J_Star
12 posts
Jun 18, 2005
7:54 PM
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Over fly, I've heard of it and read about it and didn't think it will ever happen to me!! Sadly to say that I have experienced it yesterday. The weather was just fine, the sun was shining and the wind was calm around 6 o'clock in the evening. I came from work and let my kit fly for their usual fly. I worked on those birds for two seasons and weeded out the mediocers to have a well established kit that don't bump and have good style and frequency so that I can start breeding from only the best birds... I thought that was a good plan... When they were let out yesterday, within the first 10 min, they were so high and kept on going up and up until they can not be seen. The wind current in the sky must have been high and lifted the birds up, but sadly I did not know. They did not come back last night and I had a feeling that I am going to lose them. I couldn't sleep last night. I felt so helpless. During the winter the hawks did me pretty bad and I lost a complete kit for them and now my best kit is gone. This morning only two birds came in. They were extremely tired and very thirsty. They must’ve been flying all night long. Around 10pm last night, the heavy clouds moved in and started raining. Poor birds, I let them down. If I have known that the wind current was so traitorous in the open sky, I would never have let them out. Now I am going to start all over again and two years is down the drain.
I must've asked myself yesterday and today a hundred times, is this it for the rollers and me? Two years I worked with them just for one fly to loose them all. Now I know how anybody feel when they experience their over fly. I will never wish it on anybody. I lost rollers in the past but I did not get upset as I did yesterday, those were my best birds...There goes the NRBC fall fly competition for me this year. Time to start all over again. Now I am asking myself how many times a rollerman will get up and dust himself and continue on. Oh well...
Jay
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Alan Bliven
182 posts
Jun 18, 2005
11:08 PM
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I've also lost half of the birds I got from Danny. Some died from canker, predators and others from flying away.
Just the other day I had one knucklehead that wouldn't come down with the kit. It just kept flying, I tried calling it down and it came down to house top levels but wouldn't land. An hour later I sent up another bird to go with it and it just flew higher and higher. 4 hours later it was still flying around and it got dark and was gone.
Next time I'll buy some of his best breeders so I can breed my own and won't have this problem. I wish I would have done that in the first place. I don't even have enough left for a kit now. There's a couple of good birds in there but by the time I pick out a pair good enough for breeding these may all be gone too.
There's a guy who wants to trade me a kit of 20 older Mason birds he flew and placed 2nd in the fly for a German Shepherd pup, maybe I'll take that route. Then maybe I can pick a couple of pairs for breeding and have some security.
I can't afford to keep buying kit birds from Danny and lose them all before I can even pick out some breeders. I'll never get anywhere. I really love his birds though.
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Alan
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Mount Airy Lofts
7 posts
Jun 19, 2005
7:12 AM
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Jay,
I know how you feel. I have suffered many-many overflies with my family. Many of these times, I would only lose 2 to 4 birds. I believe this is so because they are naturally strong fliers. Luckily, I have only lost a whole kit once. They were rather young birds and chased out of range by three different Cooper hawks. Lucky for me, I had personal bands on them. I had call backs on 3/4 of the team. Oddly enough but they only split up in 3 different packs. I picked up seven together at one location and another 5 together at another. The other 5 were never found. I believe these guys either got creamed by the sky sharks or seperated from the two groups and were lost to the elements.
In this hobby, we will lose birds. I am sad to say that I would rather lose my teams then my breeders. That is where the gold lays.
Over flys are heart breaking:( From experience, I would say-keep a small kit of pleasure birds (birds that has faults but not enough to cull from flying for your own pleasure) to fly incase one does suffer an over fly. Flying these pleasure birds to bring in your over flown team has been another method that has helped me recover more birds alot.
I always find my birds to sky out on clear blue skies after being hit by consecutive cold days.
The best days to be outside (clear blue skies with little to no clouds) aren't the best time to release the team.
Over cast days or light rainy days have proved to be the best days to fly the teams. I have also noticed that these days have kept the birds at a good height and gave me the best performances.
Most guys wouldn't fly on windy days but I love flying in them myself. It keeps the bird low and keens them in staying together. Windy days have their purpose in my trainning program. Altho I would never fly a very young team-in such weather.
Living in a state that gets alot of snow, I love flying them during a light snow storm as well. The snow makes them go crazy in performance and stay at a good height.
Of course, you have to remember that my birds are natually strong on the wings. They fly and stay together very good in windy conditions.
