Dispirited

[Walter swanston]

After around twenty years I am losing the heart for this game,started off the young birds flying out with 25 lovely young pigeons (some bought in at prices I struggled to afford).i am now down to 11 youngsters at 3pm today.The cause is peregrine falcons and nothing else and I do not feel like breeding pigeons for these predators.Before the usual chorus of "stop moaning and do something about it" starts I do not wish to become involved in anything I might later regret.I genuinely wish everyone on basics well but it is doubtful if I will continue in pigeon racing.

[geordie1234]

After around twenty years I am losing the heart for this game,started off the young birds flying out with 25 lovely young pigeons (some bought in at prices I struggled to afford).i am now down to 11 youngsters at 3pm today.The cause is peregrine falcons and nothing else and I do not feel like breeding pigeons for these predators.Before the usual chorus of "stop moaning and do something about it" starts I do not wish to become involved in anything I might later regret.I genuinely wish everyone on basics well but it is doubtful if I will continue in pigeon racing.

Feel for you mate and can totally understand atvb

[Delboy]

After around twenty years I am losing the heart for this game,started off the young birds flying out with 25 lovely young pigeons (some bought in at prices I struggled to afford).i am now down to 11 youngsters at 3pm today.The cause is peregrine falcons and nothing else and I do not feel like breeding pigeons for these predators.Before the usual chorus of "stop moaning and do something about it" starts I do not wish to become involved in anything I might later regret.I genuinely wish everyone on basics well but it is doubtful if I will continue in pigeon racing.

 

I can definitely understand your feelings Walter and I can honestly say I don't disagree with your decision. I had 3 return from the inland national hawked

[greenlands]

Sorry to read your post Walter,I'm just about in the same boat mate but I must say I have been saying the same thing for some years.It's grinding me into the ground.

To top it all there's a problem in the young bird loft today ??? Nothing being sick or the likes just ???

Lindsay.

[Guest stb-]

After around twenty years I am losing the heart for this game,started off the young birds flying out with 25 lovely young pigeons (some bought in at prices I struggled to afford).i am now down to 11 youngsters at 3pm today.The cause is peregrine falcons and nothing else and I do not feel like breeding pigeons for these predators.Before the usual chorus of "stop moaning and do something about it" starts I do not wish to become involved in anything I might later regret.I genuinely wish everyone on basics well but it is doubtful if I will continue in pigeon racing.

yes im getting same again myself Walter , had 43 from 45 birds home on sunday but 2 good 2 yr olds missing the grizz cock just landed just now and the percy has almost decappitated him he is all wobbly on his feet i could cry with it to be honest . Got 2 from sundays race hawked tail and wing out so thats me up to 15 injured with percy in 3 weeks

 

After around twenty years I am losing the heart for this game,started off the young birds flying out with 25 lovely young pigeons (some bought in at prices I struggled to afford).i am now down to 11 youngsters at 3pm today.The cause is peregrine falcons and nothing else and I do not feel like breeding pigeons for these predators.Before the usual chorus of "stop moaning and do something about it" starts I do not wish to become involved in anything I might later regret.I genuinely wish everyone on basics well but it is doubtful if I will continue in pigeon racing.

yes im getting same again myself Walter , had 43 from 45 birds home on sunday but 2 good 2 yr olds missing the grizz cock just landed just now and the percy has almost decappitated him he is all wobbly on his feet i could cry with it to be honest . Got 2 from sundays race hawked tail and wing out so thats me up to 15 injured with percy in 3 weeks

[Dmurray]

After around twenty years I am losing the heart for this game,started off the young birds flying out with 25 lovely young pigeons (some bought in at prices I struggled to afford).i am now down to 11 youngsters at 3pm today.The cause is peregrine falcons and nothing else and I do not feel like breeding pigeons for these predators.Before the usual chorus of "stop moaning and do something about it" starts I do not wish to become involved in anything I might later regret.I genuinely wish everyone on basics well but it is doubtful if I will continue in pigeon racing.

 

 

Sorry to hear this Walter, I understand how u feel i have currently lost four young birds and also got 1 with the *expletive removed* ripped clean out and all in the past three weeks or so .

[dal2]

Sad to see an excellent ambassador for the solway being forced out

[yeboah]

After around twenty years I am losing the heart for this game,started off the young birds flying out with 25 lovely young pigeons (some bought in at prices I struggled to afford).i am now down to 11 youngsters at 3pm today.The cause is peregrine falcons and nothing else and I do not feel like breeding pigeons for these predators.Before the usual chorus of "stop moaning and do something about it" starts I do not wish to become involved in anything I might later regret.I genuinely wish everyone on basics well but it is doubtful if I will continue in pigeon racing.

Very disheartening Walter

As we only live a few 100yds apart understand where your coming from

My youngsters are really ranging now and 5 lovely darkness youngsters have failed to return home on various nights

Jim saw the hen falcon yesterday directly above his house lowest he has ever seen her hunting in 25 years

About to let them out again just don't watch them no more fingers crossed they all return tonight

Everyone in same position now

Not Easy Hang in there my Friend

[andy Burgess]

sorry to read this too ,and can totally understand how you feel Walter .

[JohnQuinn]

I am truly sorry to hear this Walter, more than half your team gone before you get a chance to test them. If you will accept them i will gift you some that are due out of the nest just now, i have 8 or 10 that would i am certain stand you in good stead providing our friend Percy spares them. Like yourself i have no desire to feed the swines but i have even less desire to see fanciers such as yourself leave the sport.

