Gee te Guéue Your Window To The Digeon World May, 2000 $6.00 C & C Loft Celestino “Tiny” concepcion Champion Breeder / Exhibitor 1996 & 1997 Brous, NY Garden State Champion 1996 Master Breeder Show Champion 1997 Reading PA Open Show Champion 1998 Grand National Myrtle Beach Champion Falcon’s Loft Joe Falcon Champion Breeder / Exhibitor 5 Consecutive Years ATU Best Young Bird Award Winner New York City, NY FALCONJOSEPH @NETSCAPE.NET ATU, 1994 BEST YOUNG BIRD A.T.U. 513Your Window Ta The Bigeon World (ASSN 109967275) ye Ed and Carol Plater ax (05) 686612 ‘VOLUME 8 NUMBER 6 Catan th Marrage Pull age $200.00 front corer fall colors 1Phote Only Cwith purchase of front (0% discount for one year insertion of same advertising pald ths As¢ cents per word for & months and $1.50 per ‘Word for 1 yeur with no change in sops. Slo each, Spectalisues $6.00 each. ‘Change of Address: lense allow 6 weeks for address changes and Adress. Bast Office willnat farsa capes, Email us at PigeonMag@aol.com Web Site - www-prioritysolutions.com/pigeonmag ray PTO ROSIe LURAY Subscription Rates [$26 00 Ver var US + Canada $32.00 Fer Yor >) C Foreign $45.00 Per Year All Mail 2nd Class) | | | | I | Please Allow 4 to 6 Weeks Delivery ! We Do Not Accept Credit Cards 1 | NAME__ : IADDRESS 1 lcrry. STATE, ZIP, | MAIL 70: Pigeon Debut + £.0. Box 271026 ‘Oklahoma City, OK 73137-1026 From the President (FTS) By: Rex teon 4 FTA By: Tim Kvidera 4 Breeding Observations By: Harry Shannon 5 Another Day By: Clay Pigeon 6 Flyer Profile By: Bob Adams 8 Interview-Bob Adams By: Sum Ogozalek 9 Flyer Profile By: Mash Mili 9 Double Nest Box By: Jerry O'Rourke UL Singing Tipplers By: dim Kjeldsen un Ambition Achieved By: Colin Bristow 14 Mother Nature By: Tim Rvidera 15 Meet the Flyer By: John Lamb 15 Good Ones By: Clay Pigeon 7 ‘Tippler Methods By: Join Lamb 19 Flyer Profile By: Kemo Basic 21 Old English Tippler History. By: Jack Preseou 2 Show Tipplers By: Tim Kvidera 23 Conventional ys. Natural By: Stan Ogocaiek 24 Flying Tippler in the Dark By: Jae Kelley 25 Magnificent Flying Tippler SrDarwich 26 Rooftop Flying Sian Ogozalek 27 Watch Your Birds Tim Kvidera 28 Cherished Memories George Lioio 29 Baumgartner Strain John Smith 30 A Humble Beginning Joseph Polidow 31 Help the Novice Stan Ogocalek 3 Got No Time Tim Kvidera M Relocating Pigeons Jack Prescott 36 Sergeant Clay Pigeon 36 Crested Tipplers Clarence Williams 39 Classified 38 Show Calendar 'HINGS TO COME Central Fantail New York ow Special Combine Roller sug 00) (November 00) Feboy Const: Tom Pritchet’ Contact: Pete Fratangelo Contact: Joe Grimes 0. Box sit 27 Rushmore Rd. 10009 Kelly Re Lamoet, OK 74643 Stormville, NY 12582 Walkersville. MD 21793,To get our Tippler Special started off on the right foot, let's hear some Club news and views. From the President Flying Tippler Society of the USA By: Rex Leon —- Pomona, CA T personally have been waiting for this day and to read this Tippler Special for 15 years! My sincere thanks go to Mr. David Fuller. He is the man who organized, coordinated and worked very hard for this special magazine issue. ‘The Flying Tippler Society of the USA was established in 1987 with amere 29 members. I played the lead role with the help of afew others. We strive towards success; it wasn’teasy, but we came out smelling like roses. Today, after 13 years, we are a well-respected Tippler club, aren't we? Iam very proud to say that the long established NTU and our British Tippler fanciers have lead us all the way to the new Millennium. The Brits have helped us with their champion pigeons, advice through articles and much more, thank you friends! I take this opportunity to remember some past and present famous Tippler men across the pond Job Ofield, George Marlow, Fred Carew, Tom Higgs, Jos Davies, Hathaway, Govier Meredith, Jack Boden, Wilf Lovatt, Authur Newton, John Cullen, Les Curry, Ken Brown, Percy Field, George Pilot, Cockayne, Sam Billingham, G Eagle, J Holland, Gordon Hughes, Eric Birchall, Ken Potts, Harry Shannon, Bobby Dunseith, Paul Bowden, Eric Anslow, Brian White and many more. Not to Torget “the pen” Jack Prescott (Yorkshire Pride) and the unforgettable and kindhearted Brian Rose. The Flying Tippler Association of America By: Tim Kvidera, FTA President ‘The Flying Tippler Association of America (FTA) has been actively promoting the Flying Tippler breed of pigeons since 1938. During the years there have been numerous tremendous flying performances done by kits of Flying Tipplers on the North American continent. Many of these performances have been done during scheduled FTA flying competitions ‘The membership includes many of the top Tippler fanciers throughout North ‘America and the club exchanges Bulletins with numerous other Tippler organizations throughout the world. ‘Quarterly FTA Bulletins include news from the members, informative articles, fly results and news from overseas. “New members receive a membership packet of information, past PTA Bulletins. And while the supply lasts, the 1998 FTA Handbook; which lists our Hall of Fame Flys (the top 20 times flown in each FTA competition), in addition to reprints of many historic articles on all aspects of the Tippler hobby Jerry O'Rourke's very busy home office Bh Kit of young G. Hughes family Tipplers bbred & flown by: Tim Kvidera The FTA came into being in 1938 through the efforts of Erv Grube who enlisted the help of a young Bob Funk to be President. Shortly thereafter Bob got drafted into the armed forces, and Bill Hoffman of Baltimore was appointed president. ‘The first actual elections for officers happened in 1947 or 1948, per the recollections of Bob Funk, who won the Secretary/ Treasurer job over Grube. With exception of a few years Bob held that position until turning it over to Pere Hagan, of North Carolina, in 1964. Pere was the one who imported the original Wilf Lovatt birds into North America. While coordinating the September 1971 American Pigeon Journal Tippler Special issue, Nasser Shirakbari was called upon to pick up the pieces of the FTA when the Secretary/Treasurer from Oregon skipped town just ahead of the bill collectors, leaving a box of club materials and starving birds behind. Nasser did great job with the Tippler Special, now a collector's item, and with the help of Funk, Hagan and others got the club back on firm ground. The 1970's and 80's were booming years for the FTA and the Flying Tippler fancy. The club grew toalmost 150 members. Two Tippler Special issues of the Pigeon Review ‘magazine were published with Stanley Ogozalek coordinating both, ably Your Window To The Digeon World Pion Debtassisted by Wayne Tomsic on the initial one, By the end of the 1980's there were a number of issues brewing in the way of proposed changes. A lack of conclusive direction or closure cost the FTA in both membership and participation. S. Robert Powell and Walter Weiche split up the Secretary/ Treasurer's job into two offices and did a great job pulling things back together in the early 1990's. Tim Kvidera got elected president. By the mid ‘90's Jerry O’Rourke took over the Treasurer position and Joe Russo the Secretary job. This dynamic duo does a great job of handling the daily business of the FTA. A thorough revision and updating of the FTA Constitutionand Fly Rules received membership approval in 1997. The club added a Winter Series of flying competitions for the Southern ‘members and anyone in the North able to get an early jump on training a kit. In total the FTA sponsors 13 competitive flys per year, all of which are open to members to fly in either the Official or Honor Systems. ‘The Flying Tippler Association has a long history of supporting the Tippler fancy. The FTA has a tradition of long time competitive Tippler flying contests featuring the premier fanciers in North America. Allare welcome to join, See the FTA ad elsewhere for the details For Sale or Trade for Fantails Dun Satinettes Only Guy W. Spuria 32 Erickson Way South Yarmouth, MA 02664 And now a brief word from our World Champion in both young and old competition. Some Breeding Observations By: Harry Shannon — Go and get the best from those with the best.” It's difficult to argue against this advice usually given to anyone taking up a sport involving animals or birds. Unfortunately in short, the best may not continue to be that in less than the best hands. Better advice I felis yes, get the best from the best, but from more than one source. My reason for saying this is because anyone with slant knowledge of breeding will have more success with some mixture of blood to work with and not become disheartened before he has some success in his flying loft. With flying Tipplets, there are not many fanciers with closely bred families breeding enough birds to have exceptional birds to part with his best and moreover think they would be wasted on someone with little or no knowledge. This is not to say that the successful fancier keeps nothing but good birds. ‘The trouble begins when the new fancier thinks he can breed willy-nilly and champions will result, Looks are usually important at this stage and if the offspring are like “Mr. Bloggs” then they must be good. It may not take too many generations before itis, realized that some things are not what are expected, The many off-shoots from a common ancestor should always be borne in mind by anyone and has to be their first just how imperfectly chance can take place, when the attributes of a flying breed can loose that which is necessary for success. Leaving aside the first prerequisites of health and lity it should always be realized it is much easier to breed inferior stock. We must accept nature will not help us Current double World Champion-Harry Shannon, Northern Ireland, 19hr. 40 min. Young Birds, 22 hr 5 min. Old Birds, National Tippler Union in our attempt to produce something which she knows is not necessarily her goal, ic. a bird that fly’s just for the sake and love of flying, While evolution has plotted the course of all living things over countless years man in his wisdom has also tried and changed things sometimes to his benefit, others to his downfall. Domesticated pigeons, judging by the many varieties, are evidence of what is possible from a common ancestor and over arelatively short time, What has this got to do with us breeding flying Tipplers? I hear you ask, well I'm not knowledgeable enough to say which is the most difficult variety to keep true to breed or with flying breeds to improve. What I do know is that keeping a family of flying Tipplers the best thatis possible over one’ lifetime, takes a lot of thought, effort and observation. The pigeon fancy is littered with those who have fallen through lack of commitment, heartbreak or whatever while those whose love of their own particular branch have persevered to achieve all their aspirations. Unfortunately there is no substitute for experience and commitment and no one gets to know itall even after a lifetime, Pigeon Debut Your Window To The Digeon WorldA little dramatic comedy is good from time to time too. Another Day In the Life of a Dropper By: Clay Pigeon ‘An Excerpt from the Book ‘The Great Adventures of Clay Pigeon ‘Ah, this is the life. ‘The grit’s fresh. The water's cool. It's calm in the house. The Tipplers were rounded up about five hours ago and tossed into the sky. They’re in training. The floot scraper (he calls himself a flyer, butI've never seen him fly) puts them out every other day orso. Who knows why? Let’s see, which shall Ttake, a box perch or an A-frame. But, who cares, right; you read the title of this, article and you want to know; what's, that dropper Pigeon up to now? Well read on, I'll tell ‘ya As you may remember from my last writing, (Pigeon Debut, January 1998, Page 22-24) I'm a Komorner Tumbler. Not the show variety, I work hard for a living. I drop competition flying Tipplers. A dropper's job is to get the flying Tippler’s attention, show ‘em thatit’s time to come home and kind of hold the door open till they're in the house. But I regress; let's see; where was I; oh yes. T think I'll take that A-frame perch near the window, so Tean watch the sun set and enjoy the soothing evening breeze. The scraper/flyer will be coming around as the last rays of sun dim, Which means I've got about another hour before I go to work. ‘There’s the flyer and his hen now, checking on the progress of those precious young Tipplers. They're a good bunch, if I do say so myself. “How many did you put up?” asks the hen. “Five” is his reply. “I see six Another pigeon must have joined them” she says. He looks up. His face pails, “That's nota pigeon, it’s moving to fast” he sputters. “It's a hawk!” Now, you can understand his stress. We've, I mean, the flyer's been training these little fellas for months. He starts ‘em off before they can fly. Takes ‘em ftom their parents room and puts “em in here with us. They're so cute, squeaking around the floor searching for a familiar face. But, they're here to work. ‘The first few days, he puts them on the landing board and gently pushes the barely feathered tykes in at feeding time. Then he'll toss ‘em to the roof and they quickly hop to the board and into thehouse. Atthis stage, they’re pretty hungry, what with being away from their parents for the first time, Ihave to admit I usually leave a few extra grains in the tray for ‘em, but don’t tell the flyer. He thinks he’s the only ‘one giving ‘em a little extra feed later at night. And, I think it’s the good stuff, I smell it on their breath. Then he'll toss them in the air from a few feet away and let them flutter down to the landing board, He'll gradually crease his distance each day till he’s across the yard. This takes about a week or two, one Tippler at a time. ‘Then one day, the Tipplersdon’tcome straight to our house, but they begin to circle. After that, he puts ‘em up two, three, four or all at once. Well you can imagine the fun, those crazy youngsters are all over the sky, all going a different direction. Some fast, some slow and some a medium pace, Some high, some low and some in between. It’s exciting to be there. You see, as he’s tossing the young Tipplers, he’s also tossing us. We have to keep ‘em in the neighborhood and show ‘em to the door, remember? Anyway, a couple of days of this and the Tipplers begin tokit-up. That is, they gang together into atight flock. And off they'll go, cruising the sky. And it’s at this point that the flyer will hold us back, only releasing us as it gets closer to dusk. That's when our job begins getting easier and easier. Like now for instance, the kit that's up today knows the routine. We droppers don’t have to do anything but show our feathers and they'll come to the house, easy, freesy, like a breezy. But, I'm getting side tracked again. Hawk! Did someone say hawk? Tean see the kit. They were up quite high, five little dots in the sky no bigger than pin heads just moments ago. But, they had descended, now they were skimming over the trees, enjoying themselves. And, sure ‘enough, some very quick bird was in hotpursuitand closing fast. Bad news. Everything has to eat, but believe me, it’s no fun being dinner. Hawks have ‘claws, razor sharp claws. They zoom at you scratching and gouging and ‘once they've got a hold on you, they don’ tlet go. know, I had friends torn from my side in flight on more than ‘one occasion. It’s not fun. Not fun at all. You clean their splattered blood from your feathers and think about their fate the rest of yourllife. Yousee the hawk’s unblinking eyes riveted on it’s prey (your friend) as it slams into the dropper flying, smiling beside you You sce your friend’s expression change to wonder then to pain and then to terror. It’s not fun to watch And, you're helpless to do anything about it. You want to help; you want to get away too, but the wheezing gurgling sound of air and bloodexiting your buddy’s mouth and nose is usually the last sound you hear as you turn away wishing you could do something more. ‘And the flyer in this sport of competition Tipplers, remember, watches it all from the ground, He sees ‘em aloftat least once an hour, by the rules of the game, Sometimes he watches as his kit is reduced to one less Tippler by these raptorial birds. It’s no fun for him either. All he can do is watch too. The hawks are what he calls a “protected endangered species.” I'd like someone to explain “endangered” to me. I can’t, for the Paget Your Window To The Pigeon World “izeon Lobutlife of me, figure it out, If these birds are eating, actually killing and eating ‘me, my family and friends, how come we're not “protected?” The young Tipplers, still unaware of their problem, catch an uplifting air current and rise away from the tree tops and toward the clouds and out of my view. The hawk slows and swings around and into a distant tree, The flyer and his hen return to their loft breathing a sigh of relief. Peace and quiet prevail. [close my eyes and doze off. The click of the house door latch and I’m awake again. An hour has gone by and the flyer is collecting droppers for the approaching young kit, It’s been six hours and a few minutes since they left. They're looking tired. The flyer’s been holding back the good stuff and feeding ‘em only malted barley lately. They're looking forward to a good drink of water and food in the tray. Into the basket I go. The sun’s just touching the horizon. The kit's now in slow motion, circling the house. The flyer has chosen only three of us and the way it looks he may not need that many to get these youngsters down. They're