LES J. PARKINSON'S
NEWS-REPORTS-ARTICLES
I had correspondence from a fancier about racing young birds on the natural system as compared to the darkness. He was saying that his team are on the natural and they are 6/7mins behind those on darkness, which is probably right in most cases. I know ours started off well but then they dropped behind for reasons I wrote about last week. They were treated for what was believed to be the reason and then the next race saw the birds arriving in what was at times heavy rain. Pigeons that are moulting are not going to keep going in that because they are obviously carrying a lot of extra baggage when the water gets into their feathers, which is a big hazard of racing on the natural and no doubt uncomfortable to the pigeons themselves but, as well know, they used to race natural years ago. In fact on that day we were so far behind it really didn’t matter. On the marking night I put some pigeons through and you could see why they were winning - they were in good feather instead of being like young birds normally are at this time of the year, falling to bits. What was odd from my point of view with this race was we had two return next morning and that is the first time this year we have had them do this because if they have not returned on the day of the race we have not seen them again.
I mentioned Vandersanden last week and the information I have had from him over the years. I remember the first year I visited him he told me about Circo virus and I must admit I had never heard of it. This is a virus that kills the immune system and mostly affects young birds and yearlings and when they have it they are affected for the rest of their lives. The problem for the sport is there is no real treatment being developed to eradicate the virus. I was on a panel may years ago in Stoke when this first raised its head here in the UK yet Ferdy Vandersanden told me about it many years before. Ferdy also told me about Streptococcus Bovis long before it was heard of here and also the problem that many pigeons have now and that is in their heads which stops their navigation skills. What Ferdy did say was he has the benefit of a good working relationship with Prof Dauhatel at the University.
Water bucket
Did my water bucket challenge after being nominated by the Coopers so got that one out of the way. I nominated some and I see David Coward-Talbot did not jib at the challenge but his grandchildren were excited at drowning granddad.
LJP preparing for the ice bucket challenge
LJP as the ice water bucket challenge was in full flow
Club/Fed News
Mel Bratt the Winsford PO is first out of the blocks this week with news that 12 members sent 255 birds to Frome for the latest race with the South West Federation. The loft of Albert & Marguerite Austin had three drop together, two for Winsford and one for Middlewich Five Bird. The two for the Winsford club took 1st & 2nd while the one for Middlewich also taking 1st which is tremendous flying in anyone’s book, well done. The first at Winsford with a velocity of 1363ypm was a chequer hen from their Lambrecht’s and was bred in the stock loft and racing to the perch. Taking second place vel 1363ypm was a blue hen from their long standing Vanwildermeersch family and bred from a cock
that is a winner of 4x1st, all in North winds. This young hen won the Middlewich 5 bird the week before, again excellent flying from a loft in top form. In third place we have the other loft on form of Dave Dickenson & Son on 1345ypm with a Lambrecht which carded last week. The sire was bred by Chris Hitchen and the dam by Fleming Bros of Crumlin Northern Ireland with Dave also taking sixth.
In fourth we have Richard Ormandy with a velocity of 1344ypm with a blue white flight hen sent sitting on eggs and bred out of the stock loft. The sire is a Staff Van Reet from Dean Pallat and the dam is a Gaby Vandenabeele bred by Albert Austin off Alan Jones of the Red Star loft lines. I mentioned this next partnership last week and that they would get them going and this could be the start for Jones Bros with a velocity of 1328ypm just missing the top four this week. It looks as if George Mainwaring has taken temporary control of the PO job at Rudheath after the recent illness of Derek Woodward who is now getting about. In the latest race for the club from Mangotsfield 11 members sent 1567 birds. The red card goes to a very good blue Staf Van Reet hen racing to the lofts of Keith Herbert to record a vel of 1306ypm and was also 3rd with a Gordon Ledwards breeder/buyer youngster that won the week before and in this race clocks up 1296ypm and collects the nom. 2nd goes to Ian Cooper on 1301ypm after seeing one from his old reliable Busscheart family drop through the doors leaving 4th to Alan Dimelow on 1292ypm. Hope I have got that right George. In the Middlewich FC race from Mangotsfield 6 sent 130 birds that saw Mark & Heather Smith clock a blue hen which is a comfortable winner on 1418ypm. 2nd & 3rd go to Mike O’Hare & Ron Woodward when a chequer and blue both hens dropped through the trap 2 seconds apart to record a vel of 1393ypm. W Wilson & Son are 4th on 1288ypm with a chequer hen, in fact all birds on the result are hens, think that happens a lot with young birds. In the other local club being the Middlewich 5B 12 members sent 103 birds to Frome when Mr & Mrs Albert Austin collected another red card appropriately with a red hen on 1364ypm. The club has a pretty open radius with the winner being over at Winsford and second going to Alan Woodcock from the top side of Sandbach who saw home a chequer hen on 1312ypm. 3rd is the first Middlewich pigeon to DJ&CJ Wilkinson with David flying the young birds to daughter Kerry’s back garden while he is in the process of moving, I think Kerry’s youngest Sam likes to have the pigeons in the back garden and keeps an eye on what granddad David is doing. Anyway David clocked a blue hen on 1285ypm while another blue hen