Life in Bendigo.

[Murray]

Thanks, Buster.

It's been wet and cold here the last couple of days, but I have the shed shut up and it is warm and dry.
I have two pairs of pigeons on big youngsters, eggs due to hatch, (which won't ), pigeons laying and pigeons going to nest.
So I am rather busy keeping things clean and nice in the shed. I am going through lots of newspaper and straw and red pigeon grit. And spending a lot of energy scraping out.
The pigeons are still in very good condition as a result.
Even though it was cool and damp this afternoon they exercised really well.

If it isn't enough, I am fresh out of ideas.

[Andy]

It sounds like you’ve done all you can Murray. Hope you get your rewards .

[Trev]

Sorry I've missed all your latest posts mate, as Andy and Buster have said it doesn't sound like you could have done much more. I look forward to hearing how you got on all the best.

[Murray]

Well, that was a disaster.
Only 8 members entered the first race, 82 pigeons were sent. That's disappointing, but it's surprising how many blokes cannot trap a sprinter and don't want to try. I sent 20 and was optimistic.
Birds were liberated at 8.30am. There was a strong south wind, (Think north wind at your end) and clear skies. I was thinking somewhere between 1 hour 5, and 1 hour 20 minutes.
Wrong!
I got one at 11:13:29. Soon after I got a call, asking if I had any. They had gone missing and were just arriving.
Summary, I ended up 6th of 8, 20 minutes behind the winner, and 2 hours ahead of the last one. From 65 miles.
Not good.
I still had pigeons arriving home today. I can only think that they have clashed with another race and gone away. One of mine is 30 miles away and being bought back tomorrow.
I have lost half of them, but, I suppose, half of them would not have been good enough.
We have more, and will go back again this week

[Buster121]

Not a good start Murray after all the hard work put in but it will be an experience for them and hopefully will improve next time, hope all missing ones turn in safely

[Andy]

That’s a shame Murray after all the work you’ve put in. Hope more turn up over the next few days and next weeks race is better.

[Murray]

I was pretty disappointed but everyone else was in the same boat.
It was just a bad race.
The clock bird was a little hen out of the 600 mile hen, and she has benefited from the race, she is bouncing around. She is like her mother, has a real attitude about her.
She will go again and I think she will go very well.
Strangely, I have a few cocks back, but the hens are missing. One hen is being returned today, but some nice hens which I thought would go well have gone. I think they are 100 miles away in Melbourne.
I tossed 10 fresh ones on Sunday and they went well, so I will have a nice team this week.

[Murray]

Had a phone call last night reporting 2 more of mine about 50 miles north of me. By the Murray river, on the line of flight for the race.
I called the bloke and he said that the falcons were tearing into them and there were pigeons going everywhere. This might explain why the race was a crash.
I am quite lucky in the circumstances. I have a fair few of mine back or coming back. I hear some only have 1 or 2.

[Andy]

Good to see your still getting some back. How many are accounted for now? Sounds like they were hit fairly soon after lib.

[Buster121]

Had a phone call last night reporting 2 more of mine about 50 miles north of me. By the Murray river, on the line of flight for the race.
I called the bloke and he said that the falcons were tearing into them and there were pigeons going everywhere. This might explain why the race was a crash.
I am quite lucky in the circumstances. I have a fair few of mine back or coming back. I hear some only have 1 or 2.

Good to see still coming, damn hawks hope you get others mate