Reports of the breeding season in the UK are very mixed. We got off to a disastrous start but hopefully things will have picked up by now. The birds seemed to have had a regime of non-cooperation; clear eggs, none sitting hens, non-feeding hens and chicks not surviving seems to have been the order of the day. If it could go wrong it did! Conversely, a couple of other breeders in the Basingstoke area who paired up at a similar time to us, and use similar management techniques and feeding regimes have had marvellous starts. It goes to show you never can tell.
This year is set to be a busy one so far as special events are concerned. The majority of Specialist Clubs are planning millennium shows or seminars, each of which we would be delighted to publicise in Budgerigar World if they send me the details. One event that will not go unnoticed is the Budgerigar Society World Millennium Convention. Planned for the 2nd to 4th June in Eastbourne everyone attending can expect a really enjoyable few days of exhibition budgerigars at their best. The schedule includes a Civic Reception and a Gala Banquet plus lectures, admission to Aviculture Day and free, pre-arranged excursions. In addition, an Open Show will be staged on the Saturday. Further information is available from the BS Office, telephone 01604-624549.
If you are running a special event this year why not let us all know, send the details to me in Basingstoke and I will do the rest.
I recently had the pleasure of sending some Clearwings to Northern Ireland. The problem I found was that there is no easy option resulting in overnight door to door delivery of birds to this part of the UK. (Unless someone can tell me otherwise.) However, the arrangements we eventually came up with worked to military precision. The buyer of the birds had an associate who owned a transport company that did regular runs to mainland Europe. On this particular weekend two lorries were in Holland and would be travelling back to Northern Ireland on Saturday afternoon. Arrangements were made that when they got to Dover I would receive a phone call from the Office in NI. I would then drive to a prearranged exit on the M25, hand over the birds to the driver and they would be transported and delivered the next morning. I received the phone call, drove to the rendezvous and had literally pulled on my handbrake when a huge articulated Scania truck and a Volvo truck pulled up behind me. I nipped out, handed the driver the box of birds and was driving back home within five minutes. Have you got any similar stories?
Society Promotion
You will recall a letter from Mike Holland in the January edition of Budgerigar World. Mike was promoting the Rare Variety and Colour Budgerigar Society. As a result of this and a further 84 personal letters that he wrote, a substantial number of new members have been gained. Mike himself tells me that he originally joined the society as a result of reading an article in Budgerigar World on Lacewings by Colin Putt back in the mid-eighties. The RV & CBS caters for Slates, German and English Fallows, Lacewings, Greywings, Clearbodies, Saddlebacks and Rainbows and I am sure that Sylvia Stalder, the Secretary and Treasurer would be delighted to hear from prospective new members. She can be contacted on 0118 9421981.
Some of you may be aware that Yvonne and I have recently launched a new web site (www.bestofbreeds.co.uk). This site has been set up to bring together and promote the breeding of the different varieties of pedigree animals and birds in the UK. All pastimes that come under the category of ‘fancy’s’ are under threat and the backbone of the site will be to introduce these types of hobby to the general public. Under the banner, ‘Putting new owners in touch with the breeders’ we have a huge task ahead of us as we intend to cover all varieties of exhibition bird as well cats, dogs and other creatures. The site will be funded from advertising, which for fanciers is just £10 per year.
On the subject of web sites, there has been some difficulty in accessing the Budgerigar World site. This was because of server breakdowns that were being experienced during February. If this should reoccur the site can always be accessed via www.tuxford.dabsol.co.uk