raced to the lofts of Mark & Heather smith for 4th on 1262ypm. The Moulton FC were at the first of two Mangotsdfield races with Peter & Mike Child back at the top with two cocks a chequer and chequer pied recording vels of 138/1273ypm. Tony Lacking is 3rd after clocking a chequer cock on 1212ypm with 4th going to Mr & Mrs Roy Croxton who saw home a chequer pied cock on 1204ypm. The Crewe West End were at Frome when 15 members sent 291 birds that saw Colin Lindop have a good race collect 1st 3rd & 4th with vels of 1372.5/1369/1306ypm while 2nd goes to Mick & Wendy Mellor on 1272.1ypm. 59 members of the West Coast Fed sent 1554 birds to Worcester that were liberated at 8.45am in a light west wind. Pilling winners Mr & Mrs H Pearson had a good race taking 1st & 2nd fed with J Hassall & Jackson collecting 3rd with an entry in the Kirkham & Wesham HS. Tom Roskell & Williamson are keeping up the pressure with 4th 7th 8th 17th & 20th fed with their first being entered in the Stalmine & Dist. 5th goes to J Julian ahead of Blackpool winner Kenny Cardwell who finishes 6th fed. R Whiteside is 9th followed by fellow club member George Parker 10th & 11th. I Culshaw comes in at 12th ahead of G Dodd 13th while Jones & Harrison clocked three in 13 seconds for 14th 18th & 19th. Parkinson & Fox are 15th with Thornton & Cleveleys winners C Mellor & Son 16th. Now then who missed the cut this week, Phil Holloway ^ Family won the Fleetwood & District while the Fleetwood HS was won by J Stockton. In the Marton Village J&G Mather topped the list while Paul Fisher & Son had a good day winning both the Queens Inv and the Staining HS. Richard Given keeps us up to date with the goings on at the Poynton RBLHS when 6 members sent 62 birds to Frome approx 150 miles. Peter Cororan won his first race since returning to the sport vel 1654. The sire was bred by Chris Knowles and the dam by Richard Given. Ken Johnson was 2nd Club vel 1652 with a Curtis, Wall & Lunt young bird that was 4th Club from Tewkesbury. Richard Given was 3rd & 4th vels 1649 & 1647. His first bird was a Louis Cooreman X Herman bred by club mate Keith Hall. Its nest mate was 3rd Club the week before from Hullavington. Richard’s other bird was bred from Chris Knowles stock. The next race from Tewkesbury saw a large increase in birdage when 13 members sent 282 birds. Ernie Sellars had another good week taking the top two positions on the same second vel 1559, as he did at Hullavington. The two birds were from Les Parkinson X Martin Hough stock and a Karl Guenther, Dumfries youngster out of Ernie’s 1st Section NFC winner in 2014. Pete Stanway was 3rd Club vel 1545 with one out of his Fed topping Wimy Moens cock. Ken Johnson was 4th vel1542 with a Kirkpatrick. In the Macclesfield FC the next race was from Hullavington YB 5 that saw 10 members sending 172 birds. The father and son partnership of George & Mark Greenwood take the red card on 1371 clocking a home bred Lambrecht hen homing to the perch both parents are directs and the sire is a breeder of a 1st fed winner. Martin Hough is 2nd & 3rd 1355/1354ypm. Martins first bird is a Willy Thas from the Kirkland Snake lines x Roger Sutton stock bred by him and homing to the perch. Martin then clocked a Willy Thas whose sire a brother to Snake with the dam again being from Roger Suttons Willy Thas stock being a daughter of blue Diamond again a hen homing to the perch. George & Mark also claim 4th on 1349 with a hen homing to the perch bred for them by Andy Webb of Butt Lane the sire is a winner of 3x1sts Saintes. Thanks as always to PO Kev Bowers. In the South West Cheshire Fed 52 members sent 798 birds to Frome to be liberated at 9am in a west south west wind. Top spot goers to Crewe West End member Colin Lindop who is also 3rd being split by fellow club members Mick & Wendy Mellor. The next 3 positions all go to Mr & Mrs Albert Austin, it does say on the result they are all with the Winsford club but the first is a Middlewich 5B entry. Dave Dickenson & Son are 7th just ahead of Richard Ormandy 8th. The last two positions on the fed result go to Greenbank members where john Peever got the edge over Mick Stockton for 9th & 10th. The Mid Cheshire Fed were at Mangotsfield when 60 members sent 1095 birds that were liberated at 7.45am in a north west wind. Sandbach winners Tommy Hulme & Son take the top spot ahead of Middlewich winners Mark & Heather Smith. Wrinehill top man Joe Glover clocked two close together for 3rd & 4th while Mr & Mrs Geoff Matthews from the Crewe Premier also had a good race collecting 5th 13th & 16th fed. Mick Stockton is 6th with the next four places going to Acton Bridge winners Curtiss, Wall & Lunt. Mike O’Hare & Ron Woodward had two in as many seconds for 11th & 12th while Dave & Baz Mellor finished 14th followed by Dave Jenks 15th. Bill Mather had a good race in the Cheshire FC and collected 17th & 18th in the process while John Kirk & Son won the Kingsway plus 19th fed just ahead of Mr & Mrs J Jones. Just two clubs missing out on the fed result and they are Rudheath where Keith Herbert topped the list and Moulton who saw Peter & Mike Child back at the top.
Photos
While we were in Bourton-on-the-Water for a few days' break we went to Birdland where Kim was taking a few photos. There are a few strange pigeons about including the red breasted pigeon with two shots so that you can see why this one gets its name. There is also the green winged pigeon, again easy to see where the name came from. The two with the parrot got me. First one I was looking up talking to him and then when I turned away to look at Kim the parrot turned his head as if to say “Are you ignoring me?”.
Elizabeth, myself with Ebony and Graysen
Green winged pigeon
Red breasted pigeon side view
Red breasted pigeon front view
Above and below, LJP with the parrot - see notes
Les J Parkinson. 11 Rushton Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0NJ, +44 (0)1606 836036. +44 (0)7871 701585. E-mail:
---
