20 Bird Scene - October & November 2014 by Theparrotsociety

BIRD ISSUE TWENTY: OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

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THE MAGAZINE FOR HOBBYIST BREEDERS AND CONSERVATIONISTS

MICE, ROOFS AND BIRD ROOM CONSTRUCTION BY ROSEMARY LOW

I 6T SSU H E J 2 20 AN 1 O 15 UA UT RY

SHOW REPORTS RECEIVED, THE NATIONAL 2014

FR EE

BREEDING FOR PLEASURE V BREEDING FOR EXHIBITION

STAFFORD

SPRING SHOW

1ST MARCH 2015 www.staffordspringbirdshow.co.uk

CONTENTS

BIRD SCENE: OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2014

CONTENTS DONATE TO OUR CONSERVATION FUND… CLICK THE LINK BELOW: www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/donations.php

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INTRODUCTION TO 20TH ISSUE OF BIRD SCENE BREEDING FOR PLEASURE V BREEDING FOR EXHIBITION By Andrew Dutton MICE, ROOFS AND BIRD ROOM CONSTRUCTION By Rosemary Low

ON THE COVER

BIRD ISSUE NINETEEN: OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

BREEDING FOR PLEASURE V BREEDING FOR EXHIBITION

SHOW REPORTS RECEIVED, THE NATIONAL 2014

MICE, ROOFS AND BIRD ROOM CONSTRUCTION BY ROSEMARY LOW

SHOW REPORTS RECEIVED, THE NATIONAL 2014

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THE MAGAZINE FOR HOBBYIST BREEDERS AND CONSERVATIONISTS

IS 6T SU H E JA 21 20 N O 14 UA UT RY

AN EXPERIMENT WITH MOUNTAIN PARAKEETS By Jerry Fisher

BIRD SCENE: Issue Twenty: October / November 2014 BIRD SCENE is run by The Parrot Society UK, 92A High Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 2BL, England. FOR SALES AND EDITORIAL ENQUIRES Telephone or Fax: 01442 872245 Website: www.theparrotsocietyuk.org E-Mail: les.rance@theparrotsocietyuk.org

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INTRODUCT

Les Rance, Editor, The Parrot Society UK | www.theparrotsocietyuk.org | les.rance@

ell here we are the twentyith edition of Bird Scene. What a cracking National Exhibition we have just experienced the P.S. Council were delighted by the 6,500 visitors to the event and very heartened by the favourable comments from our trade supporters many along the lines of ‘the best sale day ever’. Neil Randle our resident photographer was busy all day and managed to take 700 pictures, he was working very hard and this will give us plenty of material for future publications. The clubs associated with the National Exhibition were full of praise for the way the exhibition is developing and with 4137 exhibits they have every reason to be happy it might sound very confident but a 21% increase in birds staged next year would take us to the magical 5,000 birds a number not seen at any UK show since 2003 when the last Birmingham NEC National was held. I am sure it can be done and it would be great to achieve this figure in 2015. The autumn months are always so busy for the Parrot Society office as no sooner have we finished The National Exhibition than we start to build up for 4

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our ‘Help Bird Keepers’ Show also at Stafford on Sunday 30th November this year, a full week earlier than in 2013. Tickets and tables can be booked from the PSUK Shop on our website. We are really becoming attached to this publication because it is without doubt ‘the way to go’ possibly the most interesting question in relation to ‘New Technology’ is when will all bird keepers have both the interest to grasp this type of publication and when will they have the hardware to access this form of offering? Bird keepers already have a hobby and a very rewarding one it is; they do not need computers and all that goes with their purchase, installation and maintenance. Currently they can obtain everything they need via bird related paper magazines but eventually that will change and when electronic magazines become accepted by the majority clubs will have to take the hard decision as to whether to continue with the paper magazine. But may I say that at present The Parrot Society have no plans to go down that road. Regular readers will know that Bird Scene has been produced to publicise

TION

BY THE EDITOR

LES RANCE

@theparrotsocietyuk.org The National Exhibition held each year at our October Sale Day/Show and to promote our Conservation efforts for threatened parrots in the wild. Previous editions are still to be found in an archive at the foot of the Home Page of our website and if you would like to see earlier versions then do please visit the Bird Scene archive. I do hope you enjoy reading this issue of Bird Scene as much as I have putting it together.

