There seems to be more strays than ever this year. They are one of the biggest problems in the sport. I propose the following solution. Firstly the CU must post the band list on its website with the name and phone number of the owner. This must be done by June 1st for the current years bands.

Secondly, anyone coming into possession of a stray bird can call the registered owner. The registered owner has 24 hours to collect the bird. If the registered owner has not collected the bird within 24 hours or made suitable alternate arrangements agreeable to the finder, ownership of the bird reverts to the finder and the registered owner must pay the finder a $25 disposal fee. Failure to pay is automatic grounds for suspension from your club, combine and the CU until payment is made.

By Davidtichbourne on Friday, August 23, 2002 - 10:52 pm: Edit

Mikev, I would be rich if this was the case, I had 5 strays...so far this year. Reminds of what I have read about other types of pigeon sport, the kit birds like modenas and so forth...idea is for your kit to bring the "stray" home and hold it for "ransom"...

I find the CU website is okay, it's not the most dynamic of sites, but I just lookup the club letters and call there, often works out. But you are right it would be a no-brainer to set up a form so clubs could register and record their band sequences and contact info...things do cost money though.

CU website and directory needs to start to record email ids, sometimes this is easyier and much cheaper for folks than a long distance call.

Club directories help equally as much, one fellow in our club creates a directory on his computer of all the folks in local combines and prints out a copy for us...I used this directory for the 2002 birds so far.

Eventually people will become comfy with computers....but a large part of our pigeon fraternity still prefer the old ways...not that they are luddites or anything...

take care,

Dave.

By Roly on Friday, August 23, 2002 - 11:24 pm: Edit

AYE Mikev and We will all go down the town and collect Barnies, or street ones with bands a make a fortune.
We used to be pretty hot here.. 3 Days to arrange with owner etc. or gey banned.. till the clever boys were capturing all and any thing etc.
Even set up own deliveries - your country is a mite big for that - anyway too mant were being conned.
We still have time limits etc. and can be disceet with other fanciers. Will get banned if upset a member of public... well in theory.

By Ran on Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 08:35 am: Edit

I would gladly pay for any reported birds the problem is most don't bother reporting them, they just drop them in the nearest bin.

By Tommakowecki on Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 09:11 am: Edit

We aleady have a rule in our club. If a member does not pick up a bird or arrange to have it picked up within 3 days(I think) he/she is fined $25 and another closer club member will go get it. Of interest, I had a wounded bird show up 130 miles from me.....It cost me $40 to have a Vet put it down......Normally - from a long way away. I ask the people to feed it for a week and release it.....NEVER had anyone ever say they still had it after that. And from memory - all those did come home. These lost birds are definitely OUR responsibility.

By Terryh on Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 09:56 am: Edit

Last night after birds were basketed, and awaiting trailer pickup, our weekly B/S session centred on "Reported Pigeons". The discussion started, discussing the race from Temagami several years ago, when during a liberation from Temagami, Ont. a freak hail storm struck driving the birds into Lac Temagami. Literally hundreds were found, floating in the Lake, after the storm. Other guys, recalled birds being reported from Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvannia, Illinois and one member had a bird reported in Trinidad(???). Scotty Reid had went to great personal effort to return one members bird from Cape Breton Island. Rembembering that we fly in the Ottawa Valley Combine, in Eastern Ontario Combine.
The winner on the night though, was the member who told, of getting a band reported several years ago by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The band had been removed from the stomach of a 40 lb Muskie. All stories above were guaranteed truths. Hmmmm.
Best Terry

By Davidtichbourne on Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 10:38 am: Edit

Beautiful fish story Terry(except for the poor pigeons), it's so way out there it is probably true. I thought wires, cats and hawks were my only problem...

They let our birds out at 7am and 830am this am from Marten River and North Bay respectively, are the Eastern Ontario Combine guys west of the Ottawa Valley Combine? Do they generally have the same release times and release points?

later,
Dave.

