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Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2024 11:54 am
by Diamond Dave
I have really enjoyed reading this thread - so thanks to every one that has contributed.
I knew nothing about the eyesign principle but its good to know what other people look for.
I dont think I will be using it but like most fanciers when handling birds, I always like to look into the eye.
There is one question I would ask of you Andy, which is -h- is there anything that you can see in the eye that relates to health issues, perhaps current or maybe historical....?

Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2024 1:05 pm
by king
Devo1956 wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:49 pm
king wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:23 pm Here's 4 eyes from some British birds from over 40 years ago. You won't find birds like them today. No birds alive today in the UK, Belgium or Holland have achieved what they have done. What's your views?
Image Image
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Top Left. Raced by Geroge Ogilvie & Sons Dundee.
3784 Blue Cheq hen bred in 1974.
Flew Palamos (1,043 miles) as a two year old in 1976 winning 17th Section E, 304th Open BBC and 6th in the Scottish 1000 mile club. In 1977 it was back to Palamos again, this time to win 2nd Scottish 1000 Mile Club, 6th Section E, 100th Open BBC. She also Won 1st club, 7th Fed Longtown, 1st club, 11th Fed Penrith, 1st club, 4th Fed Lancaster.
In all 3784 flew Palamos 3 times 1,043 miles, taking jumps of 790 miles & One of 830 miles when racing from Spain(she never ever raced from France)


Top Right. Raced by Bert Stewart, Carnoustie.
0014 Mealy Hen 'Betty's Delight' bred in 1970.
Flew Avranches 545 miles in 1972, Nantes 642 miles 1973, Pau 913 miles 1974. 4th Section E, 151st Open BBC Palamos 1,041 miles in 1975. 1st Scottish 1000 Mile Club, 4th Section E, 129th Open BBC Palamos. in 1976. Rested in 1977. 1st bird into Scotland, 1st Section E, Palamos in 1976. 3 x Palamos 1,041 miles.

Bottom Left. Raced by J Alexander of Monifieth.
3225 Mealy Cock. Bred in 1971. Flown Avranches 540 miles twice, Rennes 580 miles. Unraced in 1977 trained once at 60 miles four weeks before the race and jumped 983 miles into Palamos 1,043 miles. This was obviously adequate as 3225 went on to win 1st Scottish 1000 Mile Club, 1st Section E, 68th Open BBC Palamos flying 1,043 miles.

Bottom Right. Bred by D & S Smith of Dunning.
Blue Cheq Hen bred in 1973 'Dunning 40' At 16 weeks old this hen flew BBC Rennes YB Nat flying 572 miles. In 1974 Rennes as yearling 572 miles. 1975 Nantes 634 miles. In 1976 from Palamos 29th Scottish 1000 Mile Club, 43rd Section E, 375th Open BBC Palamos 1,039 miles.

If anybody is interested I've some others I can post.

Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2024 4:00 pm
by king
NeilA wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2024 3:06 pm What kind of birdage went to Palamos in 1974
Only ask to see if the birds just homed or raced I know that isn’t what your into but for me say 400 went and a bird was 150th flying 100 miles more and I get that this makes me unpopular but that’s homed and could be 2 days behind where it needed to be home to win so just wondered if you could add the birdage
Not to have a fall out just to have a bit of a idea
The Open positions Neil were the BBC Open positions so these 1000 mile birds were flying against the lads on the South coast. Some birds were flying 350/400 miles further than the first drop.
In 1973 328 members sent 702 birds. The winner Reg Churchill flew 657 miles v627ypm. The first 1000 mile bird was 1st E, 27th open v155ypm. (section E included birds flying 200 less)

The 1974 race saw 432 members sending 1,023
The 1975 race saw 392 members sending 923 birds The winner was Trever Dodd Taunton flying 694 miles on v860ypm the first 1000 mile bird was Alan Raeside, Irvine flying 1,010 miles on 674.5ypm winning 3rd section E, 56th open. This bird is current The British 1000 Mile Record Holder. I've a photo somewhere of his bird.

In the 1975 race over 30 birds were verified in the Scottish 1000 Mile Club.

Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2024 4:20 pm
by king
king wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2024 4:00 pm
NeilA wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2024 3:06 pm What kind of birdage went to Palamos in 1974
Only ask to see if the birds just homed or raced I know that isn’t what your into but for me say 400 went and a bird was 150th flying 100 miles more and I get that this makes me unpopular but that’s homed and could be 2 days behind where it needed to be home to win so just wondered if you could add the birdage
Not to have a fall out just to have a bit of a idea
Yes some birds were days behind just like they are today, up until Mark Gilbert clocking on the day from Barcelona, NO bird has ever been clocked over 650 miles to the South coast. No bird still has ever been clocked on the day from Palamos. So if the leading birds are taking 2-3 days to arrive down on the South coast, it's no surprise those flying half as far more to take even longer. Even Marks record breaking performance of 698 miles on the day from Barcelona is some 50 miles less than the UK record of 748 miles on the day by Brian Denney from Tarbes.

The Open positions Neil were the BBC Open positions so these 1000 mile birds were flying against the lads on the South coast. Some birds were flying 350/400 miles further than the first drop.
In 1973 328 members sent 702 birds. The winner Reg Churchill flew 657 miles v627ypm. The first 1000 mile bird was 1st E, 27th open v155ypm. (section E included birds flying 200 less)

The 1974 race saw 432 members sending 1,023
The 1975 race saw 392 members sending 923 birds The winner was Trever Dodd Taunton flying 694 miles on v860ypm the first 1000 mile bird was Alan Raeside, Irvine flying 1,010 miles on 674.5ypm winning 3rd section E, 56th open. This bird is current The British 1000 Mile Record Holder. I've a photo somewhere of his bird. Alan also had the 2nd ever fastest 1000 mile bird when in 1988 his Mealy grandson of 'The Coqueror' was 1st section E, 5th open Palamos flying 1,010 miles. Also the nestmate of 'The Conqueror' was herself 7th into Scotland from Palamos in 1977 and 1st Scottish 1000 Mile Club, 2nd into Scotland from Palamos 1,010 miles in 1978.

In the 1975 race over 30 birds were verified in the Scottish 1000 Mile Club.

Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2024 4:41 pm
by king
The birds sent then were a lot better than now it seems and the bird age was

Now them races seem to just be a Kent club or 80 percent are from there it’s not really a national now

Why would that be king ? Obviously decline in the sport but was there more northern marking stations as transport links are better now
Them positions are decent where now you can be 2/3 days behind and get in the result
I once sent a old plodder to Barcelona my only time the race was won on the Sunday I had Monday off and nothing in the Tuesday after I got home from work he was there I didn’t bother to verify and found out he would have been about 30th to me he was 2 days behind but now you see people proud of these things it looks like in the 70’s they were much more competitive all over the uk
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Decline in members is the reason without doubt. My old club held open races that attracted over a 1000 birds with over 70 members sending! around 30 miles of me I could name up to 10 fanciers that had clocked birds in the first 10 at Pau/Tarbes flying over 700 miles. A fancier some 20 mile away that had clocked from Rome of 1000 miles. 3 members with 20 miles of me that had won the Queens Cup from Lerwick. It's nothing like today a handful of fanciers all sending big teams clocking everything that drops. My local clubs send just to the coast now and they still have strange races more so with YBs.
Although I don't race now, I'm glad I did race when there was some real competition, not beating lots of birds but beating lots of members. One year 1989 my club had 18 different winners from 24 races.

Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2024 5:31 pm
by king
NeilA wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2024 5:01 pm Do Scottish fancier still send to these 750 miles races with the bbc etc
No they were popular in the 70s & 80s more so the 70s. A guy in Edinburgh had a go a couple of years ago but didn't clock. The fanciers that did send are long gone now.

Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2024 7:05 am
by Diamond Dave
Thanks for sharing your knowledge Andy - all very interesting.

Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2024 8:20 am
by Diamond Dave
For Andy, is this what you mean about the colour showing through

Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2024 8:31 am
by Diamond Dave
Thanks lads the text in the pic post was just to test.
Thanks everyone.
My question for Andy was - is this where you like to see the colour showing through to select your breeders?

Re: Any Eye Sign Specialists

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2024 11:48 am
by Diamond Dave
Brilliant Andy - every day is a school day!!
So, saying that Neils picture is ok as a breeding eye, what sort of eye would you be looking for to compliment it and moreover, what would not compliment it.
I appreciate that the whole thing is much more complex than what you are posting but I would like to understand
the basic principles to check out my own birds.