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BY ANDREW DUTTON

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BREEDING FOR PLEASURE V BREEDING FOR EXHIBITION B

y far the most popular choice is breeding for pleasure. Most of the members of the JSSUK just keep their javas for the sole purpose of enjoying the sight of them in their cages or aviaries, there is nothing wrong with this at all, as that is why we all started keeping birds in the first place ! There are many advantages to keeping javas just for pleasure. There is not as much stress involved with the keeping and breeding of javas if it is just for your own pleasure. You can have what ever colour mutations that you want, you can pair them to which ever mutation you want and you can choose to breed throughout the year at any time and not worry about what colours you produce and the getting them ready for the showing season. It is my view that as well as doing this it would also be a great benefit to the hobby if people gave showing a go. Showing is on the decline and all of us

in the hobby need to try and do as much as we can to save it as it will benefit all of us in the future. Keeping javas is not like keeping other varieties of birds such as budgies, canaries and even zebra finches. With javas there are no champions, novice and beginner classes, everyone is on the same playing field. All you have is an Adult class and a Current Year Owner Bred class. Here at the JSSUK we are trying to keep the javas the same shape and size that they are in the wild, that is why we have a show standard to adhere to. If you look over the last 10 years of the society there have been 7 different winners of the Best Java In Show, there are no particular exhibitors with outstanding birds winning every year in year out. Every show you attend you have a chance of winning if you just put a little extra effort in. BIRD SCENE 07

Keeping javas for pleasure or exhibition, you practically have to do the same things anyway. If breeding for exhibition you obviously pair the best birds you have together. You feed them the best foods you can afford and make sure they always have access to grit and clean water, to drink and to bathe in. If keeping for pleasure, apart from choosing your best birds to pair together, you do everything else the same anyway ! If wanting to show your current year birds you have to pair up your birds early on in the year to make sure they have come through the moult and are in good condition for the shows which usually start later on in the year. Also you have to make sure they have that current year ring on them, to show them in that class. In the Adult class you can show any java you like, rung or unrung. For those of you who are thinking of giving showing a go in the future, you would be better breeding your birds in cages rather than flights. Not that you can not breed great looking birds out in the flights, it is just if bred in cages they are usually more calm when you introduce them to a show cage. So please if you keep your javas just for pleasure, why not think of just giving showing a go. Here at the JSSUK we will only be to glad to help you and get you started at giving showing a go. Get in touch with myself or any committee member via our website or our facebook page and we will be glad to help you. 08

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At the shows you will meet lots of new friends, who in the future you can buy or exchange birds with to improve your own stock. So come on, if you are breeding just for pleasure at the moment, why not breed for exhibiting too ? What have you got to loose ??? The two most common questions asked when people have purchased Javas for the first time are what do I feed them on and can the be housed with other finches ? Well first of all regarding the feeding, I give my birds a good quality foreign finch mix and it goes without saying as with all birds, they have access to grit and fresh water. You can also feed them a little greenfood, lettuce or broccoli will be accepted and I also feed mine a little budgie tonic seed once or twice a week. Also to get the birds in condition I feed a little egg food which they really enjoy. With Java sparrows, they are a bird that likes to bathe a lot so I always have a bath on the cage or in the flight as they will bathe two or three times a day, sometimes more. Another food you can feed your javas, especially if in a mixed collection with other finches, are mealworms. Javas do love mealworms which they will skin and eat the insides. Regarding the second question, can they be kept with other species ? The answer is yes, but keep an eye on them, especially if they are kept in cages ! Some, but not all Javas sometimes have a tendancy to bully smaller finches, especially when kept in cages. In aviaries because there is

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more space and places to escapes to, they do not seem to do this as much and you can usually house Javas with most other species. Just keep an eye on them, especially when breeding as javas will not tolerate other birds near their nest box when eggs or young are present. When housing Javas in cages in a bird room it is advisable to either house them one pair to one cage or if not breeding them then house just cocks together and house hens together in separate cages. This will stop the cock birds fighting over the attention to attract a hen. In an aviary there is a lot more room for birds to escape should any

bickering occur so you can obviously house more birds together. If anyone requires any more information onthe keeping of Javas please take a look at our website or Facebook page were there is a lot of information available. Or if you are attending the sales days at Stafford or if you go to some of the CBS shows around the country please look out for the Java Sparrow Society stand. There will be a few of the JSSUK committee members on the stand who will only be to happy to offer any advise needed to anyone who is thinking of starting with Javas or anyone who already has them and just wants some advise on anything Java related. BIRD SCENE 09 25

