The bird are doing well. They loft fly each day, morning and afternoon. Very little encouragement is needed to keep them flying. If the weather holds out, we will have the 450 race on Thursday or Friday this week. It will be from Val-d'Or, Quebec. A short toss will be flown on Tuesday.
Rick
The birds were released in Mont Laurier Quebec at 9:00 AM. There was fog that while lifting from early on, didn't allow us to release as early as we wanted to. I ended up moving a 1/4 mile to the west to get away from the fog over the river at the motel. We released in a large empty lot behind a tractor trailer manufacturer into a large clear window to the sky.
The area I picked to fly from was the perfect spot to test the quality of the birds homing abilities. Go north, good bye. Go east, so long. Go south then be prepared to fly at least four hours longer. Go west and the slope of the land worked it's way down slowly to the north country above our loft.They left the trailer, went as high as I have ever seen them, and then went west. The times of the first birds shows they followed the right path. All birds, including the birds arriving this morning, are coming from the north east or north.
Two birds arrived together but slowing down for their victory lap was a mistake. It was a Red and a Blue Check. Six others were hot on their heals and as they landed, all trapped together. Congratulations to the first drop!
1. Clay Haven Farms AU 22 AA 12195 BB
2. Bernie & Dan CU 22 CU 0313 BB
3. Teixeira Loft PT 22 2074870 BC
4. Les Deux Suzannes CU 22 Sumac 0226 BB
5. Canabec Loft CU 22 CU 16706 Red
6. Ranger CU 22 CU 6879 BC
7. Eli Griffen Pigeons CU 22 CU 13290 BB
8. Chickady CU 22 CU 6908 Griz
Eight birds share $ 8,000.00
PS I have been asked how we check the birds for racing. We run them through a single trap after loft fly. We run them again an hour later at which time they are a lot slower coming in. We then print the list and catch and sort the birds into six groups for loading then next day. I am deaf, Linda is deaf and hand scanning and yelling numbers to each other doesn't make for a good time. We're quit quick checking against the list especially now with the numbers dwindling down.
On Tuesday the birds had a wonderful toss, with almost every bird inside the loft within minutes. Nice to see things working right. This afternoon, we will load up the trailer and drive to Mont Laurier, Quebec. We hope to have a 7:30 AM release Thursday morning. It's just over 350 Km for them. They will have a bit of wind to content with but hopefully not enough to slow them down. Searching through the loft this morning, we couldn't find any reason to pull any birds. None are tired, all are capable of flying this race.
Good Luck to everyone.
Rick and Linda
The birds were released this morning in small groups [6] and came home that way. Unfortunately, this first home circled until others showed up and it went that way untill most were home. All came from the north east and none shot past the loft. They had a stiff wind right on the nose with plenty of strong gusts. We'll see how the weather holds up for tomorrow or Sunday. I would like to do a 70 K and a 100 K before racing next Thursday.
The birds have been out flying everyday. They are locked out before morning feed for an hour and are encouraged to exercise and they have open trap in the afternoon. Thursday was the first day I felt comfortable with their efforts. Today we will release them 40 Km from the loft in small groups. Weather permitting, we'll take them Saturday or Sunday again and then on Tuesday for a long toss. We'll have race 3 on Thursday.
The birds were released into a bright sky laced with a few white clouds. There was a slight wind from the east. The temperature was a cool 12 C. There was just a hint of groung fog over the water but it was dissipating at a rapid rate. We were just south of Clarence-Rockland, on the border of Quebec, just west of Ottawa. The birds left the trailer quickly and in one group. They headed south west.
On the drive home, I observed the rapid rise in temperature and the stiffening of the wind, which had shifted north-west. By the time I reached home, the wind was north at 12 with gusting up to 17 KM with the temperature now at 24.
How all this affected the birds I'll never know, but it did. The first drop came from thhe north, almost all the others from the north west and mostly west. There were six of us watching and we all agreed the birds had flown by. They were in excellent shape when sent with no health issues. Those home at this time are still in good flesh. They're tired but not worn out.
