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Solway Parrot Club's Next meeting : Sun. Jan 13th 2008 10:30a.m. Waverton Village Hall DEFROSTING YOUR BIRDS WATER DURING THE FREEZING WEATHER (Dec 07) I know I'm
probably telling "my Grandmother how to suck eggs" but just in case you
are having difficulty defrosting Boil a kettle of
water and pour some onto the top of the frozen water in the Birds' water
Drinkers & Baths
BIRD BREEDING CHARTS (Dec 07)
I know a lot of you will be starting to
think about selecting your birds for the start of the Breeding Season and
once Xmas
With this thought in mind, I have
formulated a Breeding Chart, which I hope may be of use to any
of you who like to keep Breeding Records of your Birds.
i.e. when they lay, how many eggs, when they start to sit and details what hatches and of the youngsters etc.,
I have put a page on the website for you to
use - or not - I hope some of you may find it useful.(Click
here or
see link above)
If you wish to print out the Chart - simply
highlight it, go to File, press "print" > Select the "Selection" choice
and click "print". This should ensure that it's just the Chart that is
printed out and not the whole page.
If you find this sort of thing useful -
please let me know and I can create a Pedigree Lineage Chart
(i.e. Your Birds' Family Tree) so you can fill it in ~
from chicks parents to great-grandparents. Which is quite useful to have to
study colours. genes and traits in your birds etc., You can then see which
bird is related to which and which carry good and bad traits etc.
*
* AC HUGHES ~ Bird Ring Manufacturer have specified DARK BLUE for
their 2008 colour
We decided
to hold a
Members Sale Day
to give you all a chance to either move on the odd bird you don't need The Morning went well with
quite a few birds arriving to be sold and a good turn out of people coming to
buy. I personally had a
distasteful experience,
where a potential member rang me a few days prior to the Sale and asked if I had
certain birds for Sale. I said I had. He ordered them to be delivered to
him at this Sale Day. We agreed a price and I asked for payment in advance
to ensure that they were indeed "sold" as I had someone else enquiring. I
was assured that they were definitely sold - he "couldn't find a cheque book" to
send a cheque in advance but would def come and collect the Birds and pay on the
day. There were a few phone calls and a few emails of confirmation
involved too. So, to my mind this was a definite verbal contract of Sale. This is not what I expect of Solway Parrot Club members and def. leaves a sour taste in my mouth esp. I rushed around catching birds b4 the Sale - the birds would be stressed out too at being caught, transported there & transported back again.
Now's the time to start thinking about
renewing your Membership for 2008 Click here to go
to the S.P. MEMBERSHIP FORM > highlight it >
Print out > Fill in > send to me with a S.A.E for
Avian
Influenza H5N1
confirmed on Suffolk/Norfolk border
(13
November
2007)
If
you need advice on Avian Flu please call the Update 12:45p.m. 23 November 2007 The Ban on Bird Gatherings, Shows and Pigeon Racing has been lifted
Except within the Restricted, Surveillance and Protection Zones in Suffolk
and Norfolk
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CLUB NEWS & Chat 
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18th November Speaker |
We had a good Meeting today, with
45
members attending,
to listen to Alan Head who brought loads of
really old curios esp. old fashioned Irons and other
Victorian +/- household items. It was a really
entertaining morning - he can spin some really
amusing yarns, even when he doesn't mean to be
humerous (& that takes some doing!) - those who
didn't attend missed a good Talk!
We all enjoyed Pie
and peas (courtesy of the Club) at lunchtime.
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| 28th
October Speaker |
Sam
Williams with Louise Prowse from Parrot Link came to
give us a very interesting talk supported with a Slide
Show. He told us about the Project he's working on in
Bon Aire (in the Caribbean) Trying to help preservation of the Yellow shouldered Amazon Parrot (Barbadensis). This is an endangered species of Parrot + other Parrot species in the wild that are in danger of extinction. They are helping preserve the Nest Sites that are rapidly disappearing becos of climate and de-forestation. We are holding our Raffle of Pledges to cover the donation of £200 we gave to PARROT LINK - the balance of the Raffle's Takings will be donated to our LOCAL AIR AMBULANCE |
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| 23rd
September Speaker |
Meeting was a tremendous success
with 54 Members and
guests attending to
listen to: **ERIC PEAK : TALENTED BIRD ARTIST BIRD ENTHUSIAST AND AUTHORITY + LAS VEGAS DRAG QUEEN in his Spare Time! EVERYONE was WELCOME TO THE ERIC PEAK MEETING FREE PIE & PEA LUNCH + home-baked cakes (Courtesy of Pat C. - well done Pat - lovely). The pies and peas went down a treat too)! Thanks to all of you who helped in the Kitchens. It was decided that Andrew Wappett would make someone a super "house-husband" - he did a sterling job on the washing up! Eric didn't disappoint and gave graphic talk on "Colours in Birds", supported by a superb slide show incorporating some of his drawings and paintings of Birds. It was often difficult to distinguish them from the real thing, they were so life-like!! His quick wit kept everyone enthralled and even held the attention of the Junior members present - no mean feat! He also brought a selection of Prints of his Bird Drawings to sell. Part of the proceeds from the sale of these Prints were also donated to his chosen Charity - Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease Research Facility in Texas, USA. We held a "Bottle Draw" to raise money for his main chosen Charity - "Parrot Fund International" We raised a fantastic £180 and a cheque was presented to Eric at the end of the Meeting Well done to all of you who participated and to those who donated the "Bottles" for the Draw We welcomed another 3 New members into the Club. We just keep going from strength to strength as a Club. |
