nearly finished

had a good clean out of the lofts today as i only clean twice a week when seasons finished...birds are nearly there just a few flights to go last 2 for most ,mind we did seperate early ,hens are rank there showing to me as soon as i go near the loft ..will winter 9 pairs doubt we will race next year we may race a few old bird races just a few target races but no yb racing for me i may take a late round for racing 2022 though as i plan to do things differently from here on in to create some family time but still stay in the game when i say late they will still be may bred but will just give a few club trainers from 50 mile ,just like a short midweek race really eh ...whats other members plans/thoughts for next year

a year to forget for me, top prize winner last year probably bottom of the pile this year, made too many poor decisions waiting for the start of racing, anyhow converted another loft for racing so have 2 roundabout lofts , only had 3 y/b races so lost very few, hence the 2nd loft, got sh-- loads of jobs to be done, but ryan reynolds( deadpool fame) is buying wrexham fc so cant wait to get back to the footy... always summat to cheer us up if you look hard enough

There is always a bright side to most things Redrog, you will have made club members happy who have taken top places and you have a bigger challenge next year, easily gained soon forgotten.

Things do not look too good on the footy side if the virus problem increases.

A bit of a mess all round.

Regards.

One lofter for me. Niagra one. 4 birds. If I can get in. If not then another one.
Waiting to see if my friend who I usually band some for is flying next year. Have not heard. Looking around for some place to send youngsters. New starter or such. Long as they are raced. All free of course, their bands or mine. Established flier also considered. My bands or his/hers. All up in the air. 18 pairs here.

good luck hal, i hope you get in ..........

Had the same doubts about our OL but we do not know all the circumstances ,
looking at others we did better than some.

Certainly very different problems than at any other time and hopefully lessons will have been learned.

Sorry you are not having a go Hal but hope you do well choose what you choose.

Regards.

MISTY wrote:

Had the same doubts about our OL but we do not know all the circumstances ,
looking at others we did better than some.

Certainly very different problems than at any other time and hopefully lessons will have  been learned.

Sorry you are not having a go Hal but hope you do well choose what you choose.

Regards.

i agree misty, strange year for the rpra one loft, but then again its been a strange year in general ......so all things considering our bird and the syndicate did well, we cant complain .

onwards and upwards to 2021 .......

redrog wrote:

a year to forget for me, top prize winner last year probably bottom of the pile this year, made too many poor decisions waiting for the start of racing, anyhow converted another loft for racing so have 2 roundabout lofts , only had 3 y/b races so lost very few, hence the 2nd loft, got sh-- loads of jobs to be done, but ryan reynolds( deadpool fame) is buying wrexham fc so cant wait to get back to the footy... always summat to cheer us up if you look hard enough

yeah i saw that on the box rog fair play to the man ,it would be great to see wrexham back ...can remember mickey thomas scoring that goal like it was yesterday atb for next yr

im still undecided about racing a few young birds next season, ive got the all clear from the boss, but laziness is the problem, i cant be bothered to build another loft to house them in .........still time to decide just yet

David wrote:

im still undecided about racing a few young birds next season, ive got the all clear from the boss, but laziness is the problem, i cant be bothered to build another loft to house them in .........still time to decide just yet

Get stuck in David, sort out what you've got get them down the road, keep the best stock pairs and get rid of the others, make things easier for yourself maybe?

There will be plenty small lofts coming up in the next few weeks and months as people get new and bigger sheds or sadly pack in. Saves you having to make one and be cheaper to, I've found that out ....

yes why not ....just got word we may be racing east to west the north road may be finished for us east to west has to be the worst route coming across alll the southern liberations if so then thats me not racing old birds and will just start afresh team to do it with ,i also hear they have finally gone ets at my club yet when i bought one (secondhand)and asked about using it last year there was uproar and had to saell it ...pigeon men eh

same in my club darren, i got a home visit a few days ago off our club sec, he told me he wanted my vote on weather to stay with the leeds amal, or go back to the gya, not sure why he didnt call a meeting as pubs are open, so theres no reason not to ......anyway when we voted about 4 years ago to go with the leeds amal there was only me and one other member who voted against it, all the others voted for it and now they are wanting to leave it

i for one wasnever a fan of paying up front for birdage, so voted to leave and fly with the gya, then the day after a club member phoned me and tried to get me to change my mind........so all in all there is skullduggery afoot , and im not happy about how things have been done, although i still stand by my decision to go back to the gya

personally i reckon there are certain fanciers wanting change or to stay where we are just to benefit them selves and whats best for them, plus some dont like the fact they arn`t winning and others are .

a few years ago when i mentioned using ets, they all went mental, waving their walking sticks in the air, now they are all using them.

pigeon men eh ...........