By Roly on Saturday, August 24, 2002 - 12:56 pm: Edit

Costs here £15 $28 us dollars plus per bird to be bought home. Now that isn't a problem for the odd one or two for most. But into days age when the silliness of breeding 80 - 100 or more young birds a high percentage don't want them back. Costs are about to go up about 50%,, should have last Monday.. but we got it changed.
IF one is reported to the RPRA you HAVE to retrieve it or make satisfactory arrangements with the 'Finder' within a few days.
Hence if one wants it back they can have it. Wing stamps are law for RACING the birds with a contact number - phone / address. This is - rightly or wrong it seems not inforced to any great extent. THOUGH it is a requirement that it is so before being allowed to race the birds. The scottish and welsh hardly ever bother. and up North folks also in general. Many are the birds that drop in race rubbered but not stamped. Hence it is generally thought they Wouldn't want the bird back. Also many have it said to them so many time Cull it that they don't bother to report them now anyway. if a loft loses say 50 y/b's x's $50 one can see why.. and also why bother when it will be culled anyway!! I will send a bird up to near it's site if possible.. Otherwise I will report them..... by I am not in the majority by a long chalk. Wing stamp 'Cook slowly over Gas' lol.

By Jeff on Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 10:29 am: Edit

Hi everyone
Thought I'd add something that happened in our club, this year in O/B racing.
We had a lady drive over two hundred miles, to deliver a lost pigeon to it's owner, sadly enough, this bird was passed the saving stage.
It was burnt very badly, I never seen the bird, but the owner said it had all of it's toe's burnt off on one foot, and could see that it's eye's were badly burned, plus other bad burns to the body.
He did put this bird down, after the lady left, as it was beyond saving, and the lady still calls to see how the bird is making out, he tells her it's healing fine. Sometimes little white lie's are Ok.
This lady claims her and a friend were sitting outside, at the mill they worked at, having coffee, when they spotted a large group of pigeons flying over a short distance from them, the problem was, they flow right over one of thoughs big beehive burners that mills use to dispose of waste wood. She said alot of the birds just started dropping out of the sky. They searched around the base of the burner, and only found this one, alive.
Strange, but true.
One more problem to add to the list of lost pigeons.
The day they completely ban these beehive burners, will be a great day for our feathered friends, of all types.
Jeff

By Pigeonpete on Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 10:43 am: Edit

There is a certain subculture which welcomes a stray bird to the loft. Perhaps this may be the flyer's ticket to future success. The policy should be to return the bird to its rightful owner, but as many of us well know, very few flyers are motivated to pickup a missing bird. It's been a harsh environment this season for our pigeons and hopefully if a bird goes down, it will be fortunate enough to be well cared for.

By Billytaylor on Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 01:56 pm: Edit

Wayne Beall had several of his birds burned by flying thru the gas fire flares from oil refineries in Texas City. Dont know how they flew later. Lets race. Bye BillyT

By Tonyd on Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 03:56 pm: Edit

Hi,

I haven't had any pigeons reported by pigeon people in the last three years that I have flown in Toronto. I would like to hear from someone. Anyway I always report the strays that I get but where I am I don't get too many.
At least if you get a stray give it a drink and some food in a box if you don't want it in your loft. Let it rest till the next morning and let it go at least it has a better chance to get home. I saw one guy throw a stray out and the poor thing was tryinmg to drink from the roof vent on the persons house.
The best saying is do to others birds what you would like others to do to your best birds if they ever entered a strange loft.

By Pigeonpete on Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 10:04 pm: Edit

Good point; a friend of mine lost an outstanding grizzle cock several years ago. This bird was always in the clock and had topped the Hamilton Fed. About a week after this bird went missing, the owner received a call from a lady, just outside of Hamilton saying that she had found his bird, exhausted and dehydrated. She had nursed it back to health and wanted to keep it as a pet, but of course the owner made the trip to pickup the bird in question and gave her a pair of youngsters as a thankyou gesture. It's interesting to note that the bird went down less than 25 miles from its loft.