 

All Yb's are from proven breeders, new stock, and some from direct children of 1st SNFC West Section winners. All will be robust Yb's vaccinated and ready to settle into your loft.

 

Please don't feel obliged to accept i will not be in the least bit offended, but feel i must make this offer due to the respect i have for you. atvb whatever you decide your future holds. Regards John.

[paddymac]

I think we are all beginning to feel like walter as the problems with the Bops are getting worse every year and losses are huge. Its totally disheartening to see your birds returning from races torn to bits by these monsters and their the lucky ones that got home if you want to call that lucky as most are finished for the season and traumatised every time they are then out of the loft. Sorry you have come to this decision but I fear there will be more than yourself before this year is over

[b.massey]

Came home to him in his box from Sunday race!! Grrrrr

[gordi.b]

This will be the end of us , as the R.S.P.B merrily go on with their B.O.P. breeding programs

[yeboah]

I am truly sorry to hear this Walter, more than half your team gone before you get a chance to test them. If you will accept them i will gift you some that are due out of the nest just now, i have 8 or 10 that would i am certain stand you in good stead providing our friend Percy spares them. Like yourself i have no desire to feed the swines but i have even less desire to see fanciers such as yourself leave the sport.

 

All Yb's are from proven breeders, new stock, and some from direct children of 1st SNFC West Section winners. All will be robust Yb's vaccinated and ready to settle into your loft.

 

Please don't feel obliged to accept i will not be in the least bit offended, but feel i must make this offer due to the respect i have for you. atvb whatever you decide your future holds. Regards John.

Good on you John

Wonderful gesture

I also gifted Walter yb's it's not easy for the like's of Walter who houses a modest team

I myself have the space and can stand a setback or two as I have flying at present more youngsters than Scotland has Immigrant 's

[Kennybhoy]

Gutted for you Walter ( n wish you all the very best in whatever you decide,would also like to add what a wonderful gesture by John Quinn,atb,kenny

[walterboswell59]

sorry to hear this walter if you decide to keep going i will also help you with some young birds from my stock birds m8 hate to see anyone packing in the sport they love because of bop m8 just let me know

[knoxjn]

I know how you feel mate if it wasn't for a good mate I would have been gone a couple of seasons back cant get a foot on the rung at all

[yeboah]

The hen falcon came past carrying a kill at 6-40 tonight

Bloody youngsters that were still flying flew after her

Lucky she did not drop it

They will learn the hard way your meant to bloody fly the opposite way

Time for a team talk

[Guest Owen]

I am in the same position here. I have reached the stage when I am afraid to let the young pigeons out to fly.

Like you Walter I am fed up with it and I could call it a day soon. I lost a really good two year old cock last

Sunday and I am sure that a peregrine has got him because he has done all the young bird races, most of the yearling races and

every race this year. Birds like this don't get lost.

I think that my biggest disappointment is that it has taken me years of selective breeding to produce the wonderful pigeons that

I have here. They don't deserve to injured and killed by the ever present falcons. I can drive them away from here by using rockets

but they are able to attack the birds away from here where I can't protect them.

I think my problem is that if I give up the pigeons nothing that I can think of will be able to replace them.

[yeboah]

I am in the same position here. I have reached the stage when I am afraid to let the young pigeons out to fly.

Like you Walter I am fed up with it and I could call it a day soon. I lost a really good two year old cock last

Sunday and I am sure that a peregrine has got him because he has done all the young bird races, most of the yearling races and

every race this year. Birds like this don't get lost.

I think that my biggest disappointment is that it has taken me years of selective breeding to produce the wonderful pigeons that

I have here. They don't deserve to injured and killed by the ever present falcons. I can drive them away from here by using rockets

but they are able to attack the birds away from here where I can't protect them.

I think my problem is that if I give up the pigeons nothing that I can think of will be able to replace them.

Owen

When I called the youngsters in tonight there were also 3 racers belonging to other fanciers came in also

2 with part their wings missing one of which also has a hole in its crop which the water runs out

So out of the 3 strangers 2 have been hit by the falcon

That's 66% strike rate

Not counting the kill I saw her carrying tonight

[Walter swanston]

Owen,the last sentence of your post is my problem as well.I enjoy my life and am having a fairly good old age but life will be a desert without the birds,like I have said before on this site I would never set the heather on fire in pigeon racing circles,all I want is to rear and keep a few birds and get them home but that is now getting impossible, a lot of deep thought is required.One thing is for sure I am not racing my few young birds.

[Delboy]

Sickens me all this talk as if its a weird game we are playing. The fancier with the most hawked is the winner expletive remove. Get it sorted or its finished, simples. I had 3 return from the Nat on sunday seriously bust up. It isn't a sport sitting sewing and glueing pigeons back together while waiting on the rest of your doos to hopefully arrive.

[Guest stb-]

Sickens me all this talk as if its a weird game we are playing. The fancier with the most hawked is the winner expletive remove. Get it sorted or its finished, simples. I had 3 return from the Nat on sunday seriously bust up. It isn't a sport sitting sewing and glueing pigeons back together while waiting on the rest of your doos to hopefully arrive.

emty yer inbox baw bag

[Delboy]

emty yer inbox baw bag

 

empty my bawbag ye mean, done

[Guest stb-]

empty my bawbag ye mean

not in front of the members :emoticon-0127-lipssealed:yer inbox is full