The Joe Murphy Column

[Ian McKay]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

I start off the New Year by wishing all readers of my column a very Happy New Year and I wish you health and happiness in the coming 2017. I hope that your dreams are achieved with your pigeons this year; this is a special year for Margaret and I it's our ‘Golden Wedding’ anniversary and is also my 70th birthday so something to look forward to. Prior to the Christmas while talking to Kevin he informed us his work were holding a ‘Would I Lie to You’ like the programme on television. His 3 items for discussion were; 1; I have lay on a mortuary slab; 2; I’m recorded in the Guinness Book of Records; 3; I was a child TV Star.

So Margaret and I both said ‘It must be No 1’ but he informed us that he had done this when he was an apprentice painter/decorator. The ‘Lie’ was No 2 and asked us if we could find the video of him as a Child TV star. The next day Margaret and I had a look but could not find it then Margaret went onto the computer and went on ‘You Tube’ and looked up BBC TV programme 40 Minutes (which was the TV programme he appeared in) but this was not highlighted. She then tried Jed Jackson the blind pigeon fancier and a few items appeared with pictures of Jed. The one we were looking for was of Jed talking as he looked out the birds entry to his loft, this was on a film No 78 by fellow scribe Keith Mott so we watched it. After the story on Jed we came across Kevin as a 12 year old boy carrying a basket of birds. He told the reporter that Jed was as a blind fancier to win the National Flying Club race from Pau was a fantastic achievement and he hoped someday to eliminate his ‘Hero’. The film also shows a young Margaret and Joe Murphy sitting in the back garden waiting on the young pigeons that Kevin was releasing. It was quite incredible to think that 8 years later Kevin & I did win the Scottish National from Sartilly and fulfilled our dream. I have included some photographs of that time with one of Kevin taken in 1982 showing how keen he was on the pigeons and how tame he had them as this mealy cock came and ate from the feeding time from his hand. I have also included a picture of my wife Margaret who is also keen on the pigeons and as you can see the birds were used to her going about the loft. The third picture is of the film crew making the documentary however this part taken at Leven beach was not included in the film. As a matter of interest the film then goes onto show Keith Mott taking photographs of pigeons. This was a right blast from the past and I phoned Keith to see if he could make me 2 copies of the film which he did and I thank him very much. Keith also said to me ‘Joe you should put this in your column one week as this is a ‘great’ story and I never in all the years knew that it was your son Kevin who was in the film.

 

Kevin with his pigeons in 1982

 

Margaret Murphy feeding the birds 1982

 

Camera crew with Kevin

 

Jed presenting the Murphy's with their National trophies

 

‘Long Distance Flying’

Charlie Ironside of Aberdeen

 

This was an article written by Charlie for the 1955 BHW Stud Book. He started by saying; ‘It gives me great pleasure to write this article for this famous book. In the twenty years of pigeon flying, I have studied the game from all angles, and, as I see it, we are still learning. Let us first look to the methods of breeding these long distance fliers.

 

My loft housing 10 pairs of birds, measures 8 foot by 6 foot and is sectioned into 2 compartments, one for old birds and the other for youngsters. The nest boxes are made so that they can be dismantled at the end of the breeding season, and be replaced with box perches. In front of each nest box I place a small corn box, also a small glass jar for water, thus enabling the occupants to eat and drink without being disturbed by other birds.

 

Regarding mating, I usually pair my birds about the third week in March, but this is of no consequence as my birds are of a slow moulting strain. When my first nest of youngsters are 12 days old, I make a point of introducing an extra nest bowl, as I have found that birds on following their natural instincts look for some place to nest again.

 

The compartment in my loft for weaned youngsters is set out so as to give them every advantage while learning to fly. Twelve box perches are placed at the back of the loft with a 3 inch platform fitted below them an idea which I have devised to give the youngsters a chance to reach their perches without damaging either their body or feathers. When letting the youngsters out of the loft for the first time, I only let half of my team out, as birds at this stage of life are easily frightened.