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MICE, ROOFS AND BIRD ROOM CONSTRUCTION

ARTICLE BY: ROSEMARY LOW

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ice and rats are extremely resourceful creatures. If there is a way to get into our aviaries and bird rooms, they will find it. This means that waging war on rodents must commence literally before the foundations of the building are laid. In fact it should start with the planning. If you decide to build a wooden bird room or perhaps convert a double garage which is partly constructed from wood, it will be almost impossible to exclude vermin. Gnawing through wood is so easy for mice. Once they enter it will be extremely difficult to exclude them. If you must use timber, take the following precautions: 1. Stand the building on a concrete base. 2. Be aware that insulating the bird room is asking for trouble. Of course it helps to prevent heat loss but it is better to spend a little more on heating the room (if heat is necessary) than living with mice breeding in the cavities between the two walls. I know because this happened to me. After two micefree years, the mice moved in. The glasswool insulating material was deemed perfect for mouse nestmaking. The only solution was to rip out the inner wall, including the roof lining, and leave the building permanently without lining. The mice moved out. But that was not the end of the problem. They moved into the other building which was lined, and took up residence in the

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roof. A nightmare scenario! The patter of feet which I was hearing daily were those of mice. There was no alternative but to take the roof off and construct an entirely new one. That was four years ago and my bird room is now mousefree. One advantage was that with the new roof I did away with the skylight windows. Its inclusion had been a mistake because it caused condensation to drip from the roof to the floor. 3. If you have a wooden building, nail tin plate or aluminium, inside and out, to the height of 1ft (31cm). This precaution will be useless if there are any holes through which mice can enter. Check the point where electricity cables leave the building, cover ventilator and extractor outlets with small mesh and ensure that all doors and windows are tight-fitting. Also remember that if you have popholes to allow your birds access to outdoor flights, mice will enter if they have access to the flights. Welded mesh should be buried around the perimeter of the flights to prevent this. For preference, don’t build a bird room from wood. Brick is much more expensive but if you can afford it, brick or breeze blocks are ideal materials. You might also consider obtaining, second-hand, the kind of prefabricated cabins which are used on building sites, for example. As long as there is no wood in their construction!

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Precautions If you have outdoor aviaries and you feed your birds in the flight part, mice will be almost impossible to eliminate. You might also attract rats. To protect food and water from vermin, weather and the droppings of wild birds (increasing the likelihood of disease being transmitted), it is essential to have an indoor section, either an enclosed shelter or a cage inside a building, where the birds are fed. This increases the length of time it will take mice to find a food supply, although it is not guaranteed to keep them out if wood is used to construct shelter or building. There are other precautions that you can take to discourage mice from finding your garden attractive. If you feed the

wild birds, clear up any uneaten food before nightfall. If you keep rabbits or other pets that have a dry food, remove any dry food at night. Finally, do not discourage your neighbour’s cat from visiting your garden at nightfall. Generally speaking, once a cat has discovered it cannot reach the birds in your aviaries, it will lose interest in them - but if there are mice about it will return night after night. I would strongly advise that when planning your aviaries, buy enough welded mesh to double wire all surfaces that are accessible to cats and owls. It might seem like an expensive exercise but this will prevent deaths from injuries by night marauders. Also, with the increase in Sparrowhawks in gardens, it will prevent

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I would strongly advise that when planning your aviaries, buy enough welded mesh to double wire all surfaces that are accessible to cats and owls. It might seem like an expensive exercise but this will prevent deaths from injuries by night marauders. Also, with the increase in Sparrowhawks in gardens, it will prevent these pests from attacking your birds.

these pests from attacking your birds. Another tip is to grow climbers such as passionflower, honeysuckle and clematis over the top and sides of the flights. Sparrowhawks are now so numerous, even in city gardens, that every step should be taken to prevent them diving on the aviaries. Even if they cannot reach the birds, the shock can cause birds to desert eggs or young. Eliminating mice The trap is the most environmentally friendly form of elimination. But does it 16

