The effects of the moult
(Internet Published) Oct 2001
This morning, mid September at 8am I released a squadron of 55 high flying
performing Tumblers. All of Black Badged issue, my own strain made to my own
requirements and selectively bred since September 1976 and to the exclusion
of anything else.
Now, August September and October are notoriously poor months for
simultaneous bouts of tumbling or indeed for long periods of high flying.
Racing pigeon and Tippler contest activity comes to a halt in Britain as
from August and until about Easter of the following year.
Nevertheless, the pleasure flying men may continue to fly for their own
entertainment 52 weeks each year, if and when the weather allows.
Personally I find that it is very unusual if I have to detain my squadron
for 3 days consecutively due to adverse weather conditions. Of course, as a
Tumbler man I am not concerned with marathon times and 1 hours continual
observation is quite enough for me. My own standards are that my squadron
maintains a good close formation devoid of any bunch quitters, free thinkers
and early droppers. I do not have a mountain of patience either with pigeons
or people.
On some days during every calendar month my squadron will perform
simultaneous cascades of tumbling. On other days they become devoid of any
kind of mass cascading. A few scrappy individual attempts are all that I
see. Too much wind, too little wind, the wrong kind of wind or the vast
differences in atmospheric conditions are to blame. Therefore, I either
enjoy my daily or twice daily exercises or I tolerate the mediocrity and
thank God that no one else is present to witness the fiasco on bad days.
No kind of feeding or management can over-ride the effects of uncooperative
weather. This morning mid September one of my 5 year old cocks quit the
squadron and dropped on the loft top after 5 minutes of flying. The rest of
the birds held together mostly at 1,000 feet altitude and did pretty well
for this time of year. On examination this cock was found to have his 8th
primary flights in full position in each wing, but the 9th primaries were
retained. Half of his tail feathers were missing plus a lot of head and body
feathers. I'd reckon that he was very sore.
His 9th Primary flights must have had a lot of pressure trying to eject and
make way for the new 9th primaries. The relief was very obvious and on my
3pm fly today that cock flew faultlessly with the squadron. He didn't even
say "Thanks Jack" ...And I not about to introduce a parrot cross! If I did I
would get too many complains.