their presence and get on with it !!

WELL MINES SEE PERCIES EVERY DAY HEAR UNLESS ITS HEAVY RAIN AND THERE STILL TERRIFIED , THEY CAN END UP IN IRELAND AND WALES FROM ATTAKS AT THE HOME LOFT FAR LESS ON A RACE , THERES PERCIES EVERY WHERE EVERY FEW MILES NOW .IT JUST YOUR LUCK IF YOU CAN EVADE THEM , ANY BIRDS THAT DONT DISPERCE WITH A PERCIE STRIKE HAVE GOT A BRAIN MISSING . YOUR NOT TRYING TO SAY A PERCIE WENT THROUGH YOUR BATCH OF YOUNG UNS AND THEY DIDINT FLINCH , YOUR ON THAT WHACKY BAKY AGAIN . :emoticon-0136-giggle:

[grdkeith]

WELL MINES SEE PERCIES EVERY DAY HEAR UNLESS ITS HEAVY RAIN AND THERE STILL TERRIFIED , THEY CAN END UP IN IRELAND AND WALES FROM ATTAKS AT THE HOME LOFT FAR LESS ON A RACE , THERES PERCIES EVERY WHERE EVERY FEW MILES NOW .IT JUST YOUR LUCK IF YOU CAN EVADE THEM , ANY BIRDS THAT DONT DISPERCE WITH A PERCIE STRIKE HAVE GOT A BRAIN MISSING . YOUR NOT TRYING TO SAY A PERCIE WENT THROUGH YOUR BATCH OF YOUNG UNS AND THEY DIDINT FLINCH , YOUR ON THAT WHACKY BAKY AGAIN . :emoticon-0136-giggle:

 

its not me who is shouting !! do you believe that they are responsible for all the erratic racing ?

[BLACK W F]

WELL MINES SEE PERCIES EVERY DAY HEAR UNLESS ITS HEAVY RAIN AND THERE STILL TERRIFIED , THEY CAN END UP IN IRELAND AND WALES FROM ATTAKS AT THE HOME LOFT FAR LESS ON A RACE , THERES PERCIES EVERY WHERE EVERY FEW MILES NOW .IT JUST YOUR LUCK IF YOU CAN EVADE THEM , ANY BIRDS THAT DONT DISPERCE WITH A PERCIE STRIKE HAVE GOT A BRAIN MISSING . YOUR NOT TRYING TO SAY A PERCIE WENT THROUGH YOUR BATCH OF YOUNG UNS AND THEY DIDINT FLINCH , YOUR ON THAT WHACKY BAKY AGAIN . :emoticon-0136-giggle:

be careful yer might offend for telling it how it is

[Guest chad3646]

the biggest losses in young birds is clashing imo

[Walter swanston]

They can kill just about anything in the sky as the link shows, so i doubt very much they would starve. jmo.

 

 

imo, it's too late to do anything at all about it, the government have no inclination whatsoever to change the law protecting them. For the Very Small number that are killed illegally. it will make little to no impact on the overall numbers across the country.

I don't believe that Every corner of the country has been claimed territorially by resident peregrines, but when that day eventually arrives we must rely on mother nature balancing the books a little by evolving pigeons into something much more difficult to catch.

 

In the meantime i will take it on the chin and carry on racing the pigeons who have been clever enough not to get hit by percy, maybe they are the start of mother nature's balancing act???

 

Ps. Theoretically your friend has a very valid point, the problem would be getting enough fanciers to breed less Yb's.

 

I have downsized by around 30 Yb's this season, thinking quality over quantity an so on, to date i've lost about 7% of my team racing, 8% counting training. I'm interested to know what other fanciers %ages are, would think i was somewhere in the middle.

John Quinn is quite correct,peregrines are here to stay.We must learn to deal with the problem as intelligently as we can,using any sort of action that works with regard to times of release when training etc.But the message is if you want to stay in the doo game learn to live with the problem.

[Guest IB]

RSPB told us years ago to stop breeding YBs to coincide with peregrine & sparrowhawk breeding seasons as that will reduce the number of young BoPs fledged. Most still do. I don't agree that 'living' with a problem is the right way to go. IMO we need to beat it, and to do that we need to change our ways, doing this and breeding less would be a start..

[grdkeith]

RSPB told us years ago to stop breeding YBs to coincide with peregrine & sparrowhawk breeding seasons as that will reduce the number of young BoPs fledged. Most still do. I don't agree that 'living' with a problem is the right way to go. IMO we need to beat it, and to do that we need to change our ways, doing this and breeding less would be a start..

 

 

surely there are a lot less fanciers and a lot less birds being raced than before, and if so then why are there more peregrines than ever ?

[yeboah]

surely there are a lot less fanciers and a lot less birds being raced than before, and if so then why are there more peregrines than ever ?

They breed them in captivity and add them to a hatched nest the falcon will rear what is put under her 4-5 no problem if food source is available .