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work? At the risk of displeasing mouse trap manufacturers, I have to say that I have never caught a single mouse in the metal traps that catch mice alive. I am told that wooden ones are more successful. Obviously traps can be used only in bird rooms where there are no birds loose. They can be used in aviaries only if they can be placed inside a box and if no small birds are present which could enter the box. The traditional type of spring trap, usually baited with cheese, can be successful - assuming you are not

FEATURE squeamish about removing victims. Note also that mice absolutely love chocolate and this can be the best bait of all. Be warned that some very cheap wooden spring traps are almost impossible to set. I once tried a plastic spring-trap which was very easy to set. I soon found it had a major disadvantage. The spring was not strong enough. The mice would be trapped but not killed. I found mice trapped by the tail or the foot and being too soft-hearted to see any animal suffer, I would release these victims alive.

Note also that mice absolutely love chocolate and this can be the best bait of all. Be warned that some very cheap wooden spring traps are almost impossible to set. I once tried a plastic spring-trap which was very easy to set. I soon found it had a major disadvantage. The spring was not strong enough. The mice would be trapped but not killed.

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The newspapers often feature advertisements for ultrasonic mouse deterrents. I have not tried them since I have been assured by two people who have that they are not effective. Members’ experiences on this method would be welcome. The obvious alternative to traps is poison. I greatly dislike the use of poison since it can get into the food chain and because death is not swift. Presumably it could also poison a cat if a cat caught a mouse which had eaten poison. I look on poison as a last resort. However, to deal with rats and, in some situations, with mice, there seems to be no alternative. The mouse poison which you can buy in a hardware store is unlikely to be effective over the long term, since mice will eventually become immune to it. It is therefore advisable to contact the vermin control department of the local council. On one occasion I saw a rat in my garden and a very helpful man from the Council arrived with some blocks of poison placed inside small cardboard cartons. There

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is no charge for this service. If you as much as catch a glimpse of a rat, call the council immediately. Do not leave nest-boxes in position in outdoor aviaries all year unless you close the entrance by nailing wood over it. If a rat enters the aviary and finds a bird roosting inside, it will kill it and you are likely to find a headless victim. If you place mouse poison in your bird room, don’t think all you have to do is

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DONATE TO OUR CONSERVATION FUND… to put it in a suitable place and wait for the mouse population to crash. Now your work begins. On the first and succeeding nights of poison use in a bird room, sweep the floor, clean the cage trays, etc, and remove every food container. If they can feed on seed, they will not take the poison. Mice are so resourceful that they can learn to feed during the day but offering them only poison at night will usually solve the problem.

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AN EXPERIM MOUNTAIN P 22

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ARTICLE BY: JERRY FISHER

MENT WITH PARAKEETS BIRD SCENE 23

NOTES Dry Seed Mix: “Australian Grass Parakeet and Lovebird Mix”. Soft food Mix: 1 part grated carrot 1 part finely chopped spinach 1 part finely chopped chicory 1/3 wheatgerm 1 – 2 parts EMP 1 hardboiled egg All mixed to a crumbly consistency with a sprinkling of Birdcare Company Daily Essentials 3.

Grit Mix: 1 part fine mineral grit 1 part fine oyster shell 1 part (or what is available) crushed baked eggshells. Cuttlefish bone available separately “These mixes from Albert E James & Son Ltd Country Wide” range of bird mixtures (Tel: 01275 463496) Cage Litter: “Easibed” stable litter. Available from equine and pet supplies stockists.

Sprouted Seed Mix: “Germination/Soak Seed” Soaked 24 hours in water with Aviciens, Rinsed thoroughly (do not drain). 12 hours in propagator. Rinse again. Stir into soft food mix and serve

hen I returned to bird keeping some twelve years ago my first acquisition was a pair of normal Lineolated Parakeets. They were new to me – I had seen some in a pet shop and been struck by their appearance and the fact that “I felt I could see them thinking”. They proved to be a delight and were featured in the June 2003 issue of this magazine. My disappointment was that, although they were visual normals, none of their offspring was a wildtype bird. That led me to investigate related species and I “discovered” Sierra and Mountain Parakeets. At that time all three species were in the genus Bolborhynchus - along

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The chicks, eldest 10 days.

