I think the pigeons liked the cool day and the stiff breeze. Every time I went out they were still doing big figure 8's around the place.
Exercising around home
Since the topic is Exercising around home, we have had a cold morning and a cool to mild day. When I let the birds out, after a bit of fluffing around they took off and I had a big mob up and flying hard for a long time. I don't know how long, but in between cleaning out I went inside and watched two or three races from Sydney. Four group one races at Randwick today.
I think the pigeons liked the cool day and the stiff breeze. Every time I went out they were still doing big figure 8's around the place.
I think the pigeons liked the cool day and the stiff breeze. Every time I went out they were still doing big figure 8's around the place.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
All sounds good Murray. Obviously in good condition. I let mine out as usual again this morning. It was raining yet again and quite windy but they still come out and had a good fly. Of course at present as they are all sitting eggs, apart from 4 pairs that I took the eggs away from which should lay again in the next couple of days, only around half come out for a fly in the morning. I will open the loft up again this afternoon when hopefully those that were sitting this morning will be off the eggs and can have a fly. They certainly don’t mind the conditions. They had a good fly and once down while I’m cleaning out they are continuously up and down. They did seem slightly jumpy this morning so whether a hawk had passed through I don’t know but when called they all came in.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
Had the birds out again this afternoon. Mainly the hens this time as many of the cocks were sitting. The weather was much brighter by the time they went out. They flew really well. I did see the sparrow hawk put in an appearance at one point, but so did the pigeons and they were soon on her chasing her away. Roxanna did see her a bit after close her wings up shooting towards the garden. Don’t know whether she was after one of the garden birds. Roxanna did check the garden but no sign of anything. After finishing work I went to clean them before feeding them in and they all seemed fine and calm. All were there ok when I got them in.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
I am having some trouble with the training.
The last two weekends I have taken the young birds to a place I often toss from, it's about 10 miles. Open farmland, no wires.
After being trained in easy stages I went there two weeks ago. I was surprised when they came in broken up over a couple of hours. And I lost one.
Last week I went back, and it was worse. They arrived in ones and twos over several hours and I lost another one.
It was tough on them too, some of them were purple in the flesh for a few days.
It's easy to blame the hawks, and I guess that's the cause, but doing the same thing over and over is pointless. So, it's back to the beginning.
I handled some this morning, they feel good, and they flew well yesterday, so I am taking them out to the 4 mile point today, try to get them to jump out and scoot home. They are learning nothing getting chased all over the countryside.
The last two weekends I have taken the young birds to a place I often toss from, it's about 10 miles. Open farmland, no wires.
After being trained in easy stages I went there two weeks ago. I was surprised when they came in broken up over a couple of hours. And I lost one.
Last week I went back, and it was worse. They arrived in ones and twos over several hours and I lost another one.
It was tough on them too, some of them were purple in the flesh for a few days.
It's easy to blame the hawks, and I guess that's the cause, but doing the same thing over and over is pointless. So, it's back to the beginning.
I handled some this morning, they feel good, and they flew well yesterday, so I am taking them out to the 4 mile point today, try to get them to jump out and scoot home. They are learning nothing getting chased all over the countryside.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Yes, it went just as I had hoped. After an anxious moment at the start.
I took 24, but not the exact same 24 to the 4 mile point. I left the young cock who I entered in the online show last year, who won a prize at 6 weeks old. He has matured into a cracker, and was first one back from the two hard tosses. Another one has gone a bit rough in the moult after arriving early last week too, so I left him and put two younger ones in.
I liberated them and they circled and went high. Very high. The sky was almost clear, and towards home I saw a falcon circling.
"Oh", I said. Too late to do anything, I drove home and found them all in the loft or on the sputnik.
That's just what I wanted. It was only a 10 minute fly, but it has given them confidence to come home in a bunch and quickly. I might repeat it before I go out further again.
I took 24, but not the exact same 24 to the 4 mile point. I left the young cock who I entered in the online show last year, who won a prize at 6 weeks old. He has matured into a cracker, and was first one back from the two hard tosses. Another one has gone a bit rough in the moult after arriving early last week too, so I left him and put two younger ones in.
I liberated them and they circled and went high. Very high. The sky was almost clear, and towards home I saw a falcon circling.
"Oh", I said. Too late to do anything, I drove home and found them all in the loft or on the sputnik.
That's just what I wanted. It was only a 10 minute fly, but it has given them confidence to come home in a bunch and quickly. I might repeat it before I go out further again.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Hope all continues to go well. As you probably realise I’m not a big fan of training, never have been. I understand what people say about teaching them to leave the baskets and head straight for home but think this only really works if your racing is on a direct line. If as I had 2 years ago a couple of bad trainers from 18 miles with several birds that had flown over 300 miles and lost most of them my season was virtually over before the first race. What good was that and what did it teach them. Incidentally I only have 3 birds left in the loft from that experience. If the birds are coming into a wide front they will have to sort themselves out and no amount of training can teach them that. If we have any North in the wind from our first race the birds could be coming along the bottom of the combine, which will be good for me. But if there is South in the wind they will head more towards Bristol and Gloucester taking them around 15 miles North of me. I will try to give them a couple of trainers before our first race in 2 weeks time but with the first 2 races only being 35 miles I’m not to worried. At least going up with around 2,000 other pigeons they will have more of a chance of avoiding the hawks.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
I hear what you are saying, Andy, but I was just wrecking a nice team of youngsters. They were all over the countryside and just learning to go in all directions. A couple took 5 hours last week, and that's too tough on youngsters.
I just wanted to get them settled down and doing it right.
I just wanted to get them settled down and doing it right.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
I’m sure you’re right Murray. Quite right of you to try to get their confidence back. That’s what I’m saying. You can actually cause more harm than good by having bad trainers. That’s why I am quite happy to put them straight into a race rather than train. Even if they get dragged away from their first race they still shouldn’t take the 5 hours that some of yours did from your trainer.
Back just enjoying club racing for the time being.
You are right, and you are right.
But I am under pressure to get these young birds a long way up the road and "sort them out" before the house is sold and we move away.
I know I have to clear out the poorer ones, but they are a terrific team of youngsters. Best I have ever had. Even my wife is noticing that they get home from even the hard tosses and all hit the board from the short toss yesterday.
Simply, there are not many poor ones out there.
I have trouble pretending I am worried. 
But I am under pressure to get these young birds a long way up the road and "sort them out" before the house is sold and we move away.
I know I have to clear out the poorer ones, but they are a terrific team of youngsters. Best I have ever had. Even my wife is noticing that they get home from even the hard tosses and all hit the board from the short toss yesterday.
Simply, there are not many poor ones out there.
I have trouble pretending I am worried.
Greetings from the land down under.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.
Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for verily, he shall not be disappointed.