Does anyone notice a pattern in their Canadian combine this year? Which geographic area within the combine has better returns/(speeds)?

I would be interested in knowing from folks that fly from a northernly (NW to NE) direction, are folks on the west side of your combine generally getting better returns than the fellows on the east?

Reason I ask is that our combine is about 80 miles wide, and the fellows on our west side are doing real well this YB season, I wonder if the case is the same across ontario. Last year things were more distributed from short to the long end with long end doing well.

I only seek to observe the oddness of YB flying patterns..lol...many of these guys doing well do work real hard and have great birds too, but it would be interesting if several combines across the country experienced the same, that is the birds all seem to come home very well (returns/speed) on the west side of their respective routes.

Are folks that are flying East to West getting good returns? ...what about other directions, if any.

By Terryh (64.235.198.76 - 64.235.198.76) on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 02:04 pm: Edit

Dave.
It is an interesting question, but one which can be answered in many ways. I am one of the lofts doing very well this yb season, and, yes, I am furthest west and one of the longest lofts. Even this past weekend, with strong South-West winds, I believe my results were better than a lot of lofts east of me. You might be interested in knowing that distinct families of birds are flying the best for me. At Engelhart this past weekend, I got 3 birds first drop. Two(2) were full brothers. The other loft that is flying well here ,is a buddy that is flying my family of birds and the same ones are scoring for him. Personally, I tend(want) to believe this is the reason and not anything to do with location.
Also, the birds flying the best, are off direct imports from Herman Beverdam and are all Meulemann crosses.
I started with a 50 bird Young bird team and after 300 miles still have around 40 left.

Best Terry

By Roly (62.253.32.5 - 62.253.32.5) on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 03:14 pm: Edit

Seem a bit honest that Terry

By Davidtichbourne (64.230.81.154 - 64.230.81.154) on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 08:18 pm: Edit

Thanks Terry, I don't disagree that every serious flyer has great birds and good management most of the time. (except when his clock runs out of paper like mine did 2 weeks ago)...

I am just wondering about a general pattern across ontario for returns and speeds. Has the west side of each combine flying from generally north to south done "significantly" better this young bird season this year?

And congrats on your efforts/flying by the way, but I will do better next week lol.

Dave.

By Terryh (64.235.198.76 - 64.235.198.76) on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 08:26 pm: Edit

Dave.
One thing very noteworthy this season. Our velocities are the fastest I can recall in 28 years of flying. Both OB's & YB's have been markedly faster. Thus, I am somewhat cautious about getting overly optimistic with this years results. My birds have yet to face the sub 1000 m/pm races that we usually see a couple of.

Best Terry

By Jimm (65.95.227.143 - 65.95.227.143) on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 09:31 pm: Edit

Terry..a few of my birds are sub 1000m/pm..and believe me I would rather have them like yours...lol..ahead.congratulations on a good year
I don't believe the EOC has faster speeds this year in old birds compared to last year..but the short end in old birds did better than last year with the faster races.
Young birds I believe the short end in the combine are down the sheet and the west has done well in a few more races than normal..maybe like your own combine.
One of our own club members is having an excellant young bird season and has topped the combine twice I believe.
I do believe his birds this year are by far in better shape or condition than my own since we live within ??300 meters..and give him full credit to how his birds are coming.
So like youself this year i would have to say in young birds in our Combine the west seems be favoured.
Just my Own thoughts and to add to the discussion.

By Davidtichbourne (64.230.81.154 - 64.230.81.154) on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 11:09 pm: Edit

Thanks Jimm, I bet success feeds on itself too, lofts that do well work harder..too... lol...

There are still 3 race weekends for me, two OVC race weekends and a special La Sarre race.

Later,Dave

By Jimm (64.229.157.167 - 64.229.157.167) on Tuesday, September 09, 2003 - 06:06 am: Edit

David..agree with your statement..also have 3 weekends of flying here..2 club and the OGB.
Am running out of time to turn these little horses around..lol
But will be trying ..success feeds on itself..as you say..I wonder what being behind feeds on??
Myself there always is next year I hope..and as said still 3 weeks to try to inprove which I am also looking forward to.
Also David I still have your Black for the KNSC race this weekend..and if you look at the EOC results he is in there as one of my better birds..lol
Has nothing to do with it being one of the Wife's favourites.
Heaven forbid I drop it.
Yours in the Sport

By Davidtichbourne (64.230.81.154 - 64.230.81.154) on Tuesday, September 09, 2003 - 04:12 pm: Edit

Jimm, I am glad you still have the black, favorites get an extra peanut hear and there in my loft and a little more mercy/rest, and generally survive...lol.

I like the blacks, that black is down from Rick Jadowski's good line of Blacks and a good Janssen racing hen I got from Tom Mackowecki. All the birds that survive my lack of racing management fly well for me, but I fluctuate wildly on the actual young bird results...still learning...lol.

My surviving KNSC bird will not fly this weekend as he had a big hole in one wing after a race, where he lost about 5 secondaries together somehow. It could be because I am not on the darkening system,or he might have had a little problem somewhere. He is almost recovered, but still trails in tosses...he will fly the National YB La Sarre though.

Next year I will try to have 4 or 5 birds to take home with me from the KNSC auction, 2 just isn't enough as I lost one the day after I got home (lol). I will try to bring some real wild colors too as they went really fast at the auction and fetched a hefty premium. I am thinking of trying to breed as silver (barless mealy), and maybe a few attractive grouse-legged reds...lol.

Good luck this weekend!

Dave.

By Roly (62.253.32.5 - 62.253.32.5) on Tuesday, September 09, 2003 - 06:18 pm: Edit

I woudn't be flying him Dave... Best his confidence is restored, as it seems likely it has been shot to ... For if it's not up with and beating nest / loft mates, it aint gong to be beating mine.... hopes fly, but they don't win, nor do justice. I like my birds talking to me too, But I also think I should listen!

By Oscar (149.99.162.131 - 149.99.162.131) on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 08:19 am: Edit

Hey Jimm did you get Dave Ts black from the KNSC Auction race ?? and how did you and Gilligan do ??

By Jimm (65.95.226.81 - 65.95.226.81) on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 09:16 am: Edit

Oscar..I clocked the Black in @08:20:35 Sun. morning.My other one from Hoss I clock @19:20:02 on Sat.
Not too fast but home..never heard the times of the Open Birds but Oshawa had club birds ..I believe after 4 oclock.
Phil did not catch till 1st thing Sunday morning..oops on the roof.
Should have been a bit of a tough one for the east end??
How did you and Dave end up?

By Davidtichbourne (64.230.80.182 - 64.230.80.182) on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 09:38 am: Edit

Good stuff Jimm, I got nearly all my birds back too from our Matheson combine/bond races too, but I only had four day birds, blues and checks. I think I am down 2 now on 24 shipped.

My blacks did okay too but were second day birds, overall this was the first head winds my birds faced so I am happy. I actually had a (mostly) white make it as my first second day bird, but overall my whites were the major thing that was hammered this young bird season, I suspect many of them easily settled elsewhere and are now the neighborhood pigeon getting fatter and fatter with each passing day.

On Sunday I had a HUGE hawk scare all my birds, but the second day birds just dove in as the first day birds circled the loft for a good two hours. This was also the first time my old birds rolled off the roof in a few months, they got a good workout, the hawk was too big and slow that day to get any birds, and I was outside quickly scaring him off...

By Roly (62.253.32.5 - 62.253.32.5) on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 12:58 pm: Edit

Weer I think the next time they face heads winds, let alone cold easterly ones they will take a darn site longer than most........