By Mreyesign on Monday, August 26, 2002 - 12:23 am: Edit

That's a good story Pete. But what about the bird in the valley a few years back, that trapped into 5 different lofts around the neighbourhood and all within a few days of the Snow Bird Classic and, the day of shipping, it landed home at it's own loft and was sent to the race. Needless to say, It won the race for Bert Bartoviack and Clay McBeth. The second race in the series is from the same place two weeks after the first. As per the conditions of entry, the bird was sent back but, this time ended up sitting around in a car wash 100 miles past it's loft two day's after the race. A Champion today and a Dud tomorrow. What would the opinions be about such a bird???????

By Pigeonpete on Monday, August 26, 2002 - 10:05 am: Edit

They must have forgot to add the magic ingredient on shipping night, eh?

By Sunset (66.119.34.39 - 66.119.34.39) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 03:24 pm: Edit

I received this email today. Anyone willing to help?

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Quote:

Hi I'm hoping you can steer us in the right direction. My father passed away March 5th and he had six pigeons that he had cared for for years. As far as we know they are just regular pigeons. Once we took them way up north and they came back to his house in Toronto. We are trying to find someone to take them. Someone said we should just stop feeding them and they will eventually go away. We want to find someone to take them as they meant so much to my dad. Do you know of anyone in the Toronto area? Is there a pigeon club? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

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By Davebooth (66.185.85.73 - 66.185.85.73) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 05:04 pm: Edit

Hi Mike:Depends where you live in Toronto;
Scarboro area;John Marles 416-267-0895
West End of Toronto;Frank Pellicore 416-743-9415
Central Toronto;Claude Rothgiesser 416-631-8442
Hope this is of some help.
Bob percival if you read this could you please copy it and reply to the person who sent you the above e-mail.
Thanks
Dave Booth

By Sunset (66.119.34.39 - 66.119.34.39) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 05:21 pm: Edit

Sure will Dave, Thanks

By Sunset (66.119.34.39 - 66.119.34.39) on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 05:45 pm: Edit

A few minutes ago another email this time from a stray pigeon fancier.
Here is part of what he said.

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Quote:

As a boy at the age of 10yrs I raised racing homer Pigeons,up until the age of 17yrs,when my first job took me away from home to work and live on a plantation as an Overseer,hence, I sold off my birds, and I can say that it is the only sport that I really love, having said that. When I arrived home today I saw a pair of Pigeons nesting at the top of my down spout,and it brought back memories,maybe it is because of my 61yrs old,so I said to my neighbour that as soon as the youngsters can fly I will be building a Loft,so decided to surf the web for plans to build a Loft.I was born in Trinidad,W.I. which is all tropical,therefore, have to consider insulating a Loft in Canada,this is when I came across your webpages,anyway,if I decide to raise and fly pigeons again I surely will be contacting you for every bit of information,Sincerely Robert

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By Sunset (216.148.244.38 - 216.148.244.38) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 04:57 pm: Edit

The guy who sent the email is in Alliston, Ont.

Who lives close to him?

By Davebooth (66.185.85.73 - 66.185.85.73) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 05:51 pm: Edit

Hi Bob :Ask Him to call Dave Mortimer 1-705-435-9411 .He lives in Alliston.He may be able to help him out or give him the name of someone who can.

By Sunset (216.148.244.38 - 216.148.244.38) on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 05:56 pm: Edit

Thanks again Dave, I let him know after I post this.

By Sunset (216.148.244.38 - 216.148.244.38) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 04:08 pm: Edit

I reveiced the following today.

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Quote:

Thanks Bob. We took the birds on saturday to Frank, he seemed very nice and is going to hook them up with another fellow who breeds birds. Its a big relief to know that someone is going to care for them. They meant a lot to my Dad. Thanks again for taking the time to answer us and direct us to someone.
Mike

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By Davebooth (66.185.85.73 - 66.185.85.73) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 04:18 pm: Edit

Hi Bob:Glad I could be of some help.Anytime I can be of assistance to promote the betterment of pigeons I am always willing to help.