Will re-scan birds from today's toss - Currently the clock and Wincom are mismatched - so will reset and clear everything and let birds run back through the antennaes later.
Birds are out to 50 miles today with 52 degrees, a little stronger SW winds 12-15 mph this morning. We are flying out of the West so the birds had to deal with getting pushed North - the plan is for 50- 80 miles tosses this week. Then we will set the race schedule.
Aside: Typically we have SW, W and NW winds at this time of year. But local races have had substantial losses the last two weeks - 570 birds sent to 200+ mile race with 242 clocking by the 3rd day (did have some wind events). Last week from 230+miles, 649 birds sent and 301 making it by the 3rd day - We did have higher K-Factor in the red - but who really knows ~!!! It can be a tough course ~! As they say "If your birds can fly in the desert, they can fly anywhere".
20 miles this morning (Tuesday) again - and 20 miles tomorrow (Wednesday) again~!
Some of the birds were getting trouble at this distance and were taking as much as 10 mins to orient - as you can see in one of the youtube videos.
Clock will be uploaded for tomorrow's toss - We have been playing around the last days to optimize the number of antennas and open traps... so we have reduced the number of antennas and training the birds to use only 2 traps - hopefully by end of week they are in full compliance.
Keep in mind the birds are still outside after short tosses like this - so clocking order is irrelevant for short tosses -
12 miles and 20 mile tosses in light headwinds Sat/Sun.
The training plan is to move the birds out to 20-50 miles this week with really nice weather - not windy, not cold ~~!
No training today - heavy winds overnight 25 - 35 mph - but much calmer today and let birds relax with Open Loft (no flagging) after hawk problems yesterday ~!
We resume tomorrow Saturday.....
Best regards
Toss 3 - 12 miles cold early morning 37 degrees brrrrrrrrrr into light headwinds. Tomorrow (Thursday) looks like stronger headwinds and colder - so may just loft fly. But Friday-Sat-Sun we will keep training and goal is to get to 25 miles. These shorter tosses are just confidence builders for both birds and also loft manager .....
Check our Arizona Classic Derby Youtube Channel for some of the early tosses.
Toss 2 - 8 miles went smoothly - sunny, dead calm and no wind, cold 37 degrees by Arizona standards - birds went up high with no circling headed towards home. Target is 25 miles by end of week - birds are going every day and locked out until Noon to get that wing time in - no sense to let them fly just the 10 minute toss.
Toss 1 is in the books - from 5 miles. We could not get to our usual clear spot at 2 miles with all the new construction - UNBELIEVABLE there is not a vacant lot within 10-15 miles probably . Worst case we find a church parking lot for the toss #2 tomorrow ~!!!! Light tailwinds and very cool - I let them up in 2 groups (247 birds - left 3 at home). First group circled for a few minutes and headed South; 2nd group went up real high and headed home East. Got to the loft and birds were trickling from the South East of the loft (obviously overflew) and still loft flying and routing. Expected from such a short toss.
We attempted to do a hand inventory as we basketed the birds - and the newly serviced clock is giving a battery message - while the Unikon module keeps updating/downloading to the clock ~! Frustration as Desiter had this recently battery change and power switch change. We do have a backup clock at the house - so we will have that one in operation tomorrow and scan birds as we hand basket.
Clocking tosses (single release) will be from 25 miles as these short ones are meaningless - and I will have the birds locked out after the short toss to continue to get their wing time.
Overcast and windy forecast from Thursday - Saturday; Our Federation is split 50:50 with shipping races/training this week due to 50% chance of rain and winds 10-20 winds along course - so OLR birds were only being loft flown/flagged at sunrise with the area winds /hawks helping. Then open loft until 12 Noon.
Birds have been tearing up the skies - they are READY for training; - the youngest birds are at 6 months so are mature enough. We did medicate for respiratory with all the winds/dust; Feed mix is Versele Laga Gerry Plus and Energy Plus ~! Plan for every single day next week training with following schedule for 15-18 tosses to 80 miles.
3/7- 3/13: 2, 5, 10, 15, 25 miles repeating as needed if they encounter difficulty.
3/14 - 3/20: 30 - 50 miles all week;
3/21 - 3.27: out to 80 miles;
Very Cloudy and overcast - no sun this morning but no rain forecasted - so we chose to loft fly/flag/and then open loft. Training is still on track for this week -
Some loft flying videos uploaded to the youtube channel "Arizona Classic Derby" -
The birds got Saturday and Sunday off due to us being at the Vegas Gala.
All birds are together again - including the injured ones and the ones that needed some rest.
Birds are up daily and flying - some days open loft, some days windy and our flying helper Mr Hawk has been helping along with running them up with the flag. Some challenges with weather in terms of wind and dust - but we are making the best of it. Today also very windy in the afternoon and dust with rain expected by Wednesday. Training to start next week - a couple of weeks behind but will see how the birds acclimate. We will basket train this week at the end of the property.