looking more tired than usual, they've been struggling with a stiff breeze from the start. The flyerreaches in with both hands and two droppers are tossed. They rise above the house, circle and clapping their wings loudly, descend onto the landing board. The kit responds immediately and dips toward the house, With a satisfied chuckle, the flyer reaches for me and I'm free. Is a great and peaceful sight. Sun going down droppers prancing on the landing board and the young Tipplers about to touch down, Pilcirele the house and the flyer’sloft ‘once more and join ‘em. The flyer's saying “Beautiful, beautiful.” His hen asks, “Which one is that?” and points away from the kit ofTTipplers. A streak of deadly feathers and talons are hurtling toward the kit. “Oh no!” is all T hear from the flyer. The kit, now helpless, floating inches from the landing board will be easy pickings for the hawk. Nuts, Tthink to myself. Grabbing forall the airspeed Ican get, [quickly swing down and skillfully position myself between the Tipplers and the hawk. Later, they told me it was more like a flip, a flop and a falling motion. Heck, Iam a Tumbler after all. But, however T got there, the hawk was now reaching for my chest. I thought Iwasa goner. I closed my eyes as it’s claws tightened around me. I could feel my feathers being pulled out from deep in my skin, Oouuuuch, that hurt, but I was free. No blood in my nose or throat. The hawk was passed me now and sinking it’s beak into my feathers only to find that I was no longer attached. No pigeon draped over a bed of leaves tonight, bucko! I spun around and went over the top of a tree with the hawk breathing on my tail feathers. Feathers I knew I couldn’t fly well without. SoTtucked ‘eminas close as possible and turned and darted through the tree. I stretched every feather I had left, reaching for and pushing off every bit of air I could find. Like a guided missile, the smart kind, I deftly picked my way through the blurry maze of foliage, Later they told me it was more like a crash, a bounce, several bumps and a smack into the leaves and branches, Heck, details who needs details. All T know is when I came out the other side of that tree the hawk was still breathing down my neck, nipping at my tail. And, don’t tell me pigeons don’t poop when they're flying. We do! But it was in self defense, and to release ballast or lighten my load, so to speak. Later, they said I crapped all over myself, [know better and know hawks don’t like being around a kit of what the flyer call cars; so I swooped as close as I dared to three of “em passing, by the flyer’s loft. I was so close I could see my reflection, but not my attacker's. When I looked back, it wasn’t behind me any more. So, I got back to and inside of the house as fast as I could. The flyer was checking each Tippler for damage. Then watered and fed the lot of us. As I flopped down to the feed tray he picked me up, and while everyone else was eating, looked at my pounding featherless chest. “Lost a few feathers, but otherwise he’s okay.” He says to the hen and then puts me down just in time to get the last few grains of feed. in the tray. Tell ‘ya the truth, I wasn’t hungry anyway. I hopped up to the lowest perch I could find and leaned against the wall. ‘That’s when T realized how much I was trembling. ‘The flyer scoops up the empty feed tray, flips out the light and heads back to his loft. “Luckily that hawk went after that dumb dropper instead of the Tipplers. We might've lost a good pigeon.” The flyersays. Thenthrough the darkness, I see the hen's hand holding up a few choice seeds for me tocat, Iam alittle hungry. “Ifyouask me, little dropper, you're the best pigeon he’s got.” she says in a whispered soft sweet voice. And it wouldn’t be the last late supper she offered me and old Ben, but those are other stories, to tell at other times. [AMERICAN BaLpuwap Router C1us] Your Window To The Wigeon WorldNow for a word or three about, and from our own current record holder. Flyer Profile 19b Adams — Bohemia, NY. Continuing a Flying Tippler Society series of flyer profiles, this time we feature Bob Adams ourcurrent National and North American Young Bird Record holder, 16 hr. 15 min, ‘The questions cover three categories, flying, breeding and personal thoughts they have on the sportand themselves. Bob wrote: Here is the profile you asked for. I couldn’ t find any writing paper, and knowing me the way I do things 2 months from now I'd still be getting the paper. Sohereit is. [hope you correct my spelling. Tt was nice talking to you last week. You can put this letter in the Tippler Special if you ‘want, Please send a copy to Joe Russo and Jerry O'Rourke for the FTA Bulletin, Twas born in 1944 in Brooklyn, NY. I started raising pigeons at the age of 10; Rollersand Homers, Budi Bronzes, etc. I became interested in Tipplers around 1980, afriend of mine had some and I loved the way they flew way up in the “pins.” I’ve been working on my own strain of Tipplers since 1987. Which if I was asked ‘what they are I'd have to say Lovatts with apinch of Sheffield. Butthen, do any of us really know what we have? Tnever had the chance to fly my birds in competition as I worked day and night, In February 1998 Iwasrendered disabled and started a full time “project” of flying. The first couple of flys I didn’t have too much luck flying: 147,228 & 2.26. I was ready to give up, but with a feed up program supplied by Joe Russo (my mentor) I started flying in the double digits. This year (1999) I've enjoyed great success with times of 1024, 1235, 12 00, 12.40, 1421, DQ, 15.44 and 16 15 which isanew North American Young Bird Record, beating a time of 16 6 flown by S. Basic in 1998. 1, How do you settle your Tipplers? When my young birds are cating on their own I move them to the flying loft and put them onadepurating mixture. T give them the freedom of the outside world after a few days. 1 always put them out with a dropper until they start kiting up. Once they are flying together as a kit no dropper is shown until I want them down, 2. What do you look for in selecting a kit? I look for the same style of flying. My birds are all related so their style is most often similar. 1 don’t like birds that “clap” too often and they are culled. 3. When do you begin training? Once the young birds are flying as a kit Istart training, I ike to start off with seven to ten and weed them out as training moves along. This was my first year training to dark, but I'll tell you there’s no other way to go, dropping your birds at dark or after is what this is all about! 4, How do you know when your ‘Tipplers are in form? Once my birds are on the “low feed” program and feel like an empty beer can and I start, my feed up and when they just pick at their ration Tknow that they are ready for an all day (weather permitting) fly. You don’t want your birds too heavy, as far as I’m concemed, fat birds won't fly. There is a lot of trial and error with a feed program and you have to pay strict attention to all aspects of it 5. What is your system of dropping? I use lights (if they are called for) and I use one white Flight with wings clipped so it can just about fly. Lonly use one dropper because 1 think if the birds are trained to one that’s all you need. 6. What do you feed your flyers? Well I have a low feed week and a feed-up week. During the low feed week I feed just a depurating mix and during feed-up week I feed a combination of canary seed, maple peas, rape, flax, safflower and peanuts, with a drink of tea on Wednesday and tonicon Thursday fora fly on Sunday. 7. How are your birds cared for after a competition? One hour after they come in I let them eat all they want of pigeon candy and a drink of tea, If your birds are right they will just pick at the feed, The next day it's, back to a depurating mix if I'm going to use the same kit in the next competition. 8. During molt, how are your birds cared for? During the molt all my birds are given tea twice weekly and frequent baths. Thave two lofts the breeding loft is 6" x 16' which can be sectioned off when breeding stops. Most of the time it's wide open as all the birds in the breeding loft are kept prisoner. The flying loftis 8’ x8' with3 sections. One is for my kit boxes, section is 5° x4. Another is for my young birds with just perches, section is 5'x4' and the last is my aisle where I keep the various feeds, medication, etc. [don’t put the young birds in kit boxes until Idecide which birds Iwill use. I guess my favorite Tippler strain would be Lovatts, being mine are the closest things to Lovaits without being them like the way they fly!!! Ihave tried the Shannon strain, but as of yet don’t use them in competition. I hope this letter has been informative. It’s what Ido & it works for me, which doesn’t mean that it’s right. Every Tippler flyer has his own ideas and opinions You may contact Bob Adams at (516) 589-5748. Organization For info. please contact: American Racing Pigeon Union PO. Box 18465 Oklahoma City, OK 73154-0465 Ph. 405-478-2240 Paget Your Window To The Digeon World “peon DebutInterview With the New Champ Bob Adams By: Stan Ogozalek Yes!!! Bob Adams of Bohemia, Long Island, New York is the New North American Young Bird record holder for Flying Tipplers. He flew his kit of Young Birds (ATU_-99-102, 105 and 114) for a grand time of 16 hours and 15 minutes on June 20th, 1999, his timer/referee was Richard Schemitz. While at the ATU Lawn Show, I was able to get Bob to sit down for this interview. Bob says that he’s been with Flying Tipplers since 1980 but didn’t, really ‘get serious’ with them until 1998. Now, Bob has two lofts, one is 16 ft. by 6 ft. and is used to house his, breeders while the other is an 8 ft. by 8 ft. and is used as his flying loft. In one section of his flying loft are eight individual kit boxes that he says are a ‘must’, then there’s an aisle section forhis feed and medication, etc., while the third section has only perches and is used for young Tipplers just being settled, ete. Bob breeds from 4 pairs and believes in inbreeding from high quality stock Tipplers. His family of Flying Tipplers has its main roots from the ‘Lovatts’ with a ‘pinch’ of “Sheffield’s’ from Eddie Buraczewski, Raising three rounds of youngsters is enough for Bob as he reports few losses in settling Being that Bob is now retired ‘and has more than enough spare time, he starts his Old Bird training in January, getting the old birds used to the lights and the darkness and so on. He competes in the Winter Series of flying contests and continues with the Old Birds until the Young Birds are ready to be settled and trained in March. Of course, his kitsare ‘dropper trained” and he says that he wouldn’t doitany other way. Only one dropper is enough to get his flying kits to respond and come down to the loft and it works quite well for him! After his young birds are settled and flying, he says that at times they must be chased (frightened) to get them to do their training times. This is, only done a few times until the kit of young Tipplers knows what is expected of them, He says that good judgment must be used when doing this and the trainer must know when enough is enough! When his young Tipplers are up to about 4 hours in training, he begins to train them backward from the dark. They are flown twice weekly at that point for 5 to 6 hours until the first flying contest. His criteria for young Tipplers is that they must do better than 10 hours just to be considered for further training in the next Old Bird season. Feeding his Flying Tipplers. Bob likes to use the ‘Depuration’ mixture forhis birds and that mix is made up of malted barley, wheat, kafir and safflower grains. Bob believes in feeding at dark and gets his Tipplers to eat from his hands, all of this being done inside of the aviary! This is a 200d point because his presence or the darkness does not frighten the Tipplers. Priortothe feed-up, Bobbelieves in feeding the kit half ration to bring them to a low condition. Here is his feed-up; Tuesday: Maples and Canary seed (half-and-half ). Wednesday: Same as Tuesday. Thursday: 3/4 Peanuts, 1/2 Safflower seeds, Iron tonic, Friday: Same as Thursday. Saturday: Canary and Rape seeds. Sunday: 3 hours prior to release approximately 1/2 oz. of Canary and Rapeseeds plus fresh water. Irontonic consists of a ‘shot glass’ amount in 2 gallons of water. Herbal teaisusedon Wednesday. ‘The New North American Young, Bird Record kit of Flying Tipplers consists of one cock and two hens. ‘The hens are sisters and are from Bob's stock while the cock was bred from a “Lovatt/Sheffield” cock and the hen was froma ‘Lovatt’ from the late Bob Kennedy stock. The late Bob Kennedy, who lived and flew his Old Bird record holding ‘Lovatts’ in Long Island, was a well respected flyer and member of both the American Tippler Union and Flying Tippler Association for many vyears Now for some of Bob's advice for new fanciers: Ventilationisamust in the loft. Start with the best birds. Train yourkits to respond to droppers, never over feed the Tipplers. As for the size of the Tipplers, Bob likes them small, the smaller the better and color doesn’t matter with Flying Tipplers. Bob mentions that a very good article to read on Flying Tipplers was the one penned by the late John Curley, ‘of Maryland, and reprinted in the FTA handbook. Bob thanks Ed Buraczewski, Clarence Williams and Joe Russo for all the help that they’ ve given him. Bob, it was a job well done! Congratulations! Flyer Profile, Nash Milic — Las Vegas, NV Continuing a Flying Tippler Society series of flyer profiles, this time we feature Nash Milic our current “99 Season Aggregate Time holder, 113 hr, $7 min. The questions cover three categories, flying, breeding and personal thoughts they have on the sport and themselves. 1. How do you settle your Tipplers? When my youngsters are 40-45 days old [take them from their parents I put them all together in a small box and feed them as much breeder food as they can eat for a couple of days. I gradually add in more barley and decrease the breeder food for about 7 days until they are eating barley only. lygeon Debet Your Window To The Digeon World Page dAt this time I introduce the droppers into the feeding program. Atthis time, they only see the droppers when it is time to eat. When the youngsters are eating barley only, I begin to cut their food gradually, until they’re eating only one-half a teaspoon aday. Within 6-7 days they are getting very lean, and they become very excited whenever they see the droppers. Now it’s time to tape the birds outer five flights and release the birds outside. I let them outside only with the droppers. I try to stay with them whenever they are out, tossing a few grains of barley here and there, to teach them to follow the droppers. After about 5 days of this training, the birds are feeling comfortable around the loft and on the roof. Then I take off the tape and hope the birds don’t fly away! T keep the droppers out with them during this crucial period. After about 5 more days of this, with the droppers still out, I begin to toss each bird individually, to allow the bird to fly around in a few circles on his own. After he lands, I toss another bird. After a few days of this training, it’s time to fly all the birds together. After 3-5 times they will begin to fly as a kit 2. What do you look for selecting a kit? Now that they are flying in a kit, it's time to pick the best, [look for the leaders, the stronger flyers, and the birds that fly the closest together. Any birds that cut their circles short, clap Nash Mili's fine faraily of Shannon Tipplers their wings, glide excessively, look downa lot or follow too far behind the kit are eliminated, The best birds will be affected by these bad behaviors. Don’t expect these birds to ever be champions. Train your best together! 3. When do you begin training? Training depends on the fly schedule for competition, but in general, I separate the flyers into individual boxes about 40 days before the first fly. I increase their food to about a teaspoon of barley a day, with a teaspoon of flax once a week. You have to know your birds; a teaspoon of barley may not be enough for some of your birds. Droppers are crucial at this point of their training, Now the flyers must not ever see the droppers until it's time to land and feed them. 4, How do you know when your Tipplers are in form? ‘The kit must respond quickly to the droppers and trap quickly. Then I know they are ready to graduate from the first phase of their training. As the bird's wing strength increases, and flight times increase, so must their food intake increase. I know the birds are getting into form as long as their flight time continues to increase. Hopefully, about a month before the first competition fly, the kit will fly for 2-5 hours. I know my birds are in proper form when, in the morning, before competition, they are in their individual boxes, standing straight. Feathers must be neat and tight, nose and feathers will have a good powder ‘on them, and crop empty. The kit will not want food or water when it is put in front of them, 5. What is your system of dropping? T use white pigeons only. My droppers are kept together in a small cage where the flyers never see them until T want them to. Their cage is located underneath the individual flyer boxes. Ikeep them starving. This way they will respond immediately wherever I toss a few grains of seed. 1 train the droppers to fly from the ground to the roof and back. This attracts the flyers only to land where the droppers are. Droppers are extremely important to the Tipplers. You cannot be successful without them! 6. What do you feed your flyers? Different weather requires different types of feed. Everyone knows how important barley is to Tipplers diet. It’s the main food. Flax gives them the oil they need. In addition to flax, I also mix in wheat and millet with their barley. This increases the flight time and shortly before competition day Tadd ina little brown rice, hemp and rape. Iwill also add in a few Maple and Canadian peas. 7. How are your birds cared for after a competition? They get only barley and water with dextrose, vitamin A & B the first night. A little flax and barley (a teaspoon of each) the next day. ‘They'll get 5-7 days rest, depending on the next fly schedule. If they’re flying in two weeks, they will get two training tosses before competition. I try to get right back into my feeding and training schedule. 