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with the Andean Parakeet and the Rufous -fronted Parrot - which are not to my knowledge known in captivity, certainly not in Europe. Sierras and Mountains have since been re-classified in their own genus, Psilopsiagon. Each species is immediately distinct but with overlapping features. Mountains and Sierras have similar shape but Sierras are “fliers” whereas Mountains and Lineolated are “scramblers”. Sierras are by far the most aggressive of the three. Each species can be kept on a colony basis but Sierras require space. I have kept Sierras with small finches and Diamond Doves without a problem, however to attempt with Sierras what I am about to describe would result in a bloodbath! The over-riding common factor is that all three species give the impression that you are dealing with small parrot intelligence in small parakeet body. When it comes to captive breeding, Lineolated can be classed as “easy” and Sierras as “reliable” (provided the pair is compatible).

The 9 x 2 x 2 (2700 x 600 x600) breeding cage with 5 grass parakeet boxes.

Mountains are more tricky. Their great advantage is that they are dimorphic and can be sexed in the nest at around 4 weeks of age. Over the last 10 years I have never been without all three species. Lineolated I do not breed because I have not been able to obtain pure wild-type birds. Sierras I have bred regularly when I have had compatible pairs. The Mountains have been sporadic. For those unfamiliar with Mountains, they are – in my experience – delightful little birds that are simple to maintain and show a high level of intelligence and personality for their size. They also – like Madagascar Lovebirds – have the advantage of being dimorphic, the sex of the chicks being obvious by four weeks of age. My birds are fed on my standard soft food mix plus a proprietary grass parakeet and lovebird mix – details at the end of this article. They also get yellow and red millet sprays if taken, but

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The chicks, eldest 21 days.

mostly these are chewed off at the base of the stem and left lying on the cage floor having no further potential as toys. Being scramblers, they often ignore the flight option and climb along the cage front. My next experiment, to get better space utilization, will be to replace the standard perches with V-shaped natural beech ones clamped to the cage front so that they can run and jump the length of the cage. Do not underestimate their intelligence – everything is examined for its’ entertainment potential. My birds have escaped by unhooking one side of a bath – the family were sitting in a row on top of their external nest box – and regularly undo one of the four bolt and (external) wing nut assemblies that retain my cage 26

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fronts. I keep my Sierras in an outside flight covered in plastic-coated netting. The Mountains lasted less than a day in a similar unit having immediately set about removing the plastic coating. There are four subspecies of Mountain recognized (including the typical form)

The eldest at 31 days. Three chicks are clearly cocks.

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The eldest at 33 days. Six adults also shared this box at night!

but I think this is largely academic to aviculturists. Firstly, I am unclear as to how distinct the ranges are in the wild or whether there are “grey” areas. Secondly, while the cocks are distinguished by the extent of yellow on the front (from hardly any to full frontal) the hens are virtually identical and would almost certainly need to be wildcaught from a known geographic area. My Mountains arrived with a reputation similar to that of Madagascar Lovebirds – “they hide in the nest box, lay lots of eggs and never hatch anything!” To some extent I found that to be true, although they bred irregularly and, if deprived of a nest box, very quickly became steady. On two occasions when I have had a solitary cock bird for a while

it has rapidly come to hanging on the cage front and nibbling one of my fingers – with a little patience they would make excellent pets. I presently have three youngsters that vie to hang nearest to the corner of the cage to monitor the progress of the breakfast trolley. I read that Mountains were burrownesters and required a nest box either with an entrance tube or with two compartments of which they would use the inner. Another breeder also suggested that I fill the inner compartment with coco fibre for them to build a nest. With my first Lineolated this was the trigger that started them – my Mountains were horrified and refused to enter the inner compartment. Always remember that your birds may BIRD SCENE 27

47 days – only the three youngest left.

not have read the same books you have! For the past few years I have had around 3 “breeding” pairs of Mountains – except that most years only one pair bred and sometimes none at all. I had got into a routine where, outside the breeding season, bonded pairs were

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flocked in a 9’ x 2’ x 2’, (2700 x 600 x 600 mm) flight cage and any spare birds were kept in single-sex groups. The adult pairs lived together quite amicably and when resting always sat in their bonded pairs. Come November I set each pair up in a 3’ x 2’ x 2’ breeding