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| 2nd
September Sale Day |
SANDS SALE
DAY in Carlisle. We had good attendance figures
and were well supported with Exhibitors and Trade
Stalls. The Tombola stand also did well. |
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| 19th August |
Another Super turn-out for this meeting to discuss the forthcoming
Sale Day |
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| 17th
June Speaker |
Speaker John McGough This meeting was very well attended with 46 members turning up to enjoy John's Talk about his own Breeding Season and then a fun Quiz - which went down very well with everyone. |
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| 20th
May Speakers |
We had an excellent turn-out for the Meeting. Michael
& Richard Miller-gave a talk on:
Keeping, Feeding and Breeding Show Budgies. They are Champion Breeders & won Best in Show at Budgie Society Show 2006. Michael talked on Breeding and Richard on Feeding. This was a fantastic Meeting with two very knowledgeable Speakers, who both knew their subject inside out and were good enough to share their knowledge, methods and feeding regimes with us. Those of you who didn't come missed a very informative Talk. |
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| 15th
April Members Sale Day |
Members
Hobby Day where Members could bring surplus birds
for Sale in the Village Hall. All Bio-security
Measures to be in force. |
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| 11th
March Vet Speaker |
We had an
excellent turnout to listen to "Vicki the Vet" (Vicki
Temple Avian Vet from Millcroft's Vet Practice) who
came to give us a very informative talk supported with a
Powerpoint slide show on diseases that can be passed to
our birds via common vermin. Mice are a real problem - they trickle urine wherever the go, Get in your birds feed dishes, contaminate and eat your birds seed and do droppings everywhere! They can get thru the smallest of Aviary mesh too!! |
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| 18th
February 2nd Meeting of 2007 Speaker
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What a
fantastic Turnout!!
53 Members
came to listen to
Peter McGough's enthralling Talk and Slide show on Birds of
Costa Rica. This is our best attendance figure to date ever
and that was excluding the 10 regular Members who sent in their
apologies. |
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SPARROW HAWK PROBLEMS (Sept 07)
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A friend had a nasty shock the other day and found 3 dead birds in 3 separate Aviaries - all had blood on them
as if they had been attacked! -
She couldn't work it out at all, as all were fit and well the day before.
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Then yesterday she heard a commotion and went to investigate, only to find a Sparrow Hawk "dancing" on the top of an open meshed part of one of the Aviary roofs, trying to get it's claws thru and "click-hold" of one of the panicking occupants!!
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Thank goodness the Mesh on the open part of the roof was double-meshed or I think he may have succeeded in causing another fatality!
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She crept up and as the Hawk was so occupied with trying to catch the birds - it didn't see her and she bashed up under the roof where it was with a broom handle - so hope it remembers the "shock" and stays away.
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The dead birds were all in Aviaries that had open sides but not an open roof - so just shows the ingenuity of these Birds of Prey
If anyone has any suggestions to use as a deterrent it would be appreciate!
-
Someone suggested a Plastic Owl or Bird of Prey
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or use a Mirror, then the bird sees itself and thinks it's another bird of Prey.
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Make sure the whole Aviary is Double Meshed - not always an easy or cheap solution
Managed to find a 20" Plastic Owl
that apparently is sold specifically to deter birds of Prey from
T.W.RELPH, Agricultural Merchants, based just outside Penrith, Cumbria -Tel:
01768 865 655 (£14ea)
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Will let u know how it works.
Or you could get a cat like the one below!!
You can get these "little Parrots with wings" that spin round with the wind.
I have these on our Aviary and it seems to work to deter Birds of Prey.Can't stress how much double meshing saves these Aviary birds.It doesn't have to be expensive mesh - even chicken wire does as long as it is tight. > > Eliz - Scotland. - ^top
BIRD THEFT
(Details on Birds Lost
& Stolen page)
S.P. Club Member, John Mcgough of Coanwood, Haltwhistle, has had
birds stolen
Sunday night / early morning Mon. 2nd-3rd Sept - (the
night of Sands Sale Day).
An info: John's email address is : rfmcramshaw@aol.com and his phone No. is (01434) 322 329
Another S.P. Club member
reports the following
(Details on lost & stolen page)
2 THEFTs OF RARE WATER BIRDS, DUCKS AND
GEESE
Rare Breeds were stolen in 2 separate incidents, from an address
in Hayton, Cumbria, during last fortnight in August.