I expect to get at least 2 over flies a year. Altho I am trying to reduce this by not breeding out of high flying birds or birds that I had to recover from CALL BACKS. Don't know if it'll help but all one can do is have a plan and stick to it.
Thor
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motherlodelofts
87 posts
Jun 19, 2005
8:13 AM
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Jay it is part of the game , Spring time around here between the unsettled weather,in the Winter it is fog that can roll in in a quick minute , updrafts that suck birds up into the jet stream in a quick minute ect. will tear you up, so I have to be very very careful and I've learned what to look for as far as such conditions,but at times all looks well but you still end up with a problem.
Tuesday was a day that fooled me and I was down 8 birds from the A team , I ended up getting four back and one is on the roof of the gym in town that I'm trying to catch but they started feeding her and she's pretty happy down there LOL.
It is a bad feeling looking into an empty kitbox that "was" full of familular birds.
You just pick upand start again,that is what true roller men do,it won't be the last time !!!! Trust me Jay I know "exactly" what you are feeling right now.
Just my opinion
Scott
Last Edited by motherlodelofts on Jun 19, 2005 8:57 AM
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fhtfire
155 posts
Jun 19, 2005
10:00 AM
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Jay,
man do I know the feeling...I lost my whole A-team last year. They were looking real good. I am sure you saw my post on it last year. The fog came out of nowhere..and that was it...only got 2 birds back out of 22 birds. I only had 8 back up late hatches. Thank god for Scott Campbell and Bill Crider..they gave me some birds to get going...did no have much time to W/C...so I did what I could in the small amount of time. It sucks going out there two an empty kit box. This year I am breeding two and a half full kits and I am not culling until the next breeding season is well under way and I need perch space. Man I feel for you...all that work down the drain...but hey brush yourself off and get back on the horse.
If you need some help...my breeders are on there last round...as soon as they are done I could breed you a round just so you can have some birds to fly. No charge..just shipping and box. I am breeding out of 8 pairs right now...Let me know if you want a round..just to get you back on your feet...you can just keep them as kit birds until you get going again. I have some Campbell, Emami/Roe, Lavin/Turner and Ruby Roller. What ever you want to do. my e-mail is paulfullerton@sbcglobal.net. It is better then no birds to fly.
rock and ROLL
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Velo99
18 posts
Jun 19, 2005
10:05 AM
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Hey J,
I feel your pain Bro.
Dust off the dirt get some pigeon poop on your shirt and get to work buddy.
I could send ya ten squeaks in a couple of weeks.
Two pairs hatched out last week and the others are due this week. That would be 25 birds including Pauls. Mine are Higgins/Taylor. They come in at four,five months. I paired a couple especial. I feel they will be the best of the season.
YITS
v99
Last Edited by Velo99 on Jun 19, 2005 10:11 AM
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Richard A.
9 posts
Jun 19, 2005
11:05 AM
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Everytime that this happened to mr, it was the day before a predicted storm. I know better, but the desire to see the kit perform overpowers the brain.I live in a windy area.
Richard
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Newflyer
6 posts
Jun 19, 2005
1:43 PM
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Hey J , Iam very sorry that You lost all your birds. I know that I cant say anything that has nt already been said. But if I can do anything to give you a helping hand just let me know. We can share your grief together, my new Mentor. Get in touch with me hdwindjammer@yahoio.com or call me at 330-220-8253
Paul
Last Edited by Newflyer on Jun 19, 2005 1:44 PM
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J_Star
15 posts
Jun 21, 2005
4:34 AM
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List,
Thank you all for your kind words and support. It is really appreciated at times like this. Paul Fullerton and Velo99, thank you for your offer, but I don’t think it is appropriate for me to take birds from you without any charge beside the shipping. I would like to compensate you for your help and trouble in helping me out. Fhtfire, I will be corresponding with you through your email. Velo99, please send me your email. My email address is jay.alnimer@dfas.mil. I might be able to compete in the NBRC this fall after all. Thanks guys.
Jay
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nicksiders
146 posts
Jun 21, 2005
11:01 PM
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This really gets to ya sometimes. I get attached to these little buggers and when they go away not to come back it almost feels like you have been betrayed. It also takes all the hard work you have done a flushes it down the drain.
I have made a mistake of letting a breeder out of the loft by a careless error that did not return and this really hurts.
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