If I was in your position David nothing would stop me having a go.

You do not need a lot of pigeons to hold your own in competition, just a few good ones that you can get to know as individuals.

Not only that winning is just a bonus, it is all other things involved that give as much or even more pleaure.

Good luck choose what you choose to do.

Regards.

David wrote:

same in my club darren, i got a home visit a few days ago off our club sec, he told me he wanted my vote on weather to stay with the leeds amal, or go back to the gya, not sure why he didnt call a meeting as pubs are open, so theres no reason not to ......anyway when we voted about 4 years ago to go with the leeds amal there was only me and one other member who voted against it, all the others voted for it and now they are wanting to leave it

i for one wasnever a fan of paying up front for birdage, so voted to leave and fly with the gya, then the day after a club member phoned me and tried to get me to change my mind........so all in all there is skullduggery afoot , and im not happy about how things have been done, although i still stand by my decision to go back to the gya

personally i reckon there are certain fanciers wanting change or to stay where we are just to benefit them selves and whats best for them, plus some dont like the fact they arn`t winning and others are .

a few years ago when i mentioned using ets, they all went mental, waving their walking sticks in the air, now they are all using them.

pigeon men eh ...........

Up front fees & Electronic clocks Oh what a wonderful world it would be etc if everyone could just agree to agree on those two issues as such    .

oldstrain wrote:

redrog wrote:

a year to forget for me, top prize winner last year probably bottom of the pile this year, made too many poor decisions waiting for the start of racing, anyhow converted another loft for racing so have 2 roundabout lofts , only had 3 y/b races so lost very few, hence the 2nd loft, got sh-- loads of jobs to be done, but ryan reynolds( deadpool fame) is buying wrexham fc so cant wait to get back to the footy... always summat to cheer us up if you look hard enough

yeah i saw that on the box rog fair play to the man ,it would be great to see wrexham back ...can remember mickey thomas scoring that goal like it was yesterday atb for next yr

been 13 years darren in non league, enough tails to write 2 books, ripped me season ticket up god knows how many times, investment i think is the only way forward, we are fan owned so limited in the dosh department, fingers crossed job mate

Well mate, obviously the season didn't/couldn't go as planned. Any one planned.

Mind the say so often true is 'Its not getting there.... It staying there'!

So now most will be planning and dreaming and hopingfor next year eh!

Dave, without change, it means it will only increase this spiral detriment of our so-called sport.
The favoured few are dictating and gaining for their' means only. their' wants as to protect their' corner. As the grassroots bolster their' winning and contribute to their' fees, I'm afraid. Mind, sadly, the writing has been written on the wall since the '60s. Yes! Money and able'  have made it their' way.

First thing I would do is change the liberation site. Even the routes, well needed!
Sections would take the shape of a Viking ship pointing to the LIBERATION SITE!

I'd make section IN nationals able to, and bear more merit for genuine pigeons in such races.

Money collected, and pooled, in Nationals to be same for EACH section.

Routes! North, South and East! Too many will moan in regards to 'Breaking point' rubbish. Birds not capable of changing roads and other rubbish! Been proven for over a 100 years that that is pure and utter nonsense.

It's a wonder any pigeon didn't got lost worldwide! For time after time in the war, news years they homed! And in good times in relation to the weather etc.

Gosh, what about those pigeons released in paper bags at 5.000 feet in pitch darkness at night, and home 2-300 miles or more in extraordinary fast times!

I fear, per usual, the glib tongued are listened to and obey! Believe the lies and deceit spluttered at them ... and are only too pleased to follow with the silliest and flimsiest of excuses as to why!

Often quoted the exploits of the pigeons used during the war, their treatment although as good as possible under the circumstances no where near the molly coddled examples many have today.

Cramped conditions for days some times, food basic, no tonics or aids to win yet flew from North, South, East, and West in sometimes attrocious conditions, fog, gales etc; recorded,

A healthy pigeon in the right hands and with natural ability to perform the distances required will perform from any point on the map

It is fanciers that need educating not the pigeons.

Regards.

Good, honest and trutfull post Misty.

I#ve proved my self, any age, any distance and any route my pigeons flew it.

a well know fancier once said to me 'Roly, they are the pigeons you want to keep'!
I smiled and agreed 'Yes i want to keep them' ... and smiled to my self. I am, because others aren't with me'! Lol.