8. During the molt, how are your birds cared for? They get as much breeding food, grit, minerals and pick stone as they want. They bathe as frequently as they want. Sometimes I put baking soda in their bath, I don’t fly or breed during the molt Nash Milie’s fine family of. Shannon Tipplers Page 10 Your Window To The Digeon World Pipeon Debut9. How large a loft do you ‘maintain? How many pigeons? My 8 x 8x 18 loft is divided into three compartments. One is for the individual boxes and droppers, one is for breeders, and one is for separating the sexes during the molt or for extra birds. Ihave 4 pairs of breeders, 16 droppers, and about 20 flyers at this time. 10. What do you feed your breeders? 1 feed a generic breeding mix consisting of about 16% protein Frequent baths, lots of minerals and ait, Tused to fly Serbian Highfliers in Yugoslavia, My friend and I heard about Tipplers and bought 5 pairs from John Cullen in England in 1974. 1 enjoy any strain of Tipplers that flys ight and high. Blue-bars is my favorite color. am happily married, with one 18-year-old son. Iwas born in Yugoslavia in 1954. I've been raising pigeons since I was ten years old, My best advice to anyone raising pigeons (Tipplers) isto only keep your best birds and not crowd your loft. Keep the loft clean and keep your pigeons healthy! And what Special would be with out a few helping how-to articles. here's one for you The Double Nest Box Jerry O'Rourke — Norwood, MA In the many years in which I have had pigeons, Ihave used various types of nest boxes, but the one type of box that I have found to be most efficient is the Eggleston nest box. 1 first became acquainted with the Double Nest Box in 1988 when T saw it in Mr. Wendell Levi’s book “The Pigeon.” (See page 520, figure 770 and 71.) T have found the Double Nest Boxes to be very good and they do speed up the production of eggs. Due to space restrictions in my coop, I have modified the nest boxes to be 10” cubes. This is very suitable for Tipplers. Each nest bottom has a 4” high front perch tacked on to a piece of plywood that slides into the nest bottom. This makes for easy cleaning. Also, I have found that the young babies learn to eat feed more quickly when they watch their parents eating feed that has been left on the shelf which extends 4” beyond the nest bottom. (See pictures.) This shelf can be serewed on to the bottom of the nest box and extended out 4” beyond the nest box. The disadvantage to the extended shelf is that the feed gets tossed about and winds up on the floor and the youngsters do dirty the shelf in front of the empty nest. I continue todo thisbecause the youngsters seem to mature faster. In the pictures there are four Double Nest Boxes separated by a piece of plywood inserted lengthwise. This assures their privacy. After the youngsters are about two weeks old, the mother will retire to the adjoining nest box and start on another round of youngsters. According to Mr. Levi's book, the Eggleston nest boxes (Named after the fancier who came up with the idea.) have been in popular use for about forty to fifty years, As stated previously, I have used this type of nest box for many years, and T like them very much, Why not give it atry? A little more dramatic comedy is good Jrom time to time too. The Singing Tipplers By: Jim Kjeldsen — Searle, WA I've had many different types of pigeons over the years. There were Pouters that became so puffed up they couldn't see the cat coming. Runts so large they not only could see the eat coming but also chased it back out of the yard. A Chinese Owl with a beak 0 short it bumped its head on the floor every time it ate. Goofy the White King, who collided with a hawk and frightened the predator so bad it never, returned. And a non-Racing Homer who took three days to come home, no matter whether from a ten- mile training toss or a thousand-mile race. However, in 35 years of keeping pigeons, I'd never had any Tipplers. T'd seen them at shows, where their large white eyes reminded me of Birmingham Rollers with spectacles. I'd never had them, that is, until the day the Racing Pigeon Digest ran a story about Michael Beat’s 1992 American record fly. From this, I understood that his birds hovered over Los Angeles for 18 hours and 5 minutes while dodging thousands of jet aircraft trying to land at Los ‘Angeles International Airport. Now, that was impressive. Since [ also live under an airport flight line, I figured these must be the birds for me. I sent off to the Flying Tippler Society (FTS) for a packet of information on Tipplering, which ————— EEE cco Debt Your Window To The Digeon World Puget?didn’t sound any more difficult than ‘what Ihad always done with pigeons. All you had to do, was train them, until they would leave the loft immediately upon release, ascend to 10,000 feet or so, and stay there dodging, 717's, 727’s, 737's, 747°s, 757’s, 1617's, 787°s and 797s, along with various Air Commanders, Cessnas, seaplanes and UFO's, until it was time to call them back down to the loft. This was done by releasing white Fantails, which put up such a commotion trying to fly that they can be seen from outer space, and so the Tipplers would descend and land on the loft roof without stopping off at any skyscrapers, watertowers, satellite dishes, power poles or trees. Presumably, while this was going on the flier was standing by and waiting, reading the Encyclopedia Britannica and rising on occasion to nudge the official timer to see if he or she was still alive Since I had never seen Tipplers fly, I wrote to a nearby FTS member asking whether I might stop by and spend 24 hours or so watching his birds fly. He wrote back to say that, sadly, he was getting out of the sport, but [ could have his last pair of birds for free if I wanted them. It was my birthday, and whata present! Trushed across the mountains to meet this, fancier, who turned out to be a capital fellow whose Tippler loft was one of the great wonders of the world, It had cages, towers, platforms and traps that circled into the stratosphere, and on top of it all was a light bright enough to illuminate Jupiter, if need be. Like me, this fellow proved loquacious, so our conversation went something like this as he handed me my first Tippler: “This a pigeon?” “Yeah.” “It doesn’t have a band.” “Kids cutit off.” “Oh. Gee, Thanks.” “Don’t mention it.” My confusion ‘was in part because this Tippler was yellow, and so tiny I thought that perhaps he had handed me the family canary by mistake. Having been accustomed to the Pterodactyl strain of Racing Homers - the ones with teeth and claws and which weigh about the same as a delivery truck - it came as a shock to hold a featherweight Tippler for the first time. This fellow also presented me with a pedigree roughly the size of the state of Rhode Island in which all of the birds ancestors were listed back to the beginning of time, and then some. At the bottom of the pedigree was Michael Beat’s signature. I'd heard of Michael Beat already. If you've read any Tipplerliterature from the Western world you know about Michael, the American record holder. So I wrote Michael an e-mail message informing him that I had some of his old stock, and he wrote back enough information about the birds and their genealogy to approximately equal the data gathered on all the human families in the Mormon archives. This was reassuring. I would be starting out with tested stock, and any mistakes T made would be my own. Thus began my Tippler education. I took these birds home and within ten minutes or so they were on eggs, which was something of a record even among my Pterodactyls, which produced eggs at approximately 15-minute intervals Using every foster parent available, 1 soon had akit of Tipplers ready to fly, all of them as alike as peas in a pod. Now, the instructions that came with my Tippler packet specified that | was to train them to eat with a white Fantail before releasing them. I didn’t have a white Fantail. The last Fantail 1 owned died after my grandmother mistook it for a feather duster and used it accordingly. I don’t think she hurt it any, but the Lysol got to it. So | just grabbed the nearest white Homer and made do with what I had. ‘The big day came to release my Tipplers for their first flight. [hovered anxiously about as they tiptoed out onto the loft roof to look around. A few of them pecked nervously at their feathers. Then an infant's whimper in the next block startled them and they blew off the roof like bits of paper in the wind. They looked like butterflies wisping in the breeze, the sun shining through their wings like candles through Japanese lanterns. They were altogether beautiful ... for the approximately three and ahalf minutes they stayed in sight. Then they discovered trees. These young Tipplers had never experienced a tree before. They were deeply enchanted. Especially with Douglas firs, which provide a convenient landing pad atop each branch. They so loved the trees that they forgot all about their training program and vanished among the branches. I released the white Homer, but they weren't about to be faked out by that. The Homer, with rubber bands on its flights to ensure a horrible thrashing while in flight, hit the loft and fell on its face in the food without so much as a backward glance at its Tippler charges. I next released the entire Homer flock, thinking they would collect the ‘Tipplers and bring them back safe and sound. The Tipplers looked on as though the Homers were creatures from another planet and refused to budge. I waited all day, until almost dark, then at last saw the Tipplers fluttering from tree to tree, and released the slowest Homers I owned in the hope of pulling them in. This, was partially successful, because the ‘Tipplers flew with the Homers for a while, However, even though these Homers were of the Trenton strain, which is known for about one wing flap per minute, the Tipplers were flapping at about six fph (flaps per hour), and so the Homers soon outdistanced them. Finally, I despaired and went to bed, figuring the Tipplers would reappear in the morning. They didn’t Page te Your Window To The Digeon World Pycon DebetIt was three days before they realized they needed to eat again, One morning my wife nudged me awake so I could witness all five Tipplers lined up like identical Kewpie dolls on the end of a branch. This time, they did respond to the dropper, gorged themselves like pigs at a trough, and spent the next week sleeping it off. The lesson I learned was that Homers must eat their weight in gold every day to stay alive, plus require additional truckloads of food to accomplish their primary mission of lighting up the sky like an X-15 with the afterburners lit. Tipplers, by contrast, are meant to subsist on about one grain of barley per day, and sometimes one grain of wheat if they're real hungry. I didn’t realized that until after the first flight. A week later, it was time to try again. This time, I juggled the kit so it had several new youngsters, which had been carefully trained to respond to the dropper, and in addition were starved to within an inch of their lives. This kit flew beautifully. The birds ascended into the clouds and remained there like kites, and all the neighbors soon came out tosee what I was staring at. The Fire Department arrived, too, to gaze heavenwatd, since someone had called 911 figuring a catastrophe ‘was occurring or we wouldn’t all be craning at the clouds. A medic unit showed up, too, being as everyone else at the station house was in front of my house already, and soon the entire emergency response crew of a major metropolitan area was gawking, at six tiny specks in the sky. Eventually, the firemen were called to a fire, the medics had to rescue a child that had swallowed a baby bottle, the neighbors dispersed. when they got hungry or nature called, but the Tipplers kept flying. I finally sent up the dropper, and sure enough, down they began to come. That is, until one of the new youngsters discovered a flock of feral pigeons at a nearby school and dropped to them instead, and the other Tipplers rediscovered the trees and figured it would be great to vacation in them after so long a fly. In their defense, I will say that descending to my loftisn’teasy. First, the birds must find it, situated beneath a hedge under trees at the bottom of a pit of vegetation and concrete. They must spiral into this well fearlessly until the sky is just a spot on high. 1 suppose they give up hope of ever getting out, so I can’t really blame them. To see how other Tippler fliers did things, [went off to visit the nearest FTS member. His name was Wayne Haug, he lived about 20 miles away, and he was smart. Wayne has a lovely home on a high plateau that sticks out into a greenbelt. There were no trees taller than a dandelion for miles around. The houses in his neighborhood are what is called residential, meaning there are strict height limits of about five feet. From ‘Wayne's back yard you can watch his, Tipplers raking from Anchorage to Anaheim. And his loft roof is clearly visible from any passing space shuttle. returned home to face the facts: T'dhave toclear-cutthe neighborhood. But a quick inventory showed that even if I were successful, there were still too many tall buildings in every direction. Even if I could get them bulldozed, there was a big hill behind the loft that would have to be moved. And that meant an environmental \pact statement, protests, and a promise to save the seals in Antarctica in exchange for letting me raze the neighborhood. No, that wouldn’t work. In desperation, I wrote to the world’s foremost expert on Tipplers, Jack Prescott of Sheffield, England. It turned out that Jack has this thing about answering letters. He not only answers them the same day, he has gotten it down to answering them the same hour. Infact, his response arrived practically before I could send off my letter. Jack figured out my problem instantly: I needed what in England is. called an “allotment.” This is a vacant lot on which to put a pigeon loft Surprised that I hadn't thought of it myself, I searched the neighborhood for a suitable property and came up with the perfect site. It was on the top of ahill not far away, with a view that ‘went out 60 miles. And it was off the airline flight path sothe birds wouldn’t get sucked into jet engines and turned into pigeon puree. I made areasonable offer for the property, but the people ‘who owned it determined that at $10 month it would take 9,874 years to pay the asking price of $2.4 million, and they weren't willing to hold the note that long. Sol was outof luck and back to the drawing board. This was, when my greatest fear was realized. One evening I opened the door to find a group of people with pillowcases overtheirheads looking at me through little eye slits they had cut in the fabric, Their leader tried to disguise his voice, but I could tell who it was - my next-door neighbor, Harry. “We'd like to talk to you about strange nois: coming from your back yard at night, Harry said ominously. “What? You mean Luciano?” Isaid. “Hah! You've ‘got someone living in your back yard he proclaimed triumphantly. “Luciano Pavarotti,” I explained. “He's a pigeon.” Tt turns out that not only was Pavarotti living in my loft, but Placido Domingo as well, and their favorit tenor hour was 3 o'clock in the morning. I showed theclan my singing Tipplers, and they were astonished. “AIL that noise from such tiny little birds?” they marveled, Don’t get me wrong, these neighbors are very nice people. They didn’t come to my door with protest signs, a lynching rope or large-caliber firearms. But I got the hint, and knew it was time to send the tenors packing. They were dispersed to Michigan and Texas, from where Pycon Debeot Your Window To The Pigeon Worldthey can be heard only vaguely on calm nights. Some say that my problems would be solved if I sold my house and moved to another part of town. But I live in Seattle, where property costs about $100,000 per square inch, and so there's a strong tendency to stay put if one already has a square inch of turf. No, I still think the more practical solution is to bulldoze the neighbothood. I've been taking night classes at the Move a Mountain Academy, and promise to keep you posted on my progress. Here is a very interesting article from ‘an English fancier who's known little, here in the US, but that should change after you read this. An Ambition Achieved By: Colin J. Bristow — Willenhall Tippler Club On reading the results of a Tippler competition one would marvel at the times flown, consider which