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unit. In November ’09 I had 3 pairs that had been together for some months. Pair 1 was an adult hen that had bred previously but lost her mate and had a new one brought from Europe. Pairs 2 and 3 were two birds of my breeding

paired with two also from Europe. The previous breeding season the older hen had bred successfully with her previous mate, as she had done the year before. Each year she had reared her first round and failed to hatch anything from her second. She herself was bred by a friend who uses standard grass parakeet boxes for his Mountains – I gave her the same. The other two pairs had previously done nothing with 14” x 7” x 7” double boxes that had been specially constructed for Mountains. I have previously bred my birds in these but now doubt whether they are necessary – some of my birds are currently showing equal interest in standard budgie boxes. Knowing that the hens of all three pairs had been reared in grass parakeet boxes, I resolved to use these for the ’09 –’10 breeding season. The breeding units would be created by simply subdividing the flight cage with two sliding partitions. Since the cage could be quickly subdivided in the event of fighting I decided to set the units up but leave the birds together and see how they behaved with nest boxes now available. The only difference was that I fitted five boxes to the cage front to give extra choice. The boxes were all standard grass parakeet boxes but four were new and one was that used in previous seasons by the Pair 1 hen. For the first couple of days I checked constantly to make sure there were no territorial fights. There were none – in fact the opposite happened – all six birds

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disappeared into one box, the “used” one. We’ll call it “Box 1”. After a while it became apparent that pairs 2 and 3 were unwelcome in box 1. I put it no more strongly than that since apart from raised voices in the box no harm was done. Pair 1 effectively disappeared at this point and I assumed they were on eggs. Pairs 2 and 3 showed only a passing interest in boxes 2 – 5, sometimes roosting in a box, sometimes on a perch. On 25 December I heard a chick calling in box 1. I disturbed the adults briefly (they left the box as soon as I touched the door and returned immediately I closed it). Inside were one newlyhatched chick and eight eggs. They went on to hatch a further seven chicks. One chick died at a few days old, the remaining seven were reared to maturity. As the chicks progressed I became aware that pairs 2 and 3 were again entering box 1 but the muted sounds indicated that they were again welcome and appeared to be feeding the chicks. This continued while the chicks were in the box. I also realized (I am often in the birdhouse when the “daylight” phase lighting comes on) that all 6 adults were again roosting in box 1 – in addition, of course, to 7 chicks. Surprisingly, all went well and the chicks avoided suffocation. The first chick left the nest on 2nd February, 40 days from first hatch. All 13 birds co-existed amicably until I removed the chick’s approx six weeks after they left the box.

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A few weeks later pair 1 went down again. This time I separated Pairs 2 & 3 in two thirds of the flight cage (6’ x 2’ x 2’) with a choice of 3 nest boxes – the objective being to see if one pair would be “dominant” and stimulated to breed. As in previous years, Pair 1 produced nothing from the second round. Pair 2 made a false start in box 3 – laid, produced nothing and subsequently relocated to box 4 where they did not lay. Pair 3 went down after pair 2 (I’m not sure exactly when) in box 2. I knew nothing of their progress until, on 27 August, I heard a chick calling. They were less receptive to initial disturbance than pair 1 and by the time I could check the box it contained three chicks approximately ten days old. Two of these were subsequently reared to maturity. The loss of the third chick was unusual – losses generally occur within two weeks of hatch but this one was at least three weeks old. There was no evidence that pair 2 took any interest in raising the chicks of pair 3 but all 4 adults were entirely amicable in their now 6’ (1800mm) long flight cage. As soon as the chicks were out of the box I removed all the boxes from pairs 2/3 – eggs immediately appeared on the cage floor, I presume from pair 2. Meanwhile, pair 1 (still separate) had gone down for a third time and hatched and reared a single chick. At the time of writing I am about to remove all three chicks and put the three pairs of adults back together and “rest” them for a while until I think they’re all back in condition to receive their nest

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boxes. I have also set up in an identical unit six young birds – three hens of my breeding with three unrelated cocks. Once these have sorted out their own pairings I intend to repeat the above layout of five boxes, but mixing grass parakeet with budgie to see if they show any preference. It is far too early to draw conclusions from the above but another year with two groups should give an indication as to whether this system does in fact stimulate breeding. Tentatively, I suggest group dynamics may play a role – and specialized nest boxes are unnecessary.

