Above: Nelson in his immaculate birdroom: ‘So far the Mehringer has proved very free-breeding’ Photo: Nelson Rato Dave Brown talks to NELSON RATO, an accomplished Portuguese canary fancier who is now living in Scotland – and is championing an…
Above: Plastic split rings. Photo: Ivan Chapman/BCCC Colour canary champion exhibitor IVAN CHAPMAN explains his approach to placing split rings on his young birds, and talks us through this process step by step. It doesn‘t need to be fiddly!…
Above: Don Bird’s breeding cages. Note the external nest compartments to left and right – these facilitate quick unobtrusive inspections. Photo Don Bird Your canaries’ nests are their most essential resource, so you don’t want to skimp on design or…
Above: Lauren Wight (centre), winner of the best junior Scots prize, with Donald Skinner-Reid (left) and judge Ian Wright (right) at the NGFCC 2017 show. Photo: Norman Wallace How to move the fancy forward? Share our ideas for a…
Above: Steve Dominey (left) and Bob Pepper. Even several years out of the fancy for Bob didn’t break up the Yorkie Supreme partnership, reveals Steve If two of you instinctively think about canaries in the same way, pooling your…
Photo: Also bred in Scotland… Donald with his best Giboso at Stafford, an unflighted cock What a positive season it has been for breeders of old and rare variety canaries – none more so than the Scots fancy, which…
Photo: Sandy in his impressive birdroom Scots fancies, Lizards, north Dutch: those breeds are keeping Sandy Innes occupied now, but his career in the fancy has embraced much more. Words and photos: Donald Skinner-Reid SANDY Innes of Grangemouth…
Photo: Donald Skinner-Reid. Scots fancy colour plates from Donald’s book, sold to him by Norwich breeder Gerry Parker More than 100 years after it was first published, John Robson’s Canaries, Hybrids and British Birds in Cage and Aviary is still…
Above: One kind of pleasure: Colin is the first to salute the fulfilling nature of show success Over the years, COLIN MOORE has exhibited his birds, specialised in a particular breed and bred many different varieties. Now, after reflection, he has…
Photo: Donald Skinner-Reid. Donald’s 2017-bred clear yellow Scots. DONALD SKINNER-REID looks ahead to an exciting season which will see him make his bow in the champion classes. 2017 is my sixth breeding season and it is the one that has…