strain of Tippler they may be, wonder if the winners were cocks or hens and perhaps inguire as to what color the birds that had achieved somuch would be. The question of color is rightly last as in the pursuit of the perfect flying machine there are so many other factors to consider. Of course the modern competition Tippler comes in ‘many colors, shapes and sizes, but all are flown to the same end. It was my own interest in colors and in badge saddle marked Tipplers plus a generation of fanciers who were not always complementary to the preity badge Tipplers that caused me to embark on a breeding plan back in 1988 to produce quality competition Tipplets in yellow saddles and badges and to prove them in the air. ‘The main birds used to achieve my goal wereas follows: A blue badge hen from Tom Dilks (G. Hughes strain) which had flown over 19 hours in competition and bred fromapair which had produced several such birds. Two yellow-self hens bred by Alan Groueutt (Willenhall Club) from a black cock of my own. These two I ‘would rate as the best producer hens I had in my stock loft. A yellow-self cock bred by myself for stock from the above hens. A black-self cock sire of the yellow cock and flown 19 22 in competition and himself bred from a blue badge which had recorded three times over 19 hours in competition. Last but not least ared badge cock gift bird from Ken Burgess which had flown 17 O1 as a young bird in a national winning kit and was a cross G. Hughes strain bird, The red badge cock was paired to the blue badge hen and their youngsters were mated to the yellows and the black. After a couple of seasons T had produced some nice yellow saddles, but didn’t fly many of them as the best marked and best looking birds were kept to breed the next generation. During this breeding I also produced some very good looking red saddles and badges. In 1993 Thad 2 ted saddles and a yellow saddle cock as part of my team of old birds which won me the National old bird aggregate, recording times over 18 and 19 hours, but the best was yet to come. In 1994 my old bird kit consisted of two yellow saddles and a yellow badge, all hens, a red saddle cockandasilverbadgehen. Iselected three from the five on every fly to again win the old bird aggregate, recording a personal best at Whitsun with 19 17 and a new club record on Long Day of 20 12. Having achieved my ambition my interest has since moved into new areas but several fanciers still have descendants from these Tipplers and have flown them well. I would not suggest that this was adifficult project as good quality birds were readily available to start with and a cross from another breed other than a Tippler to get the color or marking was not required. But when the aim is to produce the ultimate flying bird, handicapping yourself by adding color and marking, as a necessary requirement must stack the odds against you, but then again it’s this challenge which drives us on. Peyzcon DebeetAnd another helping how-to article from one of our best fanciers in the sport, both in show and in flying competition. Dealing with Mother Nature By: Tim Kridera — Ever notice how one day your birds will fly like they never want to quit, and other days they just never really want to get into it? The casual Tippler flyer just takes these things in stride and carries on. ‘The serious Tippler flyer tries to figure out why. There is much that has been written, mostly in the Roller flying ‘game, about the effects of barometric pressure and the height of flying and the performance ofa kit. High pressure and high kit condition is a recipe for an over-fly. A Tippler flyer can use this tohis advantage and get increased endurance times out of his kit. But he too needs to be aware of the kit's physical condition and take steps to assure not to put the kit over into the night. But there are other things that affect how the kit will fly on a given day. Temperature, humidity and wind speed are a few. All flyers in a local area will have the same temperature, humidity, wind speed and barometric pressure to contend with. Obviously they will have different birds and varying degrees of training, conditioning and quality of the birds in their kits. Yet there is another factor that goes unnoticed by the casual observer, loft location and wind direction. To get a maximum time performance outofakit the birds need to expend a minimum amount of energy as they are flying, The birds for the most part will be flying relatively close to the home loft, usually under a mile, So the local environment is critical to their performance, Rising thermals and uplifting winds make their job of flying much easier. Downdrafts make them work much harder to stay in the air. Winds, as they blow along the surface of the earth, follow the terrain. When they come to a hill they rise up. When they get over the top they drop back down. Although it is calmer on the leeward side there is a downdraft. Alofton the windward side of the hill, especially if near the top of it, will have the benefit of a lifting wind for the bird touse. A kit from alofton the leeward side of the hill will be pushed down and have to struggle to keep flying ‘Ifyou are looking foranewhouse and want to fly Tipplers be sure to consider the direction of the prevailing winds and the location of the house, and loft, in relation to terrain changes. Although hills are a major factor in the generation of updrafts, other things can give the birds a lit. Tree lines and man made structures also affect the course of the wind as it blows along. Ever notice how a kit will lift abruptly as it passes, over them when flying into the wind? My birds spend a lot of time raking up and down the highway a couple hundred yards to the east from me on sunny days, somewhat independent of the wind direction, ‘They are using the thermals generated by the sun heating up the asphalt pavement, Forthe past 26 years Ihave lived, in what was initially an outer suburb, semi-rural area 25 miles north of Minneapolis. The area is virtually totally flat, Yet wind direction has a real effect on the performance of my kits. Strong winds always tend to keep them flying quite low. A south or southeast wind has them working, great, long and often high. Why? I it is due to the urban heat island chimney. Urban areas absorb much solar energy and heat up. The air over the city rises up in a chimney column. What goes up must come down. So usually I am in the downdraft of the chimney. When the wind is from the south the chimney is bowed to the north some so I am then in the updraft and the birds have an easier time flying. ‘There are many factors that affect the performance of a kit of Flying Tipplers. In the breeding, handling, training and conditioning of the kit the trainer can control many of these factors. Even though he has no control over Mother Nature the trainer can also enhance the performance of the kit by taking her into consideration in the conditioning of the birds and the location of the loft. A most learned flyer, another fancier we here in the US should know more about, There's lots to learn here. Amost learned flyer, another fancier we here in the US should know more about. There’s lots to learn here. Meet the Flyer By: John Lamb This is aseries of articles similar to the FTS flyer profiles, but from the National Tippler Union Newsletter. Read and enjoy. ‘Name: John Lamb Age: 48 Club: Private Member, National Tippler Union of Great Britain (Q): How long have you been flying? (A): I first joined the NTU 6 ‘years ago in 1992 and started flying in *93. However, I first kept pigeons as far back as 1965 when I bought my first “Pet Shop” Tipplers. Of course I knew nothing about training or competition flying in those days. The ‘most they ever flew was 6 hours on a particular day. Istill don’t know how they managed it. It must have been bred into them because it wasn’t anything Idid. Afterabout2 years my brother bought some homers and so Your Window To The Pigeon Worldwe decided to go into racing until 1982 when I stopped keeping pigeons altogether. However, I still had pigeons in my head and still had the notion to fly real Tipplers some day. By chance, in 1991, I met my friend Paddy Slane, whom I have known from my early days with the racers He toldme thathe was back in Tipplers and [told him I would liketohavea go at them also. His reply was for me to come and see him as soon as I had a loft ready. Andso plans were laid, By February 1992 I had built an 8° x 6° loft. This is still in us as my flying es today. Paddy supplied me with? of breeders and also a kit of 4 ouigbirds, Tf tds young bids according to Paddy's instructions and had them up to 9 hours, but one fine day I put them out and watched them go into the heights and out of sight. I never saw them again. I will never know until my dying day what happened to them. Dida falcon scatter them or did they follow a batch of homers on atoss? Only God knows. I am grateful to Paddy for all his help. He taught me how to train and feed. He has loaned me various birds for breeding and if ever I had any problems, he was only a phone call away Q: What breed do you fly? Az As you will have already ssed my main family of Tipplers is P. Slane. In 1995 Paddy loaned me a pair of grizzles which bred 2 grizzle cocks to fly 20 hours 25 minutes for me, Ist. place NTU Long Day 1997. One of these was also 2nd. NTU as a young bird 16-08 (16 hours, 8 minutes) and Irish Section winner, 14-59, YB (Young Bird). Paddy's birds have also crossed well with others. In 1992 Thad a black hen from Paul O’Brien crossed to aP. Slane cock. She bred 2 black cocks to fly 16-42 and YBs, Sth. Place NTU and 17-05 as yearlings but they were hard to see in the dark, In 1995 Bobby Dunseith supplied me with 2 pairs of his birds. I paired one of the blue cocks to a silver white flight hen bred by myself from a P. Slane pair. They bred 2 pencil blue cocks which completed my 20 hour kit. One of these pencil blues was also in my YB kit (Irish Section 14-30, Irish Section 14-59, 2nd. NTU & UFTC Charity Cup 16-08). 1 also have a pair from Harry Shannon, I wontheseasaprize inthe 1996 Charity fly 16-08, butin 1997 [lost the YBs of this pair. In 1998 I will eross them with P. Slane birds. Another cross I must mention was that of a grizzle badge cock given to me by Ronnie Me Gregor of Lizburn. The late Gerry Mooney had bred this grizzle badge, but I believe its bloodlines came from Gerry’s brother-in-law Emanuel Fenton. I paired this cock toaP. Slane hen, They produced a grizzle badge cock to fly 19-35 as a yearling in the company of 2 P. Slane pigeons in the Long Day fly 1995. Q: How many breeding pairs do you keep? Az 12 pair. Q: When do you pair? A: Mid February, Q: Do you inbred or pair best to best? Aj Inbreed and out cross. Q: Describe your loft set up. ‘Az 8°x 6' flying shed & 12" x 6" breeding and storage Q: How many flyers do you keep? Az In ‘97 [had 8, butin "98 [ will have 15, Q: How often do you fly? A: Every 2-3 days. Q: How many hours do you fly? Az 4-6 hours, Q: When do you give your last fly? A: Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday depending on shifts as T work some nights. Q: Do you preferto fly cocks or hens? A: I know there is a line of thought ortheory which says that hens are better at staying kitted in the dark therefore giving them a better chance of a record fly, but I can only say my best time was flown by 4 cocks, 2 pairs of brothers. I have a feeling it could have something to do with the particular family of the birds, where in some, the hens could be the best while in others the cocks could be the goods. Thad a hen a couple of years ‘ago whose children and grand-children would split in the dark, even in twilight, so [have now eliminated them. Q: Do you use the same feed-up of old birds and young birds? ‘A: Generally yes. Butifone bird doesn’t take a particular grain, I'll tempt it with something else Q: Do you use a toni ‘Az The answer to this is yes. I have used Parishes Chemical Food and Johnson's Tonic at different times, Both have worked. However, if you look at the contents of these you will find both contain iron. This isn’t a magic substance to make Tipplers fly time. Itis simply a substance to give them an appetite and therefore feed better. But, of course they must be good Tipplers and also be in good condition to accept their build-up feed. Itisonly an aid to help you get the best from the birds. Of course, sometimes find a bird will not take a drink of the tonic, In which case, I simply give it clean water. Itdoesn’t seem to matter. Perhaps we place too much importance on tonic. Q: What are your best old bird times? ‘A: 20 hrs,, 25 min. (4 cocks), Q: What are your best young bird’s times? A: 16 hrs., 57 min. Q: How many droppers do you have? A: Four. Q: How many young birds do you breed? ‘A: 40-50, Page lO Your Window To The Digeon World Peyzcon DebutQ: Do you dark train young birds? : Yes I do dark train my young birds fora couple of reasons. Firstly, I want to be in with a chance of a good fly in the early young bird ‘competitions, but as you can see from. my best young bird time, I still have some way to go in that department. Also, If the young birds are dark trained, it makes life easier in the spring time as they can be brought into dark quite quickly as yearlings. However, Ido feel yearlings are more settled than young birds and less would be spoiled if dark training was left until the yearlings stage. Ithink this is worth consideration. Q: Have you any suggestions that might improve the sport? A: Ithinkan honor system would encourage those who can’t get areferce to stay in the sport. Later, if they do find one, they would naturally return to full competition. Q: Have you any suggestions that might make the newsletter more interesting? More articles from experienced fanciers. I think they should be approached to write on a specific aspect. Also, more photographs of birds and lofts. Q: What advice would you give the novice? A: The advice I would give is as follows: 1, Obtain stock from a fancier ‘who can regularly produce good times. 2. Listen to what he has to say about training and feeding and put his, words into practice 3. Read about pigeons and learn. about disease and health matters in particular, 4, Be a good listener. When you meet an experienced fancier, ask questions. 5. Make good use of a scraper. 6. Finally, I would like to relate the'story of a champion pigeon man who once was asked the secret of producing winners. He simply replied that in general, the best results were found by pairing a cock with a hen. Q: Have you any other comments? A: I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have helped me in Tipplers. First and foremost, Paddy Slane, who introduced me to Tipplers. He supplied me with the right Tipplers and taught me how to feed and train them. Tam indebted to him. Also, Bobby Dunseith who supplied me with. 2 pairs of birds and has always has been willing to supply advice andhelp. And finally, Harty Shannon. He is always willing to give advice and pass ‘on information. Thave obtained some useful tips from him anytime I have met or talked to him on the phone. I would also like to wish all NTU members the very best for 1998, More dramatic comedy is good from time to time 00. Enjoy, please. Where Do All the Good Ones Go? By: Clay Pigeon ‘An Excerpt from the Book The Great Adventures of Clay Pigeon ‘As you may remember from my last adventure, I'm a Komorner Tumbler. Not the show variety, I work fora living. I drop competition Tipplers. A dropper’ job is to get the Tippler’s attention, show “em 's time to come home and kind of hold the door open till they’re in the house But, who cares, right; you read the title of this article and you want to Know; where do all the good ones go? Well read on, I'll tell ya The floor scraper, or flyer as he likes to be called (even though he can't fly) is busy bringing in some new youngsters. He calls them his second round, who knows why? This is a fun time for me, when released, not much to do butcircle the loft a few times, chase or ifI’m lucky get chased by the ladies and come into the house letting the little Tipplers in too. You know, showing them the routine. But as [said it’s fun forme because the old dropper Ben is doing mostof the work. Old Ben, is gently put out by the flyer, with the youngsters, because he walks slow, can hardly fly and won’t frighten the kids. They love old Ben. The flyer loves old Ben too. He’s only got part of each wing and half atail. And from time to time he'll stand on the edge of the roof, looking into the sky, extending his wings as if catching some unfelt breeze, Poised as if to take off. After each molt he hopes that his new feathers will grow back, but they never do. I'lltell ya why, you won't believe it, but I'l tell ya. Oneevening, aftera day just like today, the youngsters were in the house, all had eaten, the sun had gone down and I found myself on a low perch next to old Ben. I leaned over and in a sincere, low voice asked Ben what had happened to his wings and tail. Ben said, matter of factly, he had been to where the good ones go, and had somehow left his wing tips and partofhis tail behind. “They're where the good ones go,” he repeated. Neither of us spoke for a while after that. Then old Ben wenton. Itold ya, keep reading! When he was young, hehad heard the flyer talking about the precious young Tipplers. He watched as the flyerreleased themon their first flight. The flyer had been keeping them very hungry, so they wouldn't venture too far