[moscow master]

It'll no matter a hoot if we stop breeding young birds or racing at certain times Percy is the fastest animal on the planet a killing machine of the highest order I've seen them take black headed gulls crows etc they'll still survive no probs without doos fact. If someone wants to and has the know how I know a way to become a millionaire in a year come up with something to inject or obsorb through the skin that will put Percy off killing doos in future something that leaves a nasty taste or upset stomach or better still anyway there's plenty of vets and doctors etc am sure someone could come up with some thing or this multi million pound world wide sport in Britain at least will be done for as us Brits need to grow a set ! If we want to continue flying doos ask your selfs how many people doo you talk to and have birds with holes and rips every other loft has one or two add this up for every doo loft in Britain and these are the lucky ones forget about all the bull sxxt about solar this and moon and sun or mobiles the losses are getting worse year on year after every breeding season that's why you get erratic racing and returns and big losses nothing else

[walterboswell59]

It'll no matter a hoot if we stop breeding young birds or racing at certain times Percy is the fastest animal on the planet a killing machine of the highest order I've seen them take black headed gulls crows etc they'll still survive no probs without doos fact. If someone wants to and has the know how I know a way to become a millionaire in a year come up with something to inject or obsorb through the skin that will put Percy off killing doos in future something that leaves a nasty taste or upset stomach or better still anyway there's plenty of vets and doctors etc am sure someone could come up with some thing or this multi million pound world wide sport in Britain at least will be done for as us Brits need to grow a set ! If we want to continue flying doos ask your selfs how many people doo you talk to and have birds with holes and rips every other loft has one or two add this up for every doo loft in Britain and these are the lucky ones forget about all the bull sxxt about solar this and moon and sun or mobiles the losses are getting worse year on year after every breeding season that's why you get erratic racing and returns and big losses nothing else

bang on m8 we have to sort it the fancier no one else

[daviedoo22]

It would be very interesting and an eye opener to those who speak about clashing,mobile areals etc,if we could arrange a cencus for every club/federation to report the number of birds that have returned with peregrine strike injuries over one racing weekend.There is no doubt in my mind that the peregrine is killing our sport.I don't think changing our racing or breeding season is going to have any impact whatsoever,i witnessed one chaseing a magpie and also one after a feral, the feral outwitted the peregrine but percy just turned and plucked a kittywake from the sky.They will take anything they think they are cappable of carrying.What is a fckn disgrace is putting nest boxes in town and cities for these things and giving them a name "the urban peregrine".

[yeboah]

It'll no matter a hoot if we stop breeding young birds or racing at certain times Percy is the fastest animal on the planet a killing machine of the highest order I've seen them take black headed gulls crows etc they'll still survive no probs without doos fact. If someone wants to and has the know how I know a way to become a millionaire in a year come up with something to inject or obsorb through the skin that will put Percy off killing doos in future something that leaves a nasty taste or upset stomach or better still anyway there's plenty of vets and doctors etc am sure someone could come up with some thing or this multi million pound world wide sport in Britain at least will be done for as us Brits need to grow a set ! If we want to continue flying doos ask your selfs how many people doo you talk to and have birds with holes and rips every other loft has one or two add this up for every doo loft in Britain and these are the lucky ones forget about all the bull sxxt about solar this and moon and sun or mobiles the losses are getting worse year on year after every breeding season that's why you get erratic racing and returns and big losses nothing else

The best post I have read since joining basics

Well done Ricky you got it all spot on there mate

[Walter swanston]

There ain't nothing gonny change,legislation is no use it might seem downbeat but peregrines ain't gonna go away we have to live with the problem and try and work around it as best we can, there is no magic solution.

[grdkeith]

It would be very interesting and an eye opener to those who speak about clashing,mobile areals etc,if we could arrange a cencus for every club/federation to report the number of birds that have returned with peregrine strike injuries over one racing weekend.There is no doubt in my mind that the peregrine is killing our sport.I don't think changing our racing or breeding season is going to have any impact whatsoever,i witnessed one chaseing a magpie and also one after a feral, the feral outwitted the peregrine but percy just turned and plucked a kittywake from the sky.They will take anything they think they are cappable of carrying.What is a fckn disgrace is putting nest boxes in town and cities for these things and giving them a name "the urban peregrine".

 

being devils advocate here but nowadays nobodys seems to claim that their bird has been wired only ever hawked, the peregrine is having a large effect on pigeon racing but not convinced it is the only factor

[VMS]

The perigrine is only part to blame for the losses many factors come into play IMO

[geordie1234]

I think with the losses getting worse year on year you will see short distance racing come more to the front of the sport as it's near impossible to build a team of channel birds

[andy Burgess]

I think with the losses getting worse year on year you will see short distance racing come more to the front of the sport as it's near impossible to build a team of channel birds

that stage arrived a few years ago in my opinion Geo