Flying around home V training

[Andy]

I know it’s a topic that we often talk about and our ideas are different, but it’s the sort of thing that we would discuss in detail if sat together in a pub or club house and always interesting to hear others ideas.
I was watching my birds, and in particular my youngsters flying this evening. By the time I let them out at around 3pm the wind had got up quite a bit. When let out the sky was fairly clear and the birds went really high. I see them doing large circles in the sky. Because of the wind they would shoot off one way with the wind behind them at quite a speed, then turn into the wind and you could see them flying hard against the wind before once again turning with the wind behind them and shooting across the sky. I was thinking about what they were doing as far as exercising was concerned. The effort they were putting in flying against the wind was apparent then they would turn and almost glide with the wind. I thought this is really working those muscles and building fitness and stamina. I also think that when they take off from the loft or roof, which they do many times during the 3 hours they are out, also strengthens the muscles because of the effort and power needed to take flight. Compare this to a training toss of say 30 minutes. They have the initial effort to leave the basket and get airborne and moving. If released in a headwind they will have to work the whole way home, often flying low to get a bit of shelter from the wind. If released in a tail wind they wouldn’t have to make much effort at all. So in someways you would be better to train from what ever direction makes them fly into a headwind. But this would mean that they would never get any real height to observe the surrounding area so picking out landmarks. This is why I feel that flying well around home gives them the benefit of all these things.

[Murray]

Very good post and very good points, Andy.

I totally agree with you, the work they do around the loft is the basis of the whole thing. I know what you mean about them flying on a windy day. I love watching them working hard against the wind, then turning and racing back down wind, then back upwind.....It's really developing the heart and the muscles.

I am in favour of road training, to teach them to leave the liberation quickly, and to increase the tempo at which they fly. But they must be properly fit first. When they are in top health and very fit they will do just what you were saying. They will go up high and race up and down against the wind. Or do figure 8's back and forth around a distant point, or start taking off in a straight line, out of sight

If they are just flying circles around the roof tops, they are not fit and I don't think the health is right. I was talking to a mate the other day about the number of pigeons being lost these days. He said it's because people breed too many pigeons and toss them when they aren't ready. I think he's right. Years ago if you lost 50 pigeons from a toss it would be a catastrophe. Now, they still have another 150 in the shed. It's all about taking the work out of it. They breed as late as possible so they don't have to worry about the moult, and these little things are sent on the road in huge flocks. By the law of averages some will survive.

I am like you Andy, I like to know every pigeon, and want to see them flying with gusto and enthusiasm. We may have different ideas on training, but that's only details.

[Buster121]

Good interesting comments and all true from both of you

[killer]

I believe it’s a combo of loft & road work ,too much loft work ,they then tend when in the truck ,come out & fly around the truck as if at home ,too much time lost at race point = a slow race ,

[Murray]

I believe it’s a combo of loft & road work ,too much loft work ,they then tend when in the truck ,come out & fly around the truck as if at home ,too much time lost at race point = a slow race ,

That's how I look at it too, killer.

Some years ago when we first moved to Bendigo I went out with a couple of the local blokes to one of their Sunday morning club tosses. At 11 am they were released and about 1000 green pigeons flew round and round and round. Then they started heading towards town, but still going round and round. Then two falcons ploughed into them and chased them all over the sky.

I decided then that that was not for me.

A couple of years later I had my own pigeons and entered my first race in Bendigo. For the week before I took the small team 25 kilometres every day. By the Friday they were jumping from the box and heading straight home. On the Saturday I won the race by an hour. The liberator said that when he let them go they circled around, except for a small bunch that took off up the road.
The first pigeon is one called The Diver, and he repeated the performance the next two weeks as well.

The pigeons were obviously fit and well, but they had been taught to jump and go. I think that's the benefit of tossing.

Diver is 8 years old now, and he is still here

[Buster121]

Well done that bird and you, what a nice bird as well

[Murray]

Yep, he is a terrific pigeon. Very intelligent.

[Murray]

I was having doubts about how old the Diver actually is, so I picked him up this afternoon, probably for the first time in a year. I checked the ring and he is actually 9 years old

Still a lovely pigeon.

[Andy]

He is a nice looking bird. The only thing I would say is that of course I’m only interested in long distance races so things are a bit different.

[Murray]

Yes indeed.