from home and would return quickly at the first sight of a dropper in the air, But this time, they were well fed the day before; he wanted to see how they would do. He kept telling his hen, come see, come see; these are the good ones. Well, they were good, very good, too good. “Oh no!” The flyer said, “They're in the DPypeon Debt Your Window To The Digeon World Puget?pins.” Which means they were so high that they appeared to be the size of the head of a pin. Too high for youngsters on their first flight. They circled, until they were out of sight and never did return, Ben and his buddies were released to fetch ‘em back, but they were nowhere to be found. Just gone. ‘That’s when Ben decided he ‘would become the best dropper there ever was. And he did, the flyer called him Benito the Great! Ben could get Tipplers to do almost anything. Ben would hang out more with the Tipplers than with the other droppers. He'd listen to all their stories of flying adventure and he'd tell them some too. Happy times Then one day when three of the best Tipplers, the good ones, were out training for an up coming weekend fly contest, a thunder storm quickly formed and approached from the Southwest. The storm blocked the sun, you could feel the temperature fall a degree or two and feel the ‘moisture in the air. It was going to be ahard rain for sure, Ben was released to bring the Tipplers home. He circled and spotted the Tipplers higher than he had ever seen them before and still rising on a push of wind from the storm, They weren’t looking for Ben that early in their training flight, so Ben went up after ‘em. Ben had only cut the distance in half when the storm was upon them all, The Tipplers disappeared into the dark foreboding clouds. Ben, now about three quarters of the way to where the Tipplers were last seen, was now caught ina swirl of lighting, wind, rain, and the thundering roar of the storm. He could hardly keep his eyes open. The storm carried small twigs, leaves and other debris which pelted Ben's wings, But, that’s not how he lost his wing tips. Read on. Just as he thought his wings would become soaked with the rain, he broke out of the storm. He was now above it. The sun was shining, blue sky, fluffy grey and white cloud tops, like pillows below and only the muffled sound of distant thunder, but no Tipplers. He searched the horizons, it was so beautiful. He began to circle and loop, dive and tumble. Heisatumbler after all, that’s what we do. In the oh so thin air, every maneuver became easier, yet more unforgiving if taken too far. Then, he thought he heard the ‘Tipplers chuckling. He could hear the sound the wind makes as it moves around a Tippler's wings, yet they were nowhere in sight. Nothing, no pigeons orany other birds either. Then he heard them again and decided to follow the sound. He had to fly like never before, slower, lighter on the wind, easier more peacefully through the air than ever. ‘Then it happened. He could see his wing tips disappearing, Not like disappearing into the mist of cloud, but disappearing into thin air. It shocked him so much, his breathing became rapid. He lost the sound of the Tipplers. He quickened his wing beats and in the blink of an eye his wing tips were back again. Looking around, he noticed that the weather had cleared below him and he gained his bearings and turned for home. Without the Tipplers he had been sent for, he descended. He hadn't returned without Tipplers fora Jong time, he wondered how the flyer ‘would react. Luckily, he thought, the closer he gotto the house, the happier the flyerbecame. And, ashe stretched ‘out his wings to break his glide above the landing board, he could see four shadows. The Tipplets were right behind him. The flyer was very glad tosee them all. That night, all he could think about was not how the Tipplers got behind him without him knowing it, but how his wing tips had disappeared right before his eyes. ‘The flyer allowed young Ben and the three Tipplers, the good ones to rest in the house for a few days. And onthe next cloudless day the Tipplers were liberated early. A little past noon, the flyer was pacing back and forth telling his hen that he hadn’t seen the Tipplers in quite some time. The hen suggested he release a dropper to see if the good ones weren't in some near by tree loafing around. So Ben got the old heave-ho; up and over the house he went. He circled afew times. Nothing, no Tipplers in sight and certainly not in any trees. He circled wider, and higher, higher and wider, higher and higher. Then, he heard the unmistakable sound of air passing around Tippler wings again. And again, he began to follow the sound. Up, up, up he went, into the pins, until he thought he could touch the sun. He ‘was flying so slowly now, butcircling and ever rising. It was as if he became the wind itself. He could feel every little lifting current, he drifted from one to the other, riding them, oh so gently. Then it happened, his wing tips faded again. His feathers were no longer meeting with resistance, but ‘were one with the air. His wings, tail and body, everything, was gone. Only this time he didn’t panic, the Tipplers, the good ones, were with him, He doesn’t remember actually seeing them, but he could feel them, he could hear them. They were there, They all breathed and thought like the wind. It Page tt Your Window To The Digeon World Pigeon Debeetwas indescribable, yet nothing physical to do. Pressure on the face, ‘wings and tail disappeared, All muscle effort disappeared. It became purely & thought process. The Tipplers and Ben, the good ones, became the sky itself. They did maneuvers there are no names for. They went where ever they thought of going. Once, they even descended and passed right through the house screen and around the Tipplers and droppers, ruffling feathers and then back up to the heavenly heights again. No time, no physical effort, only the thrill of flying Higher and higher, they went, the air became thinner and thinner. The earth fell away and the stars loomed closer and closer. Then, he doesn't know why, except that being the dropper he is, Ben began pulling against the flow and toward the loft as night enclosed them, That’s where his return trip became just a blur. Ben only remembers being on the landing board, alone in the dark, entering the house by star light. The next morning, at dawn Benito the Great, awoke to the sounds of oohs and aahs. The other pigeons were all gathered around him and pointing at him, then he noticed. He wasn’t all there. Half a tail and no wing tips. ‘And that’s what Ben told me. And, that the flyer keeps him fat and happy because he can still run around onthe roof and get the young Tipplers into the house like no one else can and because he was once the best Dropper there ever was, Of course, he can’t be compared to Sergeant, but that's another story for another time. INationat, SHORT Face ToMmLER CLUB ‘Annual NPA - NYBS - Disteiet Shows Join op have some fun ‘Dues $10 Dennis Rotwnne 31 Chatham De. ‘Teumbl, CT 6611 And here's John’s “Rest of the Story” article. Again, good reading. Flying Tippler Methods By: John Lamb Co.Antrim, Northern Ireland I was very surprised to find out that my words in the NTU Newsletter had reached the shores of “Amerikay”” and into your magazine. 1 will be pleased to pass on my feeding methods and indeed my thoughts on feeding of Flying Tipplers.. But first, I must point out that I regard feeding as only one piece of the jig saw puzzle which goes into a successful fly. Ifthe birds fail to fly a ‘good time, it may not be the feeding thatis the fault and indeed I would not wish anyone to blame me ifthey failed after trying out my feeding methods. I used the term, “my feeding methods,” but I believe them to be similar to most fanciers this side of the Atlantic and elsewhere. To begin with, I will say a few words on feeding stock pigeons or breeders. I feed the same mixture all the year round. This I believe should contain a high percentage of peas are high in protein (about 25%). also like some Indian corn in the mixture, but not a terrible lot. On no account do Tuse barley in my breeding mixture when rearing young ones. It is low in protein and not therefore suitable for rearing youngsters. [ was once told that barley also leads toeggs being laid, which are brittle and easily broken, but Ihave never experimented to find out if this is true. Barley is only therefore fed to my flying pigeons, during training and stock birds, which have finished breeding. My birds also have ample grit and minerals, Occasionally, I give themsomeleftover lettuce, which they really devour. Lately, I have given them things such as breakfast cereals, porridge oats, ete., things which have not been used in the house. They seem to like them. To breed good strong young ones I have been adding. vegetable oil to the corn and coating it with baby milk power. only feed this when young ones are in the next. And so on to feeding my flying kit. As I said before, I regard feeding as only one part of the jig saw puzzle that goes to produce a successful fly. Firstly, you must have the right birds. ‘You must obtain your original stock from a fancier who can regularly produce good times in the high teens of hours. Don’t just buy a bird simply because ithas astrain name of afancier who lived fifty years ago. The fancier who bred it may not/will not certainly have paired his birds in the same way as the originator of the particular family of yesteryear. Also, the loft in which you house your birds must be dry and adequately ventilated. My own loft has vents just below roof level, front and rear to allow a fresh. flow of air through the loft. The constant changing of air in the loft is important, I do not like my flying loft to be too bright inside as this encourages the molt. Also, the use of an electric light in the flying loft will bring on the molt, so I keep this to a minimum. For two years now I have reached the Long Day fly without any birds casting a fight. With regards to the actual feeding of my flying Tipplers, this goes hand in hand with their training. T suppose I can assume that your readers will have trained their Tipplers to come to Groppers (white fantails). T start training my young birds as soon as they leave the nest and start to feed on their own, They are removed to the young bird section and fed once a day ‘on breeding mixture and given a drink Each time, of course, the dropper bird is introduced and the young Tipplers soon learn to associate them with being fed. Gradually then the feeding is changed so that by the time the young ones are flying they are eating only Pigeon Debt Your Window To The Digeon Worldpure barley. A few days before they are allowed tofly out for the first time, T cut down their amount of food so that they are hungry and won't stray too farat first until they are well used to the loft and surrounding area, Up until this point I give my young birds daily access toa small flightorcage in the front of the loft, so that they can acquaint themselves with the area outside. When they are flying around and seem settled increase the amount of food to make them fly longer. Small seed (Linseed) can also be given now, but only sparingly about twice a week just to make them stronger. This must not be over done or the molt will be induced. In the past, I have fed a depurating mixture (barley, wheat, Dari and safflower) tomy young birds, buton occasions they have flown over into darkness without being properly dark trained. I now find that pure barley feeding keeps them under better control. I use depurating for my old bird kits, but I find that they do not need any small seeds at all, the depurating mixture being sufficient on its own, Ifany birds refuse to come into the droppers, Lean simply change their feeding by either topping the small seeds (young birds) or changing, the depurating to pure barley (old birds). Or, I simply feed less to regain control of them and so their training and diet continues, training every two to three days, four to six hours each time, If flying every two days, fourto five hours is sufficient, if every three days, five orsix hours is enough. Some people would fly longer hours in training, but only twice a week. The birds can be brought to fitness in about six weeks or even less if the weather is good and the training is regular. I prefer not to fly them on days when the wind is cold, as it can knock the heart out of them and destroy all the good work of pervious days. It can take several weeks to bring them back to form again. To feed the birds up for a competition fly, I start one week previous; on Sunday night I give Epsom salts in their water to “dose them out,” to use a vernacular term. One teaspoonful to a pint of water, is enough. On Tuesday night I give theman Iron tonic in their water (same dosage as Epsom salts). On Wednesday night after their fly, 1 change their feeding to small seeds, but only 50% of their normal amount. ‘This means that by Thursday morning they are still hungry enough for a full feed. These small seeds consist of a proprietary brand of conditioning seed to which Ladd oil seed, rape and hemp seed. On Wednesday night they also get tonic in their water. On Thursday ‘morning they get 50% small seed and 50% good breeding mixture, pure water (0 drink. On Friday morning 1 feed the same as Thursday plus 50% extra small seeds and pure water. 1 must add that Ido not leave water with the birds all the time. On Saturday morning I feed them as much small seed as they will eat followed by pure water to drink. By now the kit of birds should be looking well and handling well, bright eyes, breast muscles swelled, feeling firm, butnot too firm, a sort of spongy firmness and feathering feeling almost oily, certainly not dry. It only remains to finish them off about two to fourhours before their fly on Sunday morning by feeding some plain canary seed, oil seed rape and hemp and a drink of water, also few grains of Indian corn (aboutsix toeightis sufficient). Don’t worry if they are only picking at this, stage. I like them to take about half a crop full at this last feed, I feed all my flyers in individual kit boxes so that they all get about the same amount of food and if all the birds are of the same family or at least type, this helps as well. So there you have it, above are the finer details of my feeding system, the final part of the jig saw puzzle if you like, but all parts are equally important. The above feeding method will not make champions out of substandard stock, improperly trained. ‘Tosump, train on alow protein, high carbohydrate diet of barley plus some seeds or a depurating mixture (barley, wheat, dari, and safflower) Build up on high protein, high oil/fat content seeds and mixture (oil seed, rape, hemp, maple peas, Indian corn, and finally plain canary seed). A thing to remember is that @ pigeon’s body can turn protein into carbohydrate, but not the reverse. The above system has enabled me to enjoy my Tipplers to the utmost and anyone who follows it should be able to gain success. But, the training program must be adhered to over a sustained period of weeks and months bringing the birds gradually up into top flying condition, It cannot be achieved in days, but as I just said, only over a sustained period. The fancier, who wants to succeed, must bbe dedicated Finally, I would like to wish all American Tippler flyers every success with their Tipplers, perhaps some day you may emulate the times of flyers in Ireland and Britain. R&S Lofts Ron and Susan Sloan Flying Member E.T.A., F.T.S. P.O. Box 361 Norfolk, CT 06058 (860) 542-1671 R.Sloan@snet.com Visitors Welcome Birds Available Your Window To The Digeon World Pigeon DebutNow here's some news from and ‘about our Tippler flying neighbors to the north. Flyer Profile By: Kemo Basic Continuing the series of flyer profiles, this time we feature Smail “Kemo” Basic, Rexdale, Ontario, Canada of the National Canadian Tippler Union (CNTU) and a member of the Flying Tippler Association as well. Kemo is generally recognized ‘as one of the best young bird flyers in North America. 1. How do you settle your Tipplers? To settle my Tipplers I put them on the roof when they are four weeks old and do that every day until they start flying. Droppers are always with them. Lused to use 2-4 droppers, but with the Irish birds I need at least, 10 because the Irish birds are full of vitality and strength. ‘They have a very strong and natural instinct to fly 2. What do you look in selecting a kit? In selecting a kit for a flying competition I look for birds with vitality, vigor, strength and a natural instinet to fly. 3. When do you begin training? To begin training young birds in Canada, the ideal time is early April That gives us 8 weeks of training before the first young birds fly. T use Harry Shannon’ training and feeding program. 4. How do you know when your ‘Tipplers are in form? [know the birds are in form when it takes me longer and longer to drop them while they are on the training feed (85% barley, 15% oil seeds - rape and niger seed).” 5. What’s your system of dropping? When the birds are in good form, I give them droppers early When they are in poor shape, 1 hold back the droppers. My droppers are a mixture of tumbler and Indian fantail and next year I will use as many as 1 have. 6. What do you feed your flyers? 