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SHOW REPOR

THE NATIO

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FEATURE

RTS RECEIVED

ONAL 2014

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THE IRISH FANCY INTERNATIONAL

espite moulting problems The Irish Fancy Section was fairly well supported, 215 birds entered, 135 of those were Champion and 80 Novice birds. They were judged by Mr Thomas O’Regan from County Cork Eire. Thomas Chose a light Variegated Buff Hen owned By M. O’Connor as Best Champion Unflighted & Best Champion. The award for Best Champion Flighted went to a self Yellow Green Hen, which also owned by M O Connor. Bust Novice Unflighted & Best Irish fancy in Show went to a clear Yellow Cock owned by Darren Hadley. Darren also took the award for Best Novice Flighted with a Variegated Yellow Hen.

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Best ladies exhibit went to a Fawn Variegated White Hen owned by Mrs Lynn Gill. The overall standard was very high. This year an award for Best Canary in Show was presented by The Canary Council for Great Britain & Northern Ireland. That award went to a Variegated Buff Fife Fancy cock. On behalf of the Irish Fancy International I would like to thank The Parrot Society UK Officials for their continued support staging The National Exhibition. Rest assured it is greatly appreciated

Regards M. O. Connor

FEATURE

FIFE FANCY CANARY SHOW

he Fife Fancy Canary section at the Parrot Society National Exhibition 2014 attracted an entry of 582 exhibits this year which is excellent considering the reports of a poor breeding season across the country, but it is up on the previous year. Best Fife in show went to the Herd and Sommerville partnership with a variegated green buff cock which led a class of twenty four exhibits before going on to take the Best Champion award and the Best Fife award. This bird displayed a steady posture and showed good type and feather quality throughout the judging. This partnership also claimed the best champion cinnamon award. Close on their heels were the Clark and Gillott partnership winning two of the champion specials with best clear, a beautiful clear buff hen and best heavily variegated, again a beautiful buff hen. R Knowles won the self green special

with a green buff hen and the Green and Stillie partnership took the best white award with a heavily variegated white cock. The novice section was won by G Pepper with a variegated yellow cinnamon cock, and the runner up was F McCartney’s clear buff cock. J Cooper picked up two novice awards with his self green yellow cock and a self blue cock. C Twigg took the best variegated award and G&A Hughes won the best heavily variegated award with a buff hen. Thanks are due to the judges, Steve Cook, Frank Sanderson and Keith and Stuart Roberts for placing the awards. Thanks are also due to the stewards for the smooth running of the show and for erecting and dismantling the staging. The Fife Fancy Federation is extremely grateful to the Parrot Society for organising such an event.

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FEATURE

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BEST UNFLIGHTED CANARY IN SHOW

ife judge Steve Cook took the variegated green buff Fife cock up for the best unflighted canary award to be contested by all the canary sections present at the National Exhibition. Nominated judges were given slips to place their top six exhibits and then points awarded to their particular choice and then all added up. In a nail biting finish three birds tied on 24 points, a clear Border, a clear Irish Fancy and the variegated green buff Fife cock. Independent COM OMJ judge, Kevin

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McCallum, was called in to determine the overall winner, and after much deliberation chose the Herd and Sommerville’s green buff fife cock as best unflighted canary in show. Maurice O’Connor, President of the Canary Council presented the glass trophy to Mr Herd and Mr Sommerville. The Canary Council are proposing to include a best junior unflighted canary award at next year’s National Exhibition. Chris Smith Secretary Fife Fancy Federation Secretary Canary Council

FEATURE

REPORT FROM KEITH JONES

SECTION

EXHIBITS

Sandylands & Argyle Halls Canary’s Irish Canary Fife Canary Gloster Canary Border Canary Old Variety Canary Asso’n & Yorkshire Norwich Canary Canary Colour Breeders Assoc’ Lizard & Blue Lizard Canary British, Native, Mule & Hybrids

