NEWS FROM SCOTLAND

Reports by Joe Murphy

Took full advantage of not going to Blackpool by getting some finishing touches done in the loft before I pair the birds up. I’ve taken the grills out and returned to a dry floor where I can scrape out every day and to be honest this is so much easier for me as I have a scraper on a pole and it does not take long to clean out. Plus I received help from Kevin prior to Christmas in putting in new nest boxes and these are lifted 18 inches off the floor so I do not need to bend down to floor level to clean out the boxes. I have tried to make things easier for myself as my knees are playing up something awful and this cold frosty weather does not help them one little bit. I have also put cushion floor in the bottom of each of the nest boxes and this will be a lot easier to clean out as well. Today I’ve washed out my Norban containers which I use in each box to feed and water the birds plus I have others that I put grit and minerals and all these little jobs must be done prior to pairing up. I have also been going over my pairs once again on paper and I can’t wait until I pair them up, but I’m waiting on Kevin putting his birds together as I normally move my stock birds’ eggs and put them under his race team. However this year we have the added problem of him breaking the birds to the new loft so we are thinking that if they rear a baby first in the new loft then the bond will be there prior to letting them out. We have had a problem this past week or so as Kevin has caught a virus and has been completely floored, so much so that he has been in bed all week, so it is just as well we had not booked for Blackpool. 

Mark Gilbert and Kevin Murphy

Good SNFC Birds

I have covered the 2014 Silver and Gold Award winners however there as still some outstanding pigeons that deserve a little publicity for their efforts at National level and this week I highlight 3 birds from Fife with the first 2 from the loft of Jimmy Mackie of Leven with a his blue chequer cock GB09S 37368. In 2011 he flew Eastbourne but never made the open result. In 2012 he won 49th section C 354th open Cheltenham from an entry of 3780 birds and he was then sent to Maidstone national and won 55th C 207th open from 3442 birds. The following year 2013 he was again sent to Maidstone and won 26th C 83rd open from 4855 birds then went to Clermont where he won 24th C 56th open from 1500 birds. Then last year he won 42nd C 188th open Buckingham 2941 birds. So this cock will be going for a Bronze Award in 2015 so here’s wishing Jimmy well with him. His second pigeon is also a blue chequer cock GB09S 37368. He has flown Maidstone 3 times winning the following positions: 2012 he won 326th open from 3442 birds, then in 2013 he won 50th section C 159th open from 4855 birds and in 2014 he won 100th C 421st open from 4472 birds. He has also been over the channel twice and in 2013 he won 171st open Ypres from an entry of 2356 birds then in 2014 he won 4th C 12th open Clermont from an entry of 1169. Well done to Jimmy on the performances of these 2 very good pigeons.

My next pigeon belongs to Brian Chalmers of Kennoway, Fife with a blue bar hen SU 09 F 1408. She has won 6 times in the national, 3 from Inland races and 3 from over the channel. Her performances are as follows: as a 2 year old in 2011 she won 22nd section C 103rd open Eastbourne from 4568 birds, and she was then sent to Ypres and won 212th open from 2347 birds. The following year she won 52nd section C 380th open Cheltenham from 3780 birds and again went to Ypres winning 24th section C, missing the open result with 1707 birds competing. In 2013 she scored from Clermont winning 31st C 68th open from an entry of 1500 birds and last year she won 15th C 88th open Buckingham with 2941 birds competing. She could win a Silver Award if she gains another section prize from over the channel and could even obtain a Bronze Award if she wins a section prize in 2 of the inland national races. Again another quality pigeon raced into the Kingdom of Fife and I wish Brian well with his hen and will watch the forthcoming national results in 2015 to monitor her progress. I will continue to check the Scottish national results and highlight these good pigeons until the racing season starts in April.

Joe’s Joke

Before I give you a laugh I have to thank all the people who have been sending in jokes, however some are too ‘near the bone’ and the girls at the office would be offended and not print them. So can you please keep them ‘clean’ and suitable for a family weekly? A painter by the name of Murphy, while not a brilliant scholar, was a gifted portrait artist. Over a short number of years, his fame grew and soon people from all over Ireland were coming to the town of Doolin in County Clare to get him to paint their likenesses. One day, a beautiful young English woman arrived at his house in a stretch limo and asked if he would paint her in the nude. This being the first time anyone had made such a request he was a bit perturbed, particularly when the woman told him that money was no object. In fact she was willing to pay up to £10,000. Not wanting to get into any marital strife, he asked her to wait while he went into the house to confer with Mary, his wife. In a few minutes he returned. "T'would be me pleasure to paint yer portrait, missus," he said "The wife says it's okay. I’ll paint ya in da nude all right, but I have to at least leave me socks on so I have a place to wipe me brushes."

And another one...

A woman was in bed with her lover when she heard her husband opening the front door. 'Hurry,' she said, 'Stand in the corner.' She rubbed baby oil all over him, then dusted him with talcum powder. 'Don't move until I tell you,' she said. 'Pretend you're a statue.'   'What's this?' The husband enquired as he entered the  bedroom, 'Oh it's a statue,' she  replied. 'The Smiths bought one and I liked it so I got one for us, too.'  No more was said,   not even when they went to bed.  Around 2am the husband got up, went to the kitchen and returned with a sandwich and a beer. 'Here,' he said to the statue, 'have this, I stood like that for two days at the Smiths and nobody offered me a bloody thing.'  

Nigel Langstaff, Ian Crammond and Kevin Murphy.

Please continue to keep the news flowing: to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY1 4BD or phone 01592 770331 or Email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. REMEMBER THE J IN THE MIDDLE.

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