Youngsters do not realise what is wanted of them, therefore, you must get them into the habit of reaching the loft the quickest way. As soon as they start to kit, training should commence. They must always be let out with an empty stomach, and then you can be assured that they get into the habit of good trapping. It is essential that training, once started, should be continued all through the season. I believe that many a good pigeon goes down when faced with a hard race through the lack of exercise.

 

Now let me explain my methods in bringing about these long distance fliers. My youngsters have a sound training up to 80 miles, no further than that, as it is my belief that the majority of birds if sent further, tend to show up in future years. The following year, half my team of yearlings are sent down the East coast to 350 miles, while the other half are sent to the same distance down the West coast. As 2 year olds, my birds are put to a real test, for they must fly both routes through to 440 miles. After which they are ready for such great occasions as the Scottish National Flying Club races over 600-700 miles. To get birds ready for this gruelling race we have to play our part in getting them in good condition.

 

A pigeon’s eye is one of the most important parts of its make-up, and it is here I think a fancier can play his biggest part. When birds arrive home from any hard race you will find that they blink now and then and a sullen look appears in their eyes. This is due to tiredness and the use of eye lotion will restore its sparkle.

To conclude this short article I hope that many of you will find it of interest and beneficial in future years.

 

I found some of the things mentioned above of interest but have to say that in all the years I have kept pigeons I have never used an eye lotion on any of my birds after a long distance race. I have seen my youngsters blinking when moved out of the nest box or while basket training them but this is due to a lack of water and once they have a drink then they are fine, Joe Murphy.

 

Good SNFC Birds

 

This week I start off with 2 birds raced by Jimmy Mackie of Methil with the first a blue bar cock SU11F 6861. As a 2 year old he won 138th open from Ypres (but no section prize) flying 442 miles. The following year he was again sent to the Ypres race and he improved his position by winning 25th section C 87th open. In 2015 he won twice in the SNFC from inland nationals being 13th section C 60th open from Billericay a distance of 347 miles. He was then setup for the Ypres race but this was cancelled and substituted by a race from Eastbourne where he won 23rd section C 75th open flying 399 miles. This year he was again sent to an inland national this time from Buckingham where he won 91st section C 344th open flying 301 miles. We now come to Jimmy’s 2nd pigeon a Grizzle cock SU12F 5761 as a yearling he won 31st section C 100th open from Maidstone a distance of 374 miles. The following year he won twice from over the English Channel being 224th open from Ypres a distance of 442 miles but he did not win a section prize. He was then sent to the last old bird national and this time won a section prize being 35th section C flying 523 miles but did now win an open position. In 2015 he won 41st section C 117th open from Billericay the inland national race point a distance of 347 miles to Methil and the in 2016 he was entered into the first national race from Buckingham a distance of 301 miles and he won 50th section C 209th open.

So 2 very good cocks that have done very well over the past 4 years in Scottish national racing for Jimmy well done!!

 

We now come to a blue bar cock SU10P 6155 raced by J Lamb of Edinburgh

As a 2 year old he won 11th section B 34th open from Maidstone a distance of 364 miles. The following year 2013 he won 32nd section B 220th open from Newbury a distance of 326 miles. We then jump to 2015 to find him on the Billericay result winning 220th open (no section prize) flying 337 miles. He would have been set up for the Ypres race that was substituted by a race from Eastbourne and he won 23rd section B 31st open flying 389 miles. In 2016 he was sent over the channel to Ypres a distance of 435 miles and he won 115th open (but no section prize) however he is also a 5 times prize winner in SNFC racing so well done Mr Lamb.

 

Joe’s Joke

 

Bob was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was really angry. She told him "Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in 6 seconds AND IT BETTER BE THERE!" The next morning he got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up, she looked out the window and sure enough there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway. Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway, brought the box back in the house. She opened it and found a brand new set of bathroom scales. Bob has been missing since last Friday.

 

Please continue to keep the news flowing; to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY1 4BD or phone 01592 770331 or Email to joejmurphy1@gmail.com REMEMBER THE J IN THE MIDDLE or log onto www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk and www.pigeon-chat.co.uk also www.pigeonbasics.com who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland.

 

© Compiled by Joe Murphy