THE PORT NEWS
Ken Sharratt
Pigeons reveal map-reading secret.
Ellesmere Port has seen massive construction of huge buildings during the last two decades . Including huge retail centres like the Outlet Village and The Coliseum and we also have the motorways of the M56 & M53, interlinking and running directly through the Port. Recently a huge and modern college has sprung up in the heart of the town,which has been eclipsed by a the second largest Marks & Spencers store in Britain. All the above got me thinking about our race birds and how they navigate.What are racing pigeons doing? Are they finding their way around Britain by following roads and railways? Will the motorways and distinctive buildings give us the edge over remote and isolated country lofts ,with acres of the same? They do follow a road.? Is it so obvious? "I followed some trainers which flew up the M53 and even turned off at particular junction towards Paul Coombes loft. It's very human-like." Even though when we measure distances ,it is done as the crow flys.making diversions to follow roads home when there were more straightforward routes. Using their ability to navigate by the Sun when they were over unfamiliar territory. Yes their usual daytime compass is the sun, but they can also navigate on cloudy days because they possess as well a magnetic sense that they can use to locate "north." The above brings me onto a discussion that I was having with Stan Griffiths whilst waiting for his birds to return from a Federation training toss.. He had calculated that the Fed pigeons ''depending on the wind'' use the A41 as a route into Ellesmere Port. I was fascinated watching his birds break for his loft from the direction of that road.They obviously spotted some sort of geographical trigger that made them cut their flight stroke and turn into the direction of the loft ,against the flow of the remainder of the pack.Obviously it would also depend upon wind direction in relation to height ,with head winds bringing them low and tail winds high in the sky with greater visibility and recognition of landmarks. CROW EATS SPARROWHAWK EGGS RSPB have retrieved footage of a crow destroying five sparrowhawk eggs in Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden. The nest of the bird of prey had been fitted with a camera so fans could follow the feathered family. Followers have been able to see the sparrowhawk family nesting and laying eggs and had been hoping to see them hatching and feeding their young. The incident happened just 90 minutes after the botanic garden had closed When experts reviewed tapes the next day they saw the crow attack had happened at 7 PM Footage shows the female sparrowhawk tussling with a crow. The crow appeared to win as it was later spotted pecking the eggs A spokeswoman said: "Sadly these things do happen in nature but we are hopeful that the sparrowhawk pair will mate again.
TIME FOR A SMILE WITH KEN A woman married to pigeon flyer awakes during the night to find that her husband was not in their bed. She puts on her dressing gown and goes downstairs to look for him. She finds him sitting at the kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee in front of him. He appears to be in deep thought, just staring at the wall. She watches as he wipes a tear from his eye and takes a sip of his coffee. 'What's the matter, dear?' she whispers as she steps into the room, 'Why are you down here at this time of night?' Have your birds got young bird sickness? The husband looks up from his coffee, 'No .I am just remembering when we first met 20 years ago and started dating. You were only 15. Do you remember back then?' he says solemnly. The wife is touched to tears thinking that her husband is so caring, so sensitive. 'Yes, I do' she replies. The husband pauses; the words were not coming easily. 'Do you remember when your Dad caught us in the back seat of my car?' 'Yes, I remember!' said the wife, lowering herself into a chair beside him. The husband continues. 'Do you remember when he shoved the shotgun that he uses to scare hawks away from his loft in my face and said, 'Either you marry my daughter, or I will send you to jail for 20 years?' 'I remember that too' she replies softly. He wipes another tear from his cheek and says... 'I would have been released today.'
WEST CHESHIRE FEDERATION (SOUTH ROAD) Hereford 1 YB 85 members competed with 2310 birds from Hereford on Saturday 30th July 2011 liberated at 1245 hrs in a light south east wind. Taking the first two positions in Federation we have Davies & McDonald of the Victoria on velocities of 1643 & 1642 ypm and third and fourth places go to Yates & Rogers on 1639 & 1638 ypm.
Victoria Homing Society result of Hereford 2 race Young birds 14 members sent 429 birds released into a light variable wind at 0800hrs We have Griffiths & Sandland taking the top two positions on 1353 and 1352 ypm followed into third and fourth place Davies & McDonald on 1351 & 1345 ypm . The winning pigeon for Stan & Robbie of the Griffiths & Sandland partnership is a Andre Diereck cross Jackson & Andrews Hofkens Janseen The sire of the winner has had Fed positions of first and second and is bred down from Roy Sandlands 06 cock and the Andre Diereck Belgium rung hen. This year in the first three YB races The Belgium rung hen has featured in the pedigree of pigeons taking 2nd 4th 6th 10th Federation. Coming direct from Andre Diereck Roy Sandland decided that he would release her into the stock loft of Stan & Robbie because she was to tame to function properly as a widowhood hen. She has proved the most successful when paired to a son of of Roy's O6 cock.
Stan holding the Andre Diereck Belgium rung hen in the first three YB races she is responsible for 2nd 4th 6th 10th Federation pigeons. And Stan below with his dog.
Ist & 2nd for the Griffiths and Sandland partnership in THE VICTORIA from Hereford 2
A glimpse into the YB loft of Griffiths and Sandland
Ken Sharratt new loft progress. Well we have laid the hard-core and put down the flags on a dry sand cement mix. The railway sleepers have been laid onto trench blocks. However . My belief was that the sleepers measured 8ft and actually they are 8ft 6 inches. Therefore some sawing is required and my son Tim has gone to Wales in the in-laws caravan with the kids, and as he is young and strong and more expert than me. I will leave that until he returns. Cutting dutch oak sleepers is hard work. The loft will be ready for delivery next Tuesday. Hope it stays dry. Well I will close now .Be happy and take care.
Ken's loft progress
Ken Sharratt email