1 feed my flying Tipplers 85% barley and 15% oil seeds. There is widespread belief thatthe primary way top-level participants in the flying Tippler competition get their competitive edge is by feeding the birds special secret diets. Since so many people seem to believe that diet is crucial to success in the fly, itis not surprising that a large measure of fascination and curiosity surrounds the feed-up. The feed-up is supposed to give young birds a nutritional boost just before a major event, such as a flying Tippler competition. The body has the ability to store carbohydrates, both as glucose in the bloodstream andas glycogenin the muscles. Sound training can increase the bird’ ability to store carbohydrates as glycogen. The increased blood volume of the birds may allow them to carry around larger amounts of glucose when they are highly trained. No matter how well the birds are trained, they may well run out of stored carbohydrates at some point during the fly if not properly fueled. ‘The point of the feed-up is to delay that moment of depletion as long as possible, because ‘when it happens, physical performance diminishes rapidly. There are many types of feed-ups commonly used with success. The one that I’ prefer the most is that of Wilf Lovatt. Wilf Lovatt, an English gentleman, was the first to fly his bird's 20 hours. He practiced a method, which involves depleting the birds’ glycogen and glucose stores just prior to the feed- up. This is achieved by firstincreasing the workout to 5 hours about a week before the fly. The next step is to feed the birds very little in the way of carbohydrates for two to three days, concentrating on food sources high in protein such as maple peas while the exercise schedule is increased again this time to 7 hours. This reduces the level of stored carbohydrates in the bloodstream and works the muscles to their lowest point. Finally, three to four days before the fly, the eating and exercise consumption of carbohydrates increase while protein is correspondingly cut. The amount offatin the diet during this time should be kept low at less than 25%. Thus, carbohydrates make up almost all of the calories consumed. The theory behind this type of method is that only by depleting the body of its carbohydrate stores can the blood and ‘muscles optimally supersaturate with glycogen. Following these guidelines does not necessarily guarantee record performance, but it may help you fly your pigeons to the best of their ability Using this program which I have slightly altered from the original, I have flown young birds, often squeakers, many times over 15 hours Practicing the same method but with Jonger workouts, my best flying time for old birds is 16-24. 7. How are old birds cared for fter a competition fly? After a ‘competition fly I allow the pigeons to rest for a half an hour. Aftera half an hour, I feed them 50% grains, 25% oil seeds (the birds are fed lightly) and 1 give them water with Vitadol Plus. This soluble powder is amulti-vitamin and electrolyte supplement. After the competition fly I keep them in for a week 8. During molt, how are your pigeons cared for? During molt breeders, flyers and droppers are fed A few of Kemo Basie’ Irish Tpplers Pycon Debut Your Window To The Digeon World Pyesraes EE i A view of Kemo Basie's Tippler Loft peas; grains and oil seeds mixed with 30% barley. 9. How large a loft do you ‘maintain and how many pigeons? My loftis 12° x8" x8." Inever keep more than 40 birds including droppers. 10. What do you feed your breeders? My breeding Tipplers are always fed peas; grains & oil seeds mixed with 30% barley. I follow Harry Shannon's feeding program, which excludes wheat because wheat is difficult to digest. 11. How did you become associated with Tipplers and how long has it been? In 1969 I got married and had a room and kitchen on the second floor. Outside, under the kitchen window, Thad a box with two Tippler prints that I had bought at the local market. My wife and I were fortunate enough to save some money for a down payment on a house where one ‘quarter of the double garage was used for my birds. I flew youngsters every day from the garage and I had no idea about droppers. When the birds had enough they came down. The birds were prints, blues, duns and silvers. At my new job in 1974, I met Oskar Zovich. Being of the good nature that Tam, (knock on wood) I gave Oskar two young birds that I had flown 10 hours, even (that was a great time, I might add). They were very pretty birds, one was a blue bar and the other was adun grizzle. I then introduced Oskar to my source of pigeon supply: ‘The local market. From then on, our friendship grew, as did our stock of birds. 12. Whatis your favorite Tippler strain and why? My favorite strain of Tippler is the Irish Delights. Why? (Look at them.) They are bred for lity and natural instinct to fly. Tell us something personal about yourself and any good advise you may have for our fanciers. I'm ahandsome ‘53-year-old man, married with two children. Everyone helps with the birds by occasionally feeding or releasing them. Useful hint: We all have good birds and programs. With patience and commitment, we can all, be winners! Up next, history, it’s good for the heart and soul. A Bit of Old English Tippler History By: Jack Prescott — Inanissue of the DFU Rundblick, German Tippler Union newsletter, there was a list of the World Records for young and old birds dating back to 1902. So, scribbling down the names of the record setting fanciers from his home, Sheffield, England area we asked Jack to give us a look-see into these Tipper men’s lives. ‘Young Birds: 1916 16-31 Bagle 1920 16-40 Hollingsworth 1927 16-56 Holland 1932 17-00 Holland 1959 17-20 Heaton 1986 19-10 Brown, Old Birds: 1908 18-15. Ward & Beech 1911 18-30 Cockayne 1922 19-35 Cockayne 1959 19-45. Marlow Here's what he wrote, The men that you nominate are but few of many Sheffield men who were seriously involved with Tipplers. Jud Eagle of Crookes was aclose friend of my grandfather. He was a dedicated man who kept Tipplers ina very small back yard in a slum area of Crookes, which is on the west side of Sheffield. For some time, at least he flew some crosses, which flew exceptionally high, and on two occasions this excess was responsible for subsequent disqualification, Hollingsworth lived in Walkley and also belonged to a very strong Crookes and Walkley Tippler Club. Said to be a very quiet man, unless someone upset him. He flew birds directly from Jack Cockayne, so that Jack was flying against his own birds for several years. There was an argument about this, Hollingsworth flew into a rage and killed all of Cockayne’s birds he kept. Unfortunately, thereafter, Hollingsworth never did very well. Holland was a leading man who fell out with Billingham, another famous Tippler man, for reasons that were never told. He was the Uncle of George Marlow. Holland started George Marlow off with Tipplers that George kept in an old rabbit hutch, Very soon and at an early age George Marlow was competing with his famous Uncle, who was heard to say, “That young rascal knows more than ‘me and he has luck that I never had’. Ward & Beech flew before the NTU (National Tippler Union of Great Britain) was formed (1912). Here is, proof that more than 18 hours was flown long before the NTU was formed. The first record of official 18 hours after the formation of the NTU was in 1914 by two men of Heeley. Parkinson & Atkin were brothers-in- law, laborers in a steel mill. Very little is known of Beech, but Ward used to play billiards with the famous Ben Stamp. Sam Billingham supplied Ken Brown with his first Tipplers. He was, one of the men, along with Stamp, who were against the formation of the Your Window To The Pigeon World lipeon DebutLio R: the late George Marlow and the great Jack Prescott at George's house in Sheffield, England Photo by: 8. Ogozalek NTU. It was said that Tippler flying was only a sensible proposition if conducted on a very local level. For this reason the East End of Sheffield broke away and did not fly with the NTU. Sam Billingham, a bad tempered man moved out of Crookes and came to livein Gleadless, because he said, it was a better location Gleadiess is a small area, pretty high up and on the South edge of Sheffield but only 6 miles from Crookes and Walkley. It's only 8 miles from Stannington where Holland and Marlow lived. Ken Brown lived just 2 1/2 miles from Gleadless and Ken kept Tipplers on an allotment, not at home. Ken's wife died in her 40's and from that time, Ken lived for his Tipplers. He ‘was a Bricklayer, who from the best ‘geographical location that Ihave ever seen, except if there was an Easterly ‘wind and then it was hopeless. Ken, a patient and generous man, completely honest. He would tell you about mistakes and failures with humility and frankness. Ken died from throat cancer shortly after getting the young bird record, 1986. Another very famous man was Jack Heaton who lived at Arbourthrone, which is between Gleadess and Ken Brown’s location, at Heeley, He was a Slaughterman, who made his living killing cows, sheep, pigs, ete. He also bred canaries. Jack was not a patient man, He was harsh and difficult to understand. He died of cancer. He was, at the time, a worthy contestant, a very, very strict and T suppose a cruel man, Jack had the pallor and complexion of those people who work in slaughterhouses. Because he was so strict, so uncompromising and so mean, he usually did well. I never actually heard Jack laugh, Ken Brown and George Marlow laughed all the time, By the way, George Marlow was astonemason and his workis all over Sheffield. He built miles of granite walls. These men had a relationship not always pleasant, The often fell out. In the very early days, in the East End, fights took place and there was.a lot of trouble to do with pigeons. In Sheffield thereisnotroublenow. But! It’s dull. Thaven’t seen a good “punch up” among pigeon men for years, ‘And another good help and how-to article for your reading pleasure. Show Tipplers (the other kind of Tippler) By Tim Kvidera Although this Tippler Special issue of the Pigeon Debut is pretty much devoted to the breed known for its endurance flying capabilities - the Flying Tippler-there is another breed that shares the Tippler name called the Show Tippler. The show Tippler is not showy version of the working breed likeanon-flown Racing Homer. There are families of Flying Tipplers, like Baumgartner, etc., that are more pleasing to the eye, showy, than the extreme endurance flying families, Hughes, Lovatt, Shannon, ete. The Show Tippler is a separate breed, ‘The Show Tippleris pretty much a Tippler in name only. Even the old families of flying bronzes spend more Copper Bronze Show Tippler time on the loft than in the air. The families of Show Tipplers that have been bred strictly for show have even less aerial capabilities. ‘These often have recent LFCL Tumbler infusions intheirbackground. The conformation of the Show Tippler is pretty much like a Jong Long Faced Clean Legged Tumbler. The beak is medium in length. Thehead is quite rounded, but not to the extreme of the LFCL ‘Tumbler. There should be no forward protruding frontal on the head of a Show Tippler, just smooth round are rising off the wattle, The body should be compact and “athletic.” Stance should be erect and alert. Size medium, ‘The thing that really sets the Show Tippler apart from other breeds is itscolor. The breed is renowned for the rich, bright expression of Brander Bronze in the coppers, or bronzies. ‘The bird is a deep, rich, lustrous red/ bronze throughout with the tail and flights tipped with black. ‘The clean white pearl eye is really set off well in the round bronze head. There are other colors in the Show Tipplerbreed, but they are pretty much variation on the Brander bronze theme, bronze mottles, red moitles, kites, ete, Actually they are offshoots from the copper selfs, Some fanciers even breed them for their own sake. Pairing two coppers together will produce at least three types of youngsters ~ coppers, red mottles and. kites. And depending on the family of ceon Debut Your Window To The Digeon WorldKite Show Tippler birds one is working with, some of the coppers and potentially some kites will be varying degrees of mottles ‘The red mottles start off as red selfs in the nest, but molt to mottles. The copper color is the result of the expression of impure, heterozygous, recessive red on a Brander bronze kite like bird. As such, pairing two coppers (heterozygous recessive reds) together results in 50% of the young birds being heterozygous for recessive red, therefore coppers, 25% homozygous (pure) for recessive red (become red moitles), and 25% without recessive red (kites). Ihave yet to have ared not quickly become a mottle a first molt. Copper and kite mottles will usually show white in the nest. Old copper selfs, in some families, will develop some white with increased age Knowing that kites are needing a dose ofred tobe coppers and that red mottles are pure forrecessive red, one can pair the two and produce 100% copper Recessive Red Motile Show Tippler —— Page ‘youngsters from them. Coppers come in a variety of shades; many of them are not being what are sought in the show hall The challenge of the copper breeder is to maintain the rich red copper bronze throughout the bird while maintaining the dark black markings on the flight and tail tips Black has a way of wanting to darken up the rump and sometimes the neck. When the rump is clean, it’s hard to get the needed black terminal bar, especially in the center few feathers. Care must be taken to keep solid color penetration in the flights. There is a tendency for some birds to have a gtizzling effect emanating from the quills. When all things come together properly on the same bird the Show Tippler can really turn some heads, and you won't get astiff neck watching. them above either. Another help and how-to article from a very knowledgable fancier. Conventional vs. Natural By: Stan Ogozalek — The ‘Conventional’ method of training Flying Tipplers is for them to respond to the fluttering of droppers onthe loft versus the “Natural” method thatis allowing the Tipplers to drop or come to the loft at will. ‘The Conventional method is a method of training the Tippler kits to respondto the flutter of droppers. And. droppers are any breeds, other than TIPPLERS themselves that are mostly white in color and should be pigeons that are active. (This is important because droppers that are motionless on the loft roof are useless.) Active means that once they're released, they'll flutter about the loft top thus, creating a ‘pulling’ attraction for the kit that is flying overhead. When the kit members do see the fluttering of Your Window To The Digeon World the droppers on the loft roof, they respond by flying in short, tighter circles about the loft area with their tails spread and looking from side to side at this attraction on the loft Usually, the kits will respond and drop onto the loft roofina brief time, which could be just a few minutes or more ‘Some fanciers don’t want their kits to drop immediately. Dropping times vary and could last one half hour or more. The kit knows that once clearance is given, by the presence of the droppers actively fluttering about the loft roof, itis OK for them to come to the loft. However, the kit still has a little more ‘fly’ left inside and wishes to continue before dropping. But, the continued fluttering (this ‘pulling’ attraction) of the droppers will (and usually does) bring them down to the loft. Before going any further, this dropper training begins with the young Tipplers, The young Tipplers are introduced to the droppers early on and recognize them as belonging to the loft and its area. Droppers may be placed in with the young Tipplers at feedingtime and thus associating them with food, this is one method that can be employed by the fancier. The young ‘Tipplers then become familiar with seeing the droppers and so are not afraid when they're active on the loft roof. This is important on that very first release of the young Tipplers, a time when most young Tippler losses, (fly-aways) can and do occur. Being young Tipplers, they should be released everyday, if possible, during the settling stage of training, the droppers may be released with them. Its good for the young Tipplers to notice the droppers walking and fluttering about the loft roof in complete confidence. The droppers are allowed to remain with the young. Tipplers on the loft roof until and when the Tipplers are flying at least an hour or more, depending. (This is, only one way of doing this, there are others.) Once they've reached that veo Detecttime, then the droppers are withheld until the young Tipplers show ‘signs’ that they are ready to come down. ‘These ‘signs’ will be...thetightcircles that they're flying about the loft area in...the ‘looking’ from side to side at the loft... and maybe their “landing gear’ isnow readily seen by the Tippler fancier that has been observing them carefully all the while. All of these ‘signs’ combine to alert the fancier that clearance must be given to drop, the droppers must be released. However, the young Tipplers should not be allowed to see the droppers being released by the Tippler fancier. Otherwise they can and will associate the sight of the fancier as yet another ‘signal’ for dropping. The fancierthen becomes just another dropper! So, the roppers should be released when the Kit is circling away and upon their return, the droppers are present and fluttering about creating that “pull” Now, ifthe fancier does not recognize these “dropping signals’ and doesn’t release the droppers then the youngsters