215 582 615 370 150 120 200 140 140

Foreign Birds Lovebirds 120 Australian Finches & Waxbills 115 Budgerigars 400 Bengalese Finches 325 Zebra Finches 280 Java Sparrows 140 Keith Jones – National Exhibition Coordinator

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SHOW REPORT BLUE LIZARD CANARY CLUB

he Blue Lizard Canary club had a very successful show with 51 exhibitors benched the highest number ever. It was also a very successful show for the clubs secretary and founder member David Allen who took best Blue lizard canary with a Clear Cap Blue Hen winning the Kevin skinner president trophy and the newly commissions boxed rosette. This bird took best clear cap blue lizard. Best novice Blue lizard and best broken cap blue lizard went to the Mandy & Steve Martin partnership with a Broken cap blue lizard hen they also took second best Novice blue lizard with a clear cap blue hen that was second in the class with the best blue lizard. • Best Non cap blue lizard went to Andy Williamson. • Best over-year Blue lizard went to Stan Bolton with a over-year blue lizard hen.

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I would like to thank Brian Hogg for judging the Blue Lizards. He said it was so nice to see that the Blues being shown in good numbers. The broken cap blue cock was the biggest class with 15 exhibitors in it, this class was won by Andy Williamson. Class winner was as follows. • Class 1 Clear cap Blue cock -Stan Bolton • Class 2 Clear cap blue hen -DTA lizard stud [aka David Allen] • Class 3 Broken Cap blue cock -Andy Williamson • Class 4 Broken Cap blue hen -Steve & Mandy Martin • Class 5 Non Cap blue cock -Andy Williamson • Class 6 Non Cap Blue hen -DTA lizard stud [aka David Allen] • Class 7 over-year Blue cock -DTA lizard stud [aka David Allen] • Class 8 over-year Blue hen -Stan Bolton.

FEATURE

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OLD VARIETIES CANARY ASSOCIATION

he total benched entry for the Old & Rare Varieties Section was 120 exhibits which was down on last years entry but 1 exhibitor failed to send any birds this year. The quality was as ever high.A few birds could have taken the the top award. Best Old Variety was Ian Wrights unflighted Self Green Crested Hen .A worthy winner she showed very good feather quality along with good colour and a very good round,leafy, drooping 44

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crest.Although the crest section was not big this hen could have taken on all comers such was her quality. Congratulations to Ian for staging such a good exhibit. Best Lancashire was won by B.A Hogg with a Flighted Coppy Cock.This was also best Champion Lancashire.The Best Novice Lancashire was exhibited by M.Walker with a Flighted Coppy Hen. This bird also won Best Novice Old Variety.In the Scotch Fancy Section a flighted Piebald headed the section for

FEATURE

good even frilling .This section had big numbers in each class with some good exhibits entered by D. Deans;H.Clarke & Mr & Mrs Brown.

G Brunt, while Donald Skinner-Reid took the award for Best Novice Scotch. Belgian Fancy have never been exhibited in great numbers at the National and have been absent for last few years so it was good to see them again this year. Sadly only one exhibitor benched birds.D Hobart won Best Belgian.Frilled Canaries were down in numbers but in the North Dutch Frill section there were some good exhibits.Competion was high and it was Joe McCabe who came out top in this section.A good exhibit which showed

Rare Varities was also a good section The leading Bird was B. Pawlyszyn`s Variegated White Giboso Espanol.A big bird with good frilling and excellent position.Fiorino Frills were out in numbers and it was a close race for the top spot,however it was D .Allen`s Plainhead hen which took best of breed. In the Japanese Hoso Section C. Smith came out top with a good exhibit.A bird of good position and showed the correct size.Some other exhibits were a bit too large for the breed standard. Of the Rheinlanders B.Toghill won the best of breed award ,a Coppy cock.A lone London Fancy exhibited B.Howlett won the Best Any Other Rare Award. For the Best in Show Award was I.Wright`s Green Crested Hen & B.Pawlyszyn`s Giboso Espanol.Two very good exhibits both of which could have taken the top spot.After some time it was the Giboso which was triumphant and took the award for Best in Show & the G.J. Plumb & J.G. Scott National Memorial Trophy. The OVCA would like to thank all Exhibitors, Stewards and The Parrot Society UK for the 2014 National Exhibition and hope to see you all again next year.

Kevin McCallum

COM / OMJ

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