As you all know, ex-merchant seaman. I have seen red polls in mid North Atlantic.
Middle of a storm and those little birds landed on the ship for a rest. Many other species also. Occasionally there is a hawk in the masts also. Sometimes an owl.
Doubt if any were on supplements!

halcanada81 wrote:

As you all know, ex-merchant seaman. I have seen red polls in mid North Atlantic.
Middle of a storm and those little birds landed on the ship for a rest. Many other species also. Occasionally there is a hawk in the masts also. Sometimes an owl.
Doubt if any were on supplements!

Oh yes. Contacted the One lofter folk. Glad to mark me down for next year!
Just got the email. Yippee! Now which to send..all winter to ponder!

halcanada81 wrote:

halcanada81 wrote:

As you all know, ex-merchant seaman. I have seen red polls in mid North Atlantic.
Middle of a storm and those little birds landed on the ship for a rest. Many other species also. Occasionally there is a hawk in the masts also. Sometimes an owl.
Doubt if any were on supplements!

Oh yes. Contacted the One lofter folk. Glad to mark me down for next year!
Just got the email. Yippee! Now which to send..all winter to ponder!

good luck with it hal

Will watch how you go on Hal, will be very interesting.

Hope the pigeons do you justice.

Regards.

Daz wrote:

Dave, without change, it means it will only increase this spiral detriment of our so-called sport.
The favoured few are dictating and gaining for their' means only. their' wants as to protect their' corner. As the grassroots bolster their' winning and contribute to their' fees, I'm afraid. Mind, sadly, the writing has been written on the wall since the '60s. Yes! Money and able'  have made it their' way.

First thing I would do is change the liberation site. Even the routes, well needed!
Sections would take the shape of a Viking ship pointing to the LIBERATION SITE!

I'd make section IN nationals able to, and bear more merit for genuine pigeons in such races.

Money collected, and pooled, in Nationals to be same for EACH section.

Routes! North, South and East! Too many will moan in regards to 'Breaking point' rubbish. Birds not capable of changing roads and other rubbish! Been proven for over a 100 years that that is pure and utter nonsense.

It's a wonder any pigeon didn't got lost worldwide! For time after time in the war, news years they homed! And in good times in relation to the weather etc.

  Gosh, what about those pigeons released in paper bags at 5.000 feet in pitch darkness at night, and home 2-300 miles or more in extraordinary fast times!

 I fear, per usual, the glib tongued are listened to and obey!  Believe the lies and deceit spluttered at them ... and are only too pleased to follow with the silliest and flimsiest of excuses as to why!

Dream on Daz Change the direction & the style of racing etc Don't think so not these days I'm  . Just take our OLR as a fine example of a crap type system in place Talk about treating them all as a bunch of kinder garden kids come tossing & racing there, instead of giving them the opportunity to show that they could even do a mans type job at times. Spin the bottle any which way now on average' & I would suggest few now would desire head wind racing every week for a whole season or even maybe would consider sending them to distances which most would have nightmares about by doing so . & take care.

I appreciate Knackered and agree mostly with what you state here.
However, I was speaking as to a means to help the dwindling sport.

Now in Foot and mouth, we flew an East road. Many different names shone and rose to the top.  Then the BHW was undated with whinges and moaned BY those not having done so well. Indeed they formed another Midland National lol. Many soggy letters full of tear clogged up the toilets lol.

So if it was- as mostly- an unwritten law never to change the route, THEN make the sections fairer, Sections that allowed the birds there to get and have the merit that they deserved.

A few years back about 15 years I'd say, A bird into Scotland LANDED and was timed in the early morning, in the dark - as many are and do - having flown about 80-0 miles. A fantastic bird by any stretch of the imagination!
It was beaten into second place by a day bird close to the channel, Portsmouth or such. Yes, the Hours of darkness meant that. Yes, there are pros and cons for the Hours of darkness for sure.

Per usual, many sprints to middle distance birds claim being a Distance bird flying 300 - 350 miles tops. Rested up and hopped over the channel. Contrived races, where being held up -  in the main - at the channel.  After flying over cold water, other birds have to fly another 300 or miles. So do away with LATE releases.

I firmly believe, in all cases possible, that every bird should have the right to be in their loft at night. Yes, exceptions of weather etc. will and can take a toll.
But it should be 'Sun up and away'! Not held over to cheat the actual distance birds, that are soon forgotten and NEVER get the merit they deserve. Nor the fancier either!

Instead of lofts in the west giving those on the east coast 150 MILES they should at least divide into thirds that section. No wonder, so many of us quit!

So the extra money the East Coast Club boys tried to garner, meant a sad and another dwindling effect. Why? Because of greed and selfishness!