The Joe Murphy Column
It looks like we are again heading for another lockdown the way things are highlighted on the TV news bulletins, which is a pity especially for us OAP’s as we have hardly been over the door since March. Our son Mark was getting our shopping and recently we have been going for these ourselves, but if the lockdown does happen then he will have to reintroduce this task for us. Our 2 holidays to Spain were both cancelled and we have no intention of booking up for next year. However it is the monotony of trying to fill your day in that is the problem, and it is just as well I have my little stock loft of birds and my garden to do as I can get out to both during the day weather permitting. Once my chores are done I can then sit and do articles for the pigeon papers. Recently I have been working on articles for the 2021 Year Books so this has helped fill my day. I am not one for sitting watching the TV during the day, we usually put the TV on for the 6pm news. Then we can watch something we have either recorded or if there is a football match on we will watch that. We are blessed that we have a good family who are in contact with us every day, either by phone or face time. The grandchildren and great grandchildren are all glad to be back at school and this gives them some stability in their lives. They seem to be getting bigger and bigger every time we speak to them via face time. Yes it is a changed world indeed now and I’m not sure if it is for the good. I have just heard that we are now under more restrictions and this could last for the next 6 months. We are all going to turn into ‘Hermits’ at this rate.
Birds
The stock birds are having a good moult and some are now on their last flights, I split them up when Covid 19 started in March. As it was not worth rearing too many young birds as we were not sure if we would have old bird racing never mind the concerns of having extra youngsters in the racing loft. Thankfully we managed to get some old bird racing with 5 channel events, and Kevin had good returns from these distance events. However with him now having a heart attack I’ve told him to cut down the birds thus making his life a bit easier. If it all goes well he can continue to race the birds next year, and he will receive the youngsters from my stock loft. Our daughter took us up to visited him last week and he looks well although a bit tired and he wishes me to thank all the lovely people who asked for him either by email for telephone.
Agreement
Received a phone call from Malcolm from Norfolk who agreed with my comments in the column i.e. liberation of young birds when the temperature is low. Malcolm is a farmer and his quote was, ‘I live in the middle of a field’ so when I go out in the morning you can feel the difference in the temperature within the air and it has dropped considerably in the space of a few weeks. He like me would rather wait until the sun was up and there was some heat in the air and on the transporter. This has been proven time and time again but we still carry on with the same old theory ‘Get them up as early as possible’. Some of these transporters are not getting to the liberation site until 2-3 o’clock in the morning, then we have daylight coming in at 06-00 am and the birds are liberated at 07-00. So pray tell me when do the majority of these youngsters get a drink of water, not many will that’s for sure. We have all day to have a race so waiting a couple of extra hours would make all the difference to the pigeons and RETURNS. If you look at both Scottish National races (these are held at the end of the season within a week of each other) their convoys were liberated at 08-00 and they had good races. The SNRPC winner was doing a velocity of 1240 and the SNFC winner was doing 1393, both these winners belonged to Billy Bilsland whom I wrote about in last week’s issue. My thanks to Malcolm and a few others for their support regarding the above subject.
SHU Trophies
Claims for SHU trophies must be in the SHU office no later than first week in October 2020. Forms can be printed from the SHU website or we can send you forms if you ring the office
COBELT Co-Design Study - University of St Andrews, Fife
I hope you might be interested in taking part in a project that is relative to the work carried out by the British Fanciers Medical Research Team. The St Andrews University team are looking for people aged over 55 who smoke or have ever smoked in the past to talk to them about a future lung screening programme.
Would you take a test that could help find lung cancer early?
What would stop you from taking the test or what would help?
The team are asking if you can spare 30 minutes of your time to have a quick chat with us over the phone or online, whichever suits you best. They understand your time and input is valuable and we want to let you know that you will receive a £30 voucher by way of thanks. Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in the UK.
Finding the cancer early can improve the outcome, especially as treatments are improving. This blood test could help find lung cancer early. For this to work the team must ensure it reaches those who will benefit most and the team need your help to do this. Pigeon fanciers include many who fall into the age range the team are interested in talking to and I hope you might be able be a part of this really exciting new project. If you can, please contact the team via Lynsey Brown direct by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Alternatively, ring SHU Office 01698 768939 and I will arrange to pass on your details to the team on your behalf.
Old Photos
I have added a couple of old a photograph to the column this week, the first is of a visit we had from the Newcombe’s after we won 1st open SNFC Sartilly. Eddie and his brother (not sure if it was Joe or Sid) plus his son Dale and their driver Keith Cochrane, also in the picture outside our loft is Kevin and yours truly.
The other picture is of two household names within the pigeon sport namely Davie Rose of Aberdeen and Jock Spence of Auchtermuchty (the Spence Brothers Jim and Jock were known throughout the whole of the UK). These photos are a real blast from the past.
Lack of News
Sorry it is a short article but now that the racing season is over then the weekly results stop, however hopefully people will send in their list of trophy winners (there may not be many on the list) however I’m prepared to add this to the column and any photograph’s if you have any.
Joe’s Joke
Firstly I would like to thank the people who have sent in jokes, however some of these are too near the bone, and with being a magazine for ALL the family I’m afraid I cannot use these. I have put in joke in the past that had 2 meanings and the Editor has put his red pen through it. So if you are sending in jokes please remember that not only we men of the world read the column, but other sensitive souls. This week’s joke ‘A recent survey shows that the commonest form of marriage proposal these days consists of the words; ‘You’re WHAT’.
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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. REMEMBER THE J IN THE MIDDLE or you can also view online editions on: www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.uk - www.Pigeonbasics.com - Pigeon Racing the Basics! - thecanadianpigeoninternational.com www.internationalracingpigeon.com or
Who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland
© Compiled by Joe Murphy