Meeting 23rd September was a
tremendous success with 54 Members and guests attending to
listen to:
BIRD ENTHUSIAST AND AUTHORITY
+ LAS VEGAS DRAG QUEEN in his Spare Time!
EVERYONE was WELCOME TO THE ERIC PEAK MEETING
FREE PIE & PEA LUNCH + home-baked cakes (Courtesy of Pat C. - well done Pat - lovely)!
NON-MEMBERS £1 on the Door (inc. Lunch)
Eric didn't disappoint and gave graphic talk on "Colours in Birds", supported by a superb slide show incorporating some of his drawings and paintings of birds. It was often difficult to distinguish them from the real thing, they were so life-like!!
His quick wit kept everyone enthralled and even held the attention of the Junior members present - no mean feat!
He also brought a selection of Prints of his Bird Drawings to sell
part of these proceeds were also donated to a Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease Research Facility in Texas, USA.
We held a "Bottle Draw" to raise money for his chosen Charity - Parrot Fund International
We raised a fantastic £180 and a cheque was presented to Eric at the end of the Meeting
Well done to all of you who participated and to those who donated the "Bottles" for the Draw
We recruited another 3 Members into the Club - we just keep going from strength to strength!
Solway Parrot Club's
Chairman David C. presenting Eric Peake with a Cheque for
£180 to go to his chosen Charity
Parrot
Fund International
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▼
▼
Click on the
photos to enlarge
▲
David C. presenting
Sam Williams of
Parrot Link with a
Cheque for £200
(with Louise Prowse also of Parrot Link, looking on)
that is in endangered in the Wild. He works on the Caribbean Island of Bon Aire.
^ Top
SANDS SALE DAY (Sun 2nd September 2007)
- We had a brilliant Sale Day, at the Sands Centre, Carlisle.
- Nice to see a lot of friendly, familiar faces!!
- It was a really good turn-out of people and birds. Weather could have been better.
- Not quite as many parrot-like as some people would have liked - but a good selection, all the same.
- The Tombola did exceptionally well - so thank you to all the members who donated Tombola Prizes.
- Also, thanks to the Ladies (Jan, Brenda and Pat) who gave their free time to man the Tombola Stand.
- Also, thanks to all the "Stewards", Army Cadets, Door men and those manning the Catching pens.
- Without all these volunteers the Sale couldn't happen.
- Also, those who gave their time the night before to help
set-up and those who stayed behind after the Sale to help
clear-up.
THANK YOU!!
- S.P. Member,John Watson, did a sterling job and spent a lot
of his day at the Sale, collecting names and signatures
for the Petition :
- These have been sent to Cage & Aviary Birds, who will send them to the Government to help save our Sales and Shows
- he collected 136 signatures
- together with the 50 I sent in a couple of weeks ago, collected from Members attending the last Meeting,
- We have a creditable
186
signatures to voice our objections.
- C&A are doing an Article on the
Club 6th Sept. issue page 3
SPRING SANDS BIRD SALE DAY - Booked for Sun. 24th Feb. 2008 Doors Open to the Public 10a.m.
To Book Tables for SOLWAY
PARROT & F. B. Club, Spring SANDS SALE, CARLISLE
Tel:
Robbie Young
01900 822 136 for Trade Tables
Email:
cooleye1977@hotmail.com
Tel:
Peter Osgood 01698 342 444 for Members Tables
Email:
petersparrots1@blueyonder.co.uk
All further info on The Sale Day and Directions to get there etc., Go to Club Calendar Page << Click
- The BREEDERS DIRECTORY is really taking off now and we are getting more Breeders adding their details and others making enquiries looking for birds and Breeders.
- - We had 260 Hits already in the first 3days - so let me have your details if you wish to be added.
- - 690 Hits by
21st Sept (21 days) 1070 by 9th Oct (39 days)
and growing
- - feel free to get in touch whether you are a member of the Club or not
- Any Breeder (except Commercial ones - i.e. Dealers) are welcome to add their details onto the Site for FREE!
- You can put as many details or as few as you wish about your Name & location etc.,
- You just really need a contact number and an email address if you have one.
- I know, sadly that there are crooks out there and we all have to be careful.
- Have a look and see what others have put then send me your details and the Birds you Breed.
CAGE & Aviary did a good article on our
BREEDERS DIRECTORY
in issue - 13th September - it brought a lot of phone calls and
emails from interested Breeders!
STAFFORD & NEWARK BIRD SALE TRIPS (BUS
TIMETABLE & PICK-UP POINTS
** Usual
Co-ordinator/Organiser : Alan P 01228
541 497 Email: member@apennington5.wanadoo.co.uk
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MOOTA
5:45 a.m. WIGTON 6:00 a.m. CARLISLE 6:15 a.m. PENRITH 6:30 a.m. |
Please be at
your chosen pick-up point 10 mins b4 bus due No birds allowed on bus in cardboard boxes - bring or buy a wooden cage/box - Put yr Name & address on it. Keep any goods in carrier bags on the bus with you don't put in boot - to prevent any loss.
I will leave these details of Pick-up times and
info on Cages etc., on this page, for future Trips. |