ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, a reader enquiry had me scanning the C&AB obituaries for 1995, when suddenly I was stopped in my tracks: on that exact date 23 years ago, George Lynch had passed away. “Farewell to grandfather of the…
What a treat, the other weekend, to hop on a bus and visit an actual show. Round my way – Staines – it’s pretty much scorched earth as far as exhibiting clubs go, so I snapped up the chance to…
FEW BIRDS, GOING about their normal business, are more fun to watch than the treecreeper, and I can’t think of anything more delightful than to watch a pair bring off a brood in a well-appointed aviary. In Bill Naylor’s typically…
OUR COVER BIRD this week, the mountain quail (Oreortyx pictus), was selected for two reasons. First, I’m a sucker for those superb New World quail and rate them the best gamebirds, pound for pound, on the circuit. Second, this species…
I HAVE YET to see a fieldfare in aviculture, so it was a great pleasure to read Don Turner’s article this week (page 12), describing his first, absorbing attempt to breed this species. I’d have to agree with him: this is…
THE NEWCASTLE DISEASE (ND) virus, states the European Commission, is spread mainly via direct contact between healthy birds and the bodily emissions – typically faeces – of infected ones. A lesser threat results from its indirect transmission via people, vehicles,…
RIGHT AFTER THE news that LCA chairman John Martin had resigned, we learned that the LCA’s annual showpiece, the 2018 “Classic”, had been cancelled. (See News, page 2.) Those events have put a blight on our week. In the news…
SOME INTERESTING IDEAS are being floated about the public recognition of achievements in birdkeeping, whether it’s for first UK breedings, administrative work, rosette league tables, or what have you. David Alderton last week and Mr Edgecombe (left) have both also mentioned…
ONE THING I love about this job is that when Bill Naylor sends in one of his in-depth species profiles, I know I’m going to learn something. This week Bill’s discussing dippers (see page 14); birds I’d say I was…
JOHN MOSS’S LETTER (below, left) confirms what I’ve seen: the world of online bird sales can be murky territory. What Mr Moss is saying follows from the transition from the traditional local markets for exchange/purchase of birds, to nationwide or…