Congratulations to the first four birds that were on the drop. I unfortunately spooked them a little and three backed away from the trap while clocking but it was a four bird drop.
1. D & D Loft CU 22 Lavl 22075 BB
2. Jules Hou CU 22 MP 22534 BB
3. Pigeonempire.com Guido Madrusan CU 22 7730 BB
4. Marie Schlieffer CU 22 PKC 0120 BC
These four will each have an equal share of $6,000.00
We will wait a few days and then decide when race 3 will be.
We loaded the birds this morning even though the sky was iffy. Iffy got worse so Linda brought them back home. They were released at home with some wanting to eat while others simply wanted to fly. All eventually went back out and had an hours worth of air time. The last group to come down flew in the rain then showered and dried out on the deck when the sun came back out. On Sunday we will be having our 250 Km race.
If it's in the cards that every one loft owner has to have a training toss from hell, I was dealt the winning hand today. I'd like to meet the dealer and tell him he doesn't have to do this to us cause as a group, all of us one loft workers are going to bite the big bullet a lot sooner than the rest of the world. There are more than enough things that can go wrong than right. We don't need unexplainable training tosses to add to the stress level.
The birds were released with sunny skies above. They formed a tight circle and climbed higher than what Linda had ever observed before. Once up there, they went north and disappeared out of sight. The first group home, about 20 birds, came from the north, circled a little and came right in. They were followed by smaller groups all coming from the north west. Each group that arrived home had over flown and ended being further west. From 2:00 oclock on, all the birds are arriving from the south east. They have travelled past the loft, gone south to the Lake and are now working their way home.
I have handled more than half of the birds as they arrived. I have been checking for respiratory problems and have not found a one. Their weight is fine, they are in excellent shape, they are not tired, and those that arrived before 1:30, had not lost any weight. The later ones are thirsty and down a touch, but not enough to worry about.
I believe the birds, as a group, made the mistake of going north a bit further than necessary and were enjoying their flight and not thinking about home until it was to late. I had teenagers like that once.
The last bird on the results received a bruise yesterday and was excused from work today.
The birds are doing well. They loft fly each day and are staying up longer and longer as the week progresses. Today I messed up the clock. I simply stopped half way as I was setting up. Todays count won't be accurate. Tomorrow we will go 70 KM if the sunshine is here as promised and we will have an accurate count
Upon arriving home, the birds flew longer in the light rain. When the heavy rains came, they sat and had a shower. We all feel better after having one and I'm sure they do to. The weather report has kiboshed another race until Sunday. That's when we will have our second race from Danford Lake, Quebec.
Our first race of the 2022 season ended picture perfect. The birds came over the tree tops spread out, side by each. They did a quarter turn and landed with their feet almost touching the trap. As the last disappeared from sight, the next group came over the tree tops followed by most of their friends.
The first drop consisted of 20 pigeons who will share the $ 4000.00 .
1. R & E Ridder CU 22 5928 BB
2. R & E Ridder CU 22 5929 BB
3. Les Deux Suzannes CU 22 Sumac 0226 BB
4. Eli Griffen Pigeons CU 22 13296 BB
5. Franco Bisceglia CU 22 Miss 2062 BBPD
6. 1CR Loft CU 22 1663 BB
7. Elfis Girls CU 22 5935 BB
8. Lucky 7 CU 22 2128 BB
9. 1CR Loft CU 22 1652 BC
10. Neromi Army CU 22 6835 DC
11. Gaskin/Lopes CU 22 7276 BBPD
12. Calgary Boys AU 22 ARPU 63508 DC
13. Wayne Lochbaum CU 22 NR 4077 BC
14. Granby Loft CU 22 1614 BB
15. Fan Family Loft CU 22 15331 BB
16. Neromi Army CU 22 6829 Choc
17. Neromi Army CU 22 6876 BC
18. Cruz and Vasco CU 22 4075 BC
19. The Grootjans Team CU 22 2001 BBPD
20. 1CR Loft CU 22 1656 BB
Congratulations to all.