RACING PIGEON NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21991, 29 March 1935, Page 2

RACING PIGEON NOTES

[By Homkk.) Ifce m» of interest to fancier* at* invited (or insertion in this column, and should reach “ Homer,” care of ifail office, not later than Tneedaj of each week. All correcpondenoc »Hi bear the writer’s name and address, not necessarily for publication, but e« a guarantee of good faith.

GROWTH OF OUTSIDE FLIGHT. Let me once more impress upon young fanciers the importance of the growth of . the last or outside flight. During dirty weather I have had sometimes one or two strays in my loft, and, upon examination, found that they were in each case growing the last outside flight. They had got off their line too far, and the pain and strain had stopped them going back.

Remember, the outside flight and the last of the tail feathers arc the extremes. Has the. heart got the necessary pumping strength to circulate the blood corspuscles to these extremes and grow healthy feathers? How can the fancier do his bit and help ? There are many ways. Hygiene, food, rest. Keep the loft comfortably dry and free from through draughts. A damp loft, as I have before explained, means a low temperature for the pigeons that live in it, and a low temperature means more strain on the heart to feed those growing feathers. Almost every Belgian loft is high and dry on the roof of the house. Our lofts are mostly in gardens, but, nevcrtbo« less, can bo kept dry and the birds kept healthy. Exercise is necessary in season, but 1 am averse to a lot of exercise when birds are moulting and regrowing the outside flights. If foggy or windy, if very wet and cold at this season of the year, they are better inside the loft than out. Daily exercise in the winter is not absolutely necessary. In fact, they are better without it. Sit and look at your birds, but d» not ebase them round the loft to handle

them j at the present time by roughly catching a bird you may break the bud of a young flight. A clean white wattle, bloom on tho feather, alertness, good appetite, are all indications of good health. On warm, fine, sunny days it will do no harm to let your birds out for a fly, but on pouring, wet days they will be better on their perches inside the loft, well fed and growing those last flights. MORNINGTON CLUB. Tho Mornington Homing Pigeon Club How its second flock race from Stndholme Junction last Saturday. The birds wore liberated in a light northeast wind and fine weather, the winning bird flying eighty miles in Ih 38min 7sec. The results were as follow:—Mr S. Ruddiman’s Pied Piper, 1,444.7yds per minute. 1; Mr W. Everett’s Black Bess. 1,439.6, 2; Mr A. Fraser’s Driftin’, 1,436.3, 3; Mr D. Harvey’s Tiger, 1,435.1, 4; Mr F. Nicol’s Schneider, 1,423, 5. THE ASHBURTON RACE. Another fast lly was registered in the Ashhurton-Dnncdin race last week—3h lOmin for 154 miles is indeed good going. The race was won by Mr J. Scoullar. whose loft of birds are always to be counted upon to be amongst the first bunch. The winner is bred by the owner from some of the good old stuff that made Mr “ Tom ” Coitch famous in the days of “ Game Chick,” etc. The second place was taken by Mr T. MTherson, who is flying in In's first young bird season, ana it is very pleasing to sec his name so close to the winner’*

Other new members are doing well, and a little more speed in trapping will put them up among the winners shortly. The D.H.P.C. also flew in a race organised by the New Zealand Pigeon federation for birds rung 1934. This race was also from Ashburton, and it is interesting to note that it was flown smin faster. This fact brings up the question that a small number of birds (19) break for home quicker than n larger flock (120) do. Mr George Yardley’s bird won the fastest velocity for Dunedin section, and club members all hope that he will be the fastest for all clubs, thereby winning the coveted Malcolmson Memorial Cup. RESULTS IN OTHER CENTRES.

The East Christchurch Flying Pigeon Club flew a race from Parnassus on Saturday. Seventy-six birds were liberated in fine weather, and with good condi-

tions prevailing fast times were corded. The winner, owned by L. F. Rolton, flew the seventy-four miles I,lsßyds in Ih 46min 33scc. Results:— Yards « minute. L. F. Roltou’s Performer ... 1,233 G. MacDougall’s Babette ... 1,192 P. C. Crookc’s Dazard ... 1,187 A. Green’s No. 332 1,178 A. Dunn’s Betty Jinks ... 1,176 B. Campbell’s No. 380 ... 1,173 J. H. Beale’s Thorpe May ... 1,172 L. VP. Brown’s Sally 1,164 T. Nicholson’s Tommy Logan 1,158 TP. Henry’s No. 115 1,085 R. Moore’s Red Diamond 3,033