may very well come to the loft at will, possibly spoiling them as aresult, or maybe not, Thatis why the fancier should be present and recognize the need to release the droppers during those all-important training sessions. Let's say that two droppers are released initially, the others may be released individually at ashort distance from the loftarea (and possibly hidden from the kit’s sight) as the kit passes over it. The droppers might then join in with the kit and Ture it down and onto the loft roof, this is considered a ‘maximum pull’ effort. ‘Summing it up, the kit should not be allowed fo drop to the loft roof until the droppers are released and this is each and every time. If they drop onto the loft roof at will, more than once, then (in my opinion) they're spoiled. After that, the kit should be observed very carefully to see if this fault in their training would be repeated. I is, then the kit is considered untrustworthy. Remember what the kit does in training sessions, they'll do on that all important contest day! Now, this ‘Conventional’ method is the method of choice employed by almostall the top fanciers that I’ve come across. would venture to say that 99.9% of the Flying Tippler fanciers in England use this method of training their kits that are both young and old. Fanciers in other countries are also onto this method. Why? Because it is a method that has been proven to work (by many fanciers, too numerous to mention here) providing the Tipplerkitshave been conditioned by regular training (flying) sessions and fed the necessary grains and seeds to bring them into peak condition, for that all important contest date. Anyone who is or would be serious about being competitive in the sport must know that this is the only route to follow. Surely, some fanciers have flown kits of Tipplers that weren't strictly dropper trained, into the teens of hours. Though, in most cases, they are not consistent in their efforts with the birds on contest days. The ‘Natural’ method of training Flying Tipplersisto release them each flying session and allow them to fly until they decide to come to the loft. These flying sessions can and do fluctuate in times flown. Thereis little or no control of the kit using this, method. Tipplers do become “crafty” at times and if they're allowed to drop at will, then in a brief span of time the flying times will be reduced to a point that will not condition the birds properly. Now, if the kitis not flying a long time during training, then who is to say what they will do on contest day? With the ‘Natural’ method of training Flying Tipplers, they're flown on a regular basis, either twice or three times per week. Their diet should dictate theamountof time they remain, aloft (and sometimes, the hours flown, are many) providing they're not spoiled and/or ‘crafty’. The kit flies until one or more gets the urge to drop to the loft. There hasn’t been any training given the kit to have them continue they simply drop because they want to. Here in the USA, I would think that many Tippler fanciers employ this method. If they could find the time to train their kits using the *Conventional’ method, then I believe that they would give it a try Unfortunately, some of us must work and cannotallocate the time needed to use this method. They resort to the only method available to them and do their best; some enjoy success while others do not. ‘And another, and another, enjoy! Flying Tipplers in the Dark By: Joe Kelley — When I started flying Tipplers I wished [ lived in Alaska so I would have the day light to fly long times or be able to break some records. After watching Mike Beat fly his kit in the dark [saw there was enough light from street-lights, stores and sign lighting, ete. in the cities which light up the sky. So I found Tipplers can recognize and fly in the area and not get lost and can be seen when they fly over the loft in the cities. estimated the kit would fly as low as 50 to 100 feet and as high as 250 to 500 feet. I don't really know, but guess they flew about 2to 5 miles a round the area and would fly over the loft every 20 to 60 minutes. So it is possible to fly 18 or more hours in roughly any area where there are lights, and the temperature is not too warm, When T trained my Tipplers to the dark I would always use lights and droppers and try to land them later in the evening each time I flew them, Sometimes birds would land in the ‘trees and not come back until morning, Sometimes one or two birds would Your W ndow To The Pigeon World Pusscome in at 10 or 11 o'clock. Young birds are the most difficult to land in theevening because sometimes at dusk they fly higher and higher and don’t come back until the next day. T used to have two west of England hens that I could take 50 to 100 feet away from the loft and toss them up to fly around to mix with the kit to bring them down because kits will fly low in the dark, but won't land, Maybe they see their shadows from the light and it frightens them and they won't land. Only the west of England hens were fresh and flying fast and didn’t mix too well with the Tipplers, but they would land on the loft and be used like regular fantail droppers to get the kitdown. [like my ‘west droppers as much as my Tipplers as they were fun to use as droppers and dependable and never got lost. I think the conventional way to settle a kit to the dark is to set the kit in a cage on top of the loft with the droppers and lights on every evening for a week or so. Then, release one bird that is really hungry and throw a few grains of feed on the roof. After that bird is accustomed to the dark try another bird and do each bird before you release two or more at the same tome. If you really have your birds trained to land at evening or in the dark with lights and the weather is ‘200d you should fly some good times. Ifyou try flying Tipplers that are not trained to lights and droppers, you are depending on luck and have a poor chance of flying good times and will have adifficulttime getting your birds down if they do not fly all day. It’s not too difficult to get your birds used to the dark, but itis difficult for the flyer to learn what todo. So if you have trouble read more articles and talk to any flyers that fly in the dark and see what training system they use. Here’s one of those fun articles from the heart. The Magnificent Flying Tippler By: Samir Darwich Thave been keeping pigeons for 36 years. I started raising pigeons back home in Syria, When my father used to have pigeons for meat. Every time he would kill a couple, I would cry for days because I loved pigeons so much, Back home, I used to have all Syrian birds, all flying types. 1 always liked to fly birds. I used to have over 300 birds in Syria. Every kind you can think of. My love for pigeons is in my blood even in my bones. 22 years ago, when my uncle and I came to the USA, I thought I would never be able to find birds in this country. I asked my uncle if he knew of anyone who had birds in the US. What, he said, my next door neighbor has birds. I went over right away and introduced myself. The guy took me to his loft. He had fantails. 1 was very happy to see birds and he gave me two pair of fans to keep. After a while, he introduced me to a guy who had racing homers. 1 purchased 5 pairs from him, all youngsters. I flew these birds for fun, In 1985, a friend of mine purchased 3 pair of flying ‘Tipplers from a fancier in Wisconsin. ‘They were of the Lovatt strain. He raised some youngsters and gave them Samir Darwich in front of his fying loft Samir's Tipplers coming in for a landing. to me. I settled these birds and flew them, During their first flight, it rained so hard; the birds took off in the rain and flew for two hours and forty minutes. They were only squeakers. I said to myself, the flying Tippler is the kind of bird I want to keep. By the end of the year I ended up with about 20 birds. Some to breed, some to fly. In 1988, I joined the FTA (Flying Tippler Association). By then I had over 200 birds. Tused to fly over a hundred birds at once. They used to go so high you couldn’t always see them, I always uused to cull all the birds separate from the big kit. I used to have only one problem; I couldn’t bring them down. In the early 90°s I imported birds from Syria. But, I had to cut all the birds way down. I gave some away and sold some and I kept the rest over at my friend's loft in Chicago. I did not have them for a while because I did not have room, A few years later I sold all my Syrian birds. I said to myself, I want the flying machine back. So 1 got back my birds from my friend in Chicago. 1 joined the FTS (Flying Tippler Society of the USA). Then I purchased 5 young birds from Mr. Ed Carlson of Effort, PA. They are beautiful birds, very good flyers, thanks Ed. ‘Then I purchased birds from Mr, Walter Wiechic of Buffalo, NY and my best friend Wally Sarbo ‘got birds from Walter also We exchange birds and in October 1999 I purchased 4 pair from Your Window To The Pigeon World Ypeon DobutMr. Bob Adams of Bohemia, NY the holder of the North American Young Bird Record. He flew his Tipplers for 16-hr. 15-min. this past fly season. Thank you for sending me quality birds and for sending me the extra pair. Now that I have quality birds I fly them almost every day, as much as Tcan. And the best part of it is when they land, they all come down on their loft, no where else and they go straight to the trap. I love it! A little more history for ya. Rooftop Flying By: Stan Ogozalek Just what is ‘Rooftop Flying’ anyway? Why, it’s flying kits of Tipplers or any other flying breed from the flat rooftops in cities and other Metro areas. In this case, it is from so-called “Row Houses’ that usually are connected to one another from one end of a city ‘block’ to the other. I've visited other fanciers whose lofts are atop multi-dwelling apartment houses in New York City. Inthis case, ‘permission’ must first be obtained from the superintendent of the building before any loft can be constructed on the rooftop. Inthe *70’s, I flew Tipplers from a ‘Row’ type rooftop in Hoboken, NJ through the courtesy of Jim & Maria Frey. I continued to fly Tipplers from that location until I was able to buy my own house in Hazlet, NJ in 1978, I made the most of this less than ideal situation because the alternative was not having pigeons at all. Being a newcomer to the sport of Flying Tipplers, I was overly enthusiastic about the idea of flying Tipplers competitively and so was willing to endure the hardship. It being, driving to and from the loft each and every day. At first, the drive was only a matter of 3 miles each way but after relocating to Elizabeth, NJ, it became 12 miles. Back then, my friend and referee (Contest Kit ‘Timer’ or referee) was the late Bob Lewin. He lived in a small hotel (Lexington Av. at 25th St.) in Manhattan, NY and his loft was situated on its’ rooftop. His location there was less than ideal, being that the many tall office buildings surrounded it. Now, the high rooftops and ledges ofthese ‘Skyscrapers’ were 4 great temptation to his contesting kits of Flying Tipplers (Lovatts). In spite of this handicap, he was able to train and fly them, eventually topping the American Tippler Union's Old Bird Record time, Not bad for ‘Rooftop Flying’! Of course, he suffered many set backs in training his Tipplers at that location and lesser individuals would've ‘packed it in’ and sought another way of amusing themselves. There was just so much ‘free space’ on these rooftops and one had to respect the property of the nearest neighbor. These rooftops weren't all that spacious; they were about forty feet in length by abouttwenty in width. ‘And there was the problem! Where does one go toreferee the kiton contest day? The sidewalks of the street? Certainly not on another neighbor's rooftop! So, on contest days, Bob and Isat there almost motionless with our backs being supported by the warm (and comforting?) chimneys. Bob's hotel rooftop was much larger and we would observe the flying kit from the far end of it. The weather played with tus onthose roofs, where were we to g0 to escape from the wind and the sun’? Recalling one Young Bird Contest in June of 1973, Bob enjoyed the sun and the temperature (90+ degrees F) so much that at the conclusion of the fly, he looked like a boiled Maine lobster! Flying a kit of Tipplers from a rooftop has its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage being that you were able to observe the kit more closely from this elevated position and to see their direction of flight. Any attempts by the contesting kit at dropping onto other rooftops or wherever could be easily spotted. In Bob's case, his Tipplers had to be high flyers in order to rake away from the high rise buildings and doing that, they were out of sight of the referee (me). At my location, the view was almost unobstructed in all directions and the kit was easily refereed on contest day. One direction of flight that a certain kit would take would be to the North/Northeast, seldom would they be seen flying to the south. Now, looking due east towards the Hudson Riverandthe NYC skyline are located some ‘high-rise’ apartment buildings. One of my kits would fly inand around these buildings in a sort of “figure 8° fashion and never did they drop onto any of the buildings. I had followed them with my 9 x 35 binoculars carefully during those training sessions. I often wondered as to the reason for them flying in that direction ———————— Your Window To The Pigeon World Ppp?Telieve that it was in 1975 that another fancier and a friend, Bob Prisco, gave me some of his newly imported Flying Tipplers from Swansea, Wales. This kit of young Tipplers I flew for ten hours in a contest and later I acquired more of that stock to breed from. These Tipplers had excellent feather qualities and came from a proven family of Tipplers, later I was to learn that as old birds, they tended to fly low, very Jow. I can remember very well when my referee and I saw these Tipplers flying lower than the rooftop and about 30 ft. above the street level and in the same direction as the moving vehicular traffic below them! All of this was witnessed from the vantage point of a rooftop. the rooftop, there is no refuge from the sun, wind and/or the rain. Many were the times when we were cold and our skin was wind-burned. Steaming hot cups of coffee (bought from the local delicatessen) had two functions, ‘one to warm the insides and the other to warm the hands? Inthe metro areas, one must also contend with the ‘stray-catchers’, fanciers that will send their stocks of pigeons aloftin an effort to catch your Tipplers. 1 was lucky in that there ‘were only a few stocks being flown by nearby fanciers who posed no real threat to my kits. The only fancier that was concerned about was “Ray”, who. flew a large stock of ‘Domestic Flights’ from arooftop on Washington Avenue. His loft location was due east of mine at a distance of about 4 ‘city blocks’, Bob had much the same problem with a stock of ‘Flights’ that were the property of some well known “Union Boss’ whose office and loft was directly across the street from Bob's hotel. Its tough settling young Tipplers when there is astock of these “Flights” funneling down to their rooftop and often scooping in your birds as a result of their numbers. ‘A major disadvantage to having a loft situated atop a “Row-House’ is that these houses are connected and. almost anyone can gain access to the rooftop. My loft had a few ‘unannounced visits’ by ‘uninvited ‘guests’, usually done under the cover of darkness, They're teenage types thatare of the belief that ‘what's yours can also be theirs without the unpleasantness of having money change hands!” I've had experiences such as this, though on one occasion the thieves were caught with the pigeons. Of course, they were prosecuted, but probably received a slap on their hands and nothing more for their actions. Those years of flying my kits of Tipplers from that rooftop on Garden Street are well remembered. It was fun... while it lasted. ‘And another helping how-to. Do You Watch Your Birds? By: Tim Kvidera Most of us who have Flying Tipplers do so because we like to watch them fly, Itis fun to have them performing in good style, flying with varying heights, raking in different directions, working with the winds, overhead on anice day, Witnessing a good performance is a memorable experience. Some of us like to go beyond the casual Tippler flyer status and try to get the extreme performance out of our birds in endurance flying competitions. To be able to consistently put up kits that perform credibly in competition the trainer must do more than watch the kit. He must see the kit. Itis not enough for the trainer to casually observe the birds while they are on the wing, He must see the little nuances that indicate what is really going on with the birds, and of course be able to recognize the meaning of whatheis seeing and make appropriate adjustments as, and if, required. This intense observation should art before the eggs that produce the birds are laid and continue beyond the flying of the contest in which the birds are flown, To produce exceptional flying birds it is essential that the breeding stock be balanced, of high ‘quality, and in good condition. If you are just starting off with Tipplers you will have to accept that the seller has taken care of these requirements and. you will have to assure that theirhealth is maintained through proper housing, feed and care. If you are picking your ‘own replacement breeders out of this year's crop of youngsters, you have responsibility for all three. Pick birds that have shown to be compatible in the air and show the same desire and tendencies in flying style as the majority of your birds. Obviously ‘you also want to pick ones that excelled in their performances, Look for the ones that have exciting expression, quality and quantity of feather, good structural confirmation and good muscle. When you pick the potential pairings look for overall balance. ‘When you put them together keep an eye on them. Be sure to see if they are compatible and get settled in well in the breeding loft. Watch them get into the swing of the breeding season, but see whenever there are any things that go awry - eggs kicked out of the nest, youngsters having difficulty hatching, young birds getting chilled, not getting fed properly, fallen out of the nest, getting scalped, etc. Once the youngsters are fledged out and you move them to the young bird pen or toakit box, be sure to keep an eye on them. Make sure (0 sce when they are not figuring out how to drink, teach them if necessary. Watch them when feeding. See when they Page LP Your Window To The Pigeon World Przeon Debut‘change what and how much they are eating. Figure out why. A young bird going off feed a day or so will set it back considerably. ‘When you put the youngsters out ‘on the roof, watch them. But be sure to see any signs that things are not right. Is there something that they are concerned about that you need to address scary things like lawn- mowers, loud children, flying balls; frightening things like cats, dogs, hawks. Pay attention and see which birds are the most inquisitive, alert, and quick to learn how to trap, ete. See which ones are the first to want to fly and know how to come back to the right spot ‘Once the kit has started to take to the air and you are watching them, be sure to see which ones are the most comfortable flying together, have the same wing action, desire to fly at the same heights, stay with the flock, ete. But also see which ones are the troublemakers the ones that repeatedly split from the flock, land out of bounds, come down early, ete. Unless they have some acceptable reason for the offenses, be sure to see toiitthat they areno longer flown with the complying group. Keep an eye on the gelling flock of birds. Now get alittle more critical in viewing them. See those who excel. They are the ones that want to keep going when the others have had enough. Be sure that they have the same flying style. Pick them out of the flock and try them together as a kit After watching your prospective kit flying together a few times, start seeing the individual tendencies of the members. Which bird isthe leader? Be careful here, as it is not always the one out front. See which bird is the anchor. Who is the one holding the others back? Who turns the kit when they are trying to rake off? See what you can do to improve that bird in condition, if that is what is holding it back. If ration adjustments do not bring it around, see if the kit does better without that bird. Once you have a kit that is compatible and balanced in style itis time to see what they will do with varying feeds, weather and time of flying. Determine what works best for the respective situations. It is a great idea to write down everything in anotebook. Few of us have accurate and long enough memories to keep all the things straight within a season, let alone years later. When training the birds keep pushing them towards their limits. See how they handle stress. Be sure not to push them beyond that limit though. When they reach their physical limit and need to stop, especially if they have been properly dropper trained and know they are not supposed to land on the loft yet, they will drop elsewhere. It does not take them long torealize thereafter that they no longer have to await your signal to drop. Whenever they want to quit they can do so, and land anywhere they well please. Of course once that has happened they are worthless as a competitive kit. They may still be able to fly long times, but they will do it when they want to, not necessarily when you want them to. Often I have been asked, “how do you know when the kit is approaching their limit?” My answer is, “by the expression on their face.” Well that really raises the eyebrows. “How do you see their face when they are flying hundreds of feet overhead?” Truth is, it is more their overall expression, not just the face. See how they cock their heads when they come by. Are they looking for the droppers, watching you? Do they change their gate in wing action? Pause a little longer over the loft as they pass by’ ‘Turn extrasoon and hang around rather than rake off? Keep testing the wind in their approach to the loft? Spread tails more than normal? Have their feetdroppedalittle more visible below the tail? Do they pause abnormally over some attractive potential landing site out of bounds, ete., ete, Be sure to give them the signal to drop before they make the decision to do so. Doit while you are still the one in control. Once you have put the efforts in to the creating, training and conditioning a good kit of Flying ‘Tipplers,; you have observed and seen the little things that make the difference; then you can sit back and watch them with confidence on fly day. But remember to see what they are doing, especially towards the end. Decisions you make, or do not make, at that time can make the difference between a great fly and the disappointment of a disqualification. It is not enough to just watch your birds; you must see what is happening to be able to consistently get competitive times out of your kits. More words from the heart of the sport of flying Tipplers. Cherished Memories By: George Lioio My association with pigeons started ata very youngage. My father was and is now again a racing pigeon enthusiast. I probably held my first pigeon at the age of three or four. Ever since then I have drifted in and out of the hobby. My Dad still races pigeons and I sort of do too, while juggling family and work responsibilities. I'm not very good at racing , mainly because I do not have the time to put into it that some of the other fellows do. One day last season after a particularly bad race my wife could see that I was aggravated and she said to me why do you bother. I had to give it some thought, but [later realized that the main reason that I was still racing birds was because of the bond it had created between my dad and, It gives us a reason to keep ‘our Window To The Pigeon World PagoSome more heart. John and nephew Joe Smith, above ‘and Tipplers inside loft. in touch and to do things together. 1 will probably race as long as he does. This brings me to the Tippler part of this story. You see, I'm now 43 and have a 10 year old son of my own, I decided to get some show birds and thought perhaps we could get involved in them together. We subscribed to the Pigeon Debut and started reading, As we became more involved my son realized that he would like to have birds he could show and that he could also fly like his Dad, 1 told him about flying Tipplers and that Ihad also seen them in shows. The thought of these high flying birds being up in the sky for hours really sparked his interest. A bird he could fly and show. We joined the FTA and setaside a section of one of my coops to put some breeders in. In the fall of 1999 he got his first birds. He got some from a gentleman named Louis Garcia, who was a member of my racing pigeon club. Then we obtained 1 few more from a man named Nick Romano that we met ata local pigeon show. Nick was great! He invited us over to his house, showed ushis birds and let some up to fly. Then he picked out some beautiful birds for us to take home, Atno charge, I might ad! We owe both of these guys a big thank you for helping us get started, My son was so excited that he wanted to fly some of the breeders he had just gotten. Itwas great to see his enthusiasm, but I had to explain that we needed to work with the young birds in order to get them to stay and to train them right. Together we picked out birds and paired them off. ‘Then we built nest boxes, put out straw and he had his first eggs in two weeks, Together we banded his first young birds this January. Every night when I get home from work we go out together to feed the birds and check on the progress of the young ones. He can’t wait to get his first young ones into the air. He already has the fly dates marked on his calendar. Through all of this I've come to realize one thing, we are doing this together! Feeding, cleaning and talking birds together. I don’t know how long it will last, but I intend to make the most of it. After all he is a normal boy. He likes his sports and while heis only 10 the girls are not all that far off. But for now at least, because of our common interest in Tipplers, we are sharing some time together. Making cherished father and son memories that will be with us, forever, just like the ones I have wit my dad. guess that’s all Ihave to say for now, except, keep ‘em flying and introduce a kid you know to our fine feathered friends. Who knows what will come of it ‘Southern Illinois Digeon Club “The Friendly Club” Promoting All Breeds Quarterly Bulletins Bill Earnst - Show Sec. 1008 Corporation St. Bridgeport, IL 62417 (618) 945-7307 Flying Tippler ~ Baumgartner Strain By: John Smith T’ve had pigeons since Twas a little kid. Over the years I've had many different strains, including my own strain, But in 1987, Bob Kennedy gave me some birds of the Baumgartner strain and that’s what I’ve had since. They are the nicest looking birds I ever had. I’ve got many different colors, including Blue Grizzles, Blue Bars, Light Prints, Silver duns, ete. I no longer fly in competition and now just raise the birds for my own enjoyment and sometimes I show them. I’ve won quite a few shows with them over the years. John fine family of Baumgarmer Tipplers in Philadelphia, PA Northamerican Capuchine Club] Dues $10.00: bulletins anny HJerey Anderson, sec ASIGNE ath St Your Window To The Pigeon WorldA Humble Beginning... By: Joseph Potidaro As told to Richard Conklin in memory of Santo Guercio It all started in 1976 when I ‘was 9 years old. Andallittook was one pigeon to jump-start my hobby of 23 years. A construction worker was renting an upstairs apartment in my house. One day, he brought back an injured pigeon and I ended up as Nurse Joey and restored the bird back to health. He lived under a milk crate, my first make-shift pigeon coop. Before long, the pigeon was healthy enough to have a mate. But I wasn’t born to raise pigeons. That's where Santo Guercio comes in, He lived a few houses down and had alarge racing homer coop of his own, You could see the coop from the street, but before I met him, I was hesitant to introduce myself. Finally, 1 approached him. He invited me to see his award-winning collection of pigeons. Not to mention countless trips to the pet store. My coop garbage was compared to the 20-foot by 8-foot coop Santo had for his pigeons. 1 even intruded on my father’s shed Joe and loft and put up wire fencing in the windows and housed a few pigeons in there, But, I needed something better than the milk crates the pigeons had been living under the past 4 years. I went to Santo in his white Cadillac to the lumber yard and we piled the wood in the trunk and on top of the car. As we turned onto the main highway, the lumber spilled all over the road. Santo shouted a few kind words as we gathered up the wood. The end result was a comparable to a mansion. No more milk crates. Santo built a masterpiece. Santo Guercio nurtured my interest in the hobby and I'm sure he would have been proud of ——my accomplishments; Santo has since passed away, but will always be remembered by me through the memories of him and the devoted hours we spent talking about pigeons. Thave a few accolades of my own. I’ve received numerous tophies for the showings of my pigeons. My collection consists of Tipplers from the Garberman Lovatt strain that I acquired for Clarence Williams, a good friend who helped me get these quality Tipplers. I also have Baumgartner strain of Tippler acquired from Frank Nothaft, another friend from the hobby. Also, I am currently breeding from quality Lovatts purchased from my friend, Joseph Russo, My main interest is breeding from the Garberman Lovatt and the Baumgartner strains for show and flying purposes. I have memberships the ATU (American Tippler Union) and FTA (Flying Tippler Association). Stick with Stan, he’s the man! Good advice from one of our best. Help The Novice! Stan Ogozalek There are fanciers that enter oursport with little or no knowledge of the training and proper housing of Flying Tipplers. This is where the more knowledgeable fanciers should step in and help with sound training advice and constructive criticism where needed. Some new fanciers come to the sport thinking that they can get their birds to fly marathon times using regular mixed feed and by flying their Tipplers froma ‘one section’ loft. This ‘one section’ lofi houses the breeders and the flyers plus any droppers, all are fed the same. They are clueless as to loft arrangement and the fact that the flyers must be fed differently than the breeders. The late Harry Hunt was heard to say, “Ten hours is just a hop, skip and a jump for Tipplers that are in condition, providing the weathe right”. True enough, but not for those fanciers that are struggling in their efforts (due to a lack of sound training know-how) to extract more flying time from their kits. They need help at this point and their enthusiasm for the sport of Flying Tipplers must not be allowed to diminish. Now is the time to teach and encourage these fanciers so that in a short span of time their names will be added to the lists of those competing in club sponsored competitions. Acquiring the Tipplers: “You get what you pay for’! A newcomer to the sport may be taken back by the initial cost of quality Flying Tippler stock though after a few years will come to realize that it Pigeon Debut Your Window To The Digeon Worldwas money... well spent! When considering the asking price for quality stock, itmay be pointed out to the newcomer that years ago (early 1970's) the going rate for “Wilf Lovatt’ type Flying Tipplers was $50 dollars per pair while the ‘Gordon Hughes’ type was about $40 per pair. Now, the secretaries of the Flying Tippler clubs can and should furnish the novice with the names of those fanciers that are competing with their flying kits in club sponsored contests. Buying the Tipplers from competing fanciers, whose Tipplers have flown ‘double digit figures’ regularly in contests, ensures a good start in the sport. And the fancier is not limited to buying only those strains just mentioned. There are other high quality strains such as the Boden type Tipplers (Eric Anslow and Pau! Bowden), the Jack Carnew strain of Reds, the Percy Fields type Tipplers, the Macclesfield type Tipplers, many old Canadian strains such as the Harry Hunt, George Vertolli and Donny Wilson families of Flying Tipplers and of course, the Oskar Zovich family of Tipplers that were bred from a combination of Jos. Davies and Fred Bartolomew type Tipplers. Then, there is the “Sheffield” strain of Tipplers bred and flown by Ed Buraczewski of Long Island, NY. The name ‘Sheffield’ was given them because the name of the fancier from whom they came is unknown. Recently, there’s been the importation of the Harry Shannon (Current World Record Holder) type of Flying Tipplers, the “Irish Delights’. Housing the Tipplers: The Tippler loft can be any size, though agood size seems tobe about twelve feet long by 6 feet high by 7-8 feet wide. The roof should be pitched to the front so that the Tipplers can be easily seen. The interior should have three sections, one for breeding, one for the old bird flying kits while the third section can be for the young Tipplers and droppers. This would be the ‘basic’ loft interior set-up, the more ‘enthusiastic’ fancier would have several ‘individual kit boxes’ for the old bird flying team(s) anda few ‘group kit boxes” for the young bird team(s) in a section that would require about 8 feet in length. The ‘individual kit boxes’ would be about 14 inches square while the ‘group kit boxes’ could be about 36 inches wide by 24 inches deep by about 18 inches high. These ‘group kit boxes’ could accommodate about 6-8 Tipplers each, These group kit boxes could vary in size depending on the ideas of the fancier. The group kit boxes seem to work well with young Tipplers while the old Tipplers should be kept in individual boxes sothat the birds do not mate. Group kit boxes can be used for older Tipplers providing that they are all of the same sex. The reasons for the kit boxes are to keep the Tipplers confined so that they are storing energy and because they are being fed differently than the breeders. Whether or not the fancier decides to build and utilize kit boxes, there should still be separate sections for old and young Tipplers. The aviary should be of a good size for the flyers and the breeders should have one of equal size or better. The flyers only have access tothe aviary when they are first being settled and later when they are being released and/or trapped in after a training exercise, ete. When Tipplers are not confined to kit boxes but are allowed the freedom of anentire section the loft, with an attached aviary of good size, they then expend a good deal of