Life in St Arnaud

[Murray]

I got them because I was at the point where I had nearly as many pigeons as perches, and more small ones coming out of the nests.
They will do for now. The birds don't appear to like them, I think they are a bit slippery.
When I have a minute I'll get some 140 x 19 mm pine and knock up some more like these.

[Devo1956]

Very nice murray, they look great mate. Very tidy.

[Murray]

With our fellow member Devo arriving to visit us in about two weeks, I looked up the forecast for the autumn in Victoria.
My search took me first to the BOM, (bureau of meteorology) site. It began by saying, " Temperatures will be warmer than average in this period". I just swore at it and clicked out!
They never ever give over, do they? I dont know if they are sick of saying it, but I'm sick of hearing it. They aren't mistaken. They are lying. Different thing.

[NeilA]

They look good

[Murray]

Happy to report that things have settled down and the youngsters are doing great.
I know they had been hit by hawks a few times and were very nervous. They were just going out of the loft and takingoes againstg off in a panic.
I let some old pigeons out with them for a few days to try to give them some confidence. It appears to have worked, the last couple of days they are flying on their own, plus the old Diver who enjoys it, and they are ranging and returning, zooming around then off the other way, just what you want.
The stock birds are now on sort of alternate days exercise, I lost one and another had a narrow escape. They seem happy getting a fly every two or three days. It's really the best I can do for them.
Sadly I lost the Trillian Baby. Vanished.
I kept one youngster from her and the Roadrunner which just started flying. The rest went to other lofts. Beautiful hen, this is Maggie.
Maggie had her first real big fly this morning, after poking around for a week or so. She stayed with the team the whole time and was the first one in the trap when they landed !
Clever wee girl

Sometimes you get one that is just super, special, clever and smart. Maggie is one.
She has been flying with the youngsters for a month, at a guess, and flies an hour. When they drop she is always, always the first one in. Was never taught to be, she just is.
I don't handle young birds much, but I picked her up to look at her wing this morning. I don't think I have ever had a young bird with a faster wing.
Catherine took these pictures. She really doesn't know what she is looking at. And Maggie was scared and wriggling.
But what think ye of this, then?

If you ever need expert advice, I'm your man. Not!
I dunno but I think "Maggie" may be a cock
I had a widower back in NZ named Molly the Stray, It was a little blue bar that arrived one stormy weekend. The bloke gave it to me. I would have bet money it was a hen and called it Molly. Turned out a cock.

[Murray]

The thunder clouds built up this afternoon, you could see it was coming. It's pouring rain and constant lightning. We've had more rain in the last hour than the last two months. Excellent!
The temperature dropped from 30 to 20 in the past hour. I went out to check the birds and put one flap up in the side closest to the weather. Some of them were lying in the sputnik enjoying the show! With the tin over the sputnik not much damp gets in.
Some of the youngsters were on their perches looking terrified. They've never seen rain before.
I got very wet. I had a jacket and a cap on, but my shorts got a bit damp too. Had to put a dry tee shirt on.

[Trev]

The thunder clouds built up this afternoon, you could see it was coming. It's pouring rain and constant lightning. We've had more rain in the last hour than the last two months. Excellent!
The temperature dropped from 30 to 20 in the past hour. I went out to check the birds and put one flap up in the side closest to the weather. Some of them were lying in the sputnik enjoying the show! With the tin over the sputnik not much damp gets in.
Some of the youngsters were on their perches looking terrified. They've never seen rain before.
I got very wet. I had a jacket and a cap on, but my shorts got a bit damp too. Had to put a dry tee shirt on.

Sounds great Muzza, I love a good storm after a long dry spell, unfortunately we don't get many of either these days lol
What's the ground like for drainage in your new home ??

[Murray]

The property slopes from the rear to the road, and there is a lane with a drain in it behind the back fence. Also we are quite high, I would imagine close to 100 feet above the main street of the town. So since God promised He isn't going to flood the whole earth again, we should be pretty right.

[Murray]

We had a good rain through the night, and today it's very warm sunny and humid. Very humid. My breathing is bad. Have to keep stopping. My lungs go much better when it's dry.

[Devo1956]

We had a good rain through the night, and today it's very warm sunny and humid. Very humid. My breathing is bad. Have to keep stopping. My lungs go much better when it's dry.

Take it easy Murry, and rest when you can.