Night Flying

[goose1]

There seems to be more night fliers on the continent than there used to be, especially in Holland. What's your thoughts on it Mike? Man made lighting must play a part? Although I'll be honest I have very little knowledge of the lay out of the land in Holland. Either way exceptional pigeons to stick at it

[Diamond Dave]

A little known dutchman who won the international Marseille last year, Rieks Lonsaine, is apparantely well set up for night flyers.
Not that I have seen it but I have it on good authority from someone who has, that he has a large garden which along ith his lofts that is floodlit specifically for the purpose and I'm told he even trains into the darkness.

[goose1]

Yes I mean where they've got the benefit of some fom of lighting it's still nigh on 18 hrs on the wing

I always think there's plenty of birds will fly 10 hrs. Less will do 12 hrs. Even fewer have the capacity, breeding, fitness, courage and moivation to stick 14 hrs + on the wing. But nigh on 18 hrs on the wing, you gotta take your hat off to her.

These birds of Ad's on the link below weren't on the wing as long - but look at their arrival times

The first cock was timed at 02:41; and the year before he'd been timed at 01:13 !!

https://www.pipa.be/en/articles/ad-fort ... s-national

I was going to say I'm sure I remember Fortuin clocking a few night fliers last year. He did have a brilliant season.

[king]

Nothing but admiration for the birds & fanciers that can achieve these performances. I recall UK fanciers also doing this also. One fancier that springs to mind was Wilson Noble of Fraserburgh. His great hen 'Black Rocket' was clocked after 17 hours 40 mins to win 1st Section, 11th Open SNFC flying 663 miles.(the race winner flew 178 miles less) Black Rocket was also 9th Fed Avranches 624 miles flying 17 hours 25 mins.
Some of his other performances include a 70% success rate from Palamos some 1,113 miles!

11 sided dice
pick a number between 1 and 6
thirty one your way cube

[Buster121]

Class at it's best

[king]

I wonder how you get the family to fly that length of time without a night out
The mental strength I mean
Not just the physical strength it has to be in there brain to keep going
How do you find a pigeon to race 17 hours and not night out

I've often wondered how many fanciers have given up waiting only for birds to arrive after the fancier has gone. I recall sending to the MNFC yb National some 232 miles. They were up very late and I was one of longest flyers that day. I waited till dark and went inside. A couple of hours after dark I sensed a bird pass the window. I got up and found a bird on the loft. Lucky the curtains were left open.

[goose1]

Get very few arriving after dark up our neck of the woods. There's a town about 20 miles south of us and then after that with the exception of the nuclear power station you've hardly a streetlight. It's pitch black (unless you have moonlight of course) you've nothing but darkness, the fells one side of you, the sea the other, and a strip of land about 3 miles wide (less in places)not to mention a vast number peregrines. I think majority get about 20 miles from home at dusk at don't dare come through. Think the latest I can remember timing was 22:10

[king]

Rubbish.

Agree ANY bird knows how to find water by Instinct. I've never taught birds to find water. Had plenty return on hot days that have been down for a drink. I never even basket trained my YBs to drink when I raced.. If they couldn't copy what the other birds did, they weren't going to find their way home. My losses were no worse than any other fanciers who had basket trained.

[PeteDerby]

Rubbish.

Agree ANY bird knows how to find water by Instinct. I've never taught birds to find water. Had plenty return on hot days that have been down for a drink. I never even basket trained my YBs to drink when I raced.. If they couldn't copy what the other birds did, they weren't going to find their way home. My losses were no worse than any other fanciers who had basket trained.

I’ve got a half acre pond in the garden and, before my loft was built, I’d quite regularly get a visit from a racing pigeon wanting a drink. First time it flew round and round trying to find a landing spot, but there’s tall waterside vegetation all the way around. Eventually it landed on the water itself with its wings splayed out, took a drink and took off again.

Next time it visited a month or so later (it might have been before but I’d not been there?) it just landed straight on the water and took its drink before continuing on its way. Point being it learned how to do that quickly and safely, so maybe training them to do it is not so daft? I don’t know if that’s a common occurrence or just a clever bird?

[king]

Rubbish.

Agree ANY bird knows how to find water by Instinct. I've never taught birds to find water. Had plenty return on hot days that have been down for a drink. I never even basket trained my YBs to drink when I raced.. If they couldn't copy what the other birds did, they weren't going to find their way home. My losses were no worse than any other fanciers who had basket trained.

I’ve got a half acre pond in the garden and, before my loft was built, I’d quite regularly get a visit from a racing pigeon wanting a drink. First time it flew round and round trying to find a landing spot, but there’s tall waterside vegetation all the way around. Eventually it landed on the water itself with its wings splayed out, took a drink and took off again.

Next time it visited a month or so later (it might have been before but I’d not been there?) it just landed straight on the water and took its drink before continuing on its way. Point being it learned how to do that quickly and safely, so maybe training them to do it is not so daft? I don’t know if that’s a common occurrence or just a clever bird?

Many anglers have told me they see MANY pigeons drop down to drink when they are fishing. On very hot days many pigeons are killed on roads, when they mistake them for water, as the tarmac shimmers like water. I've even seen a lone bird circle and drop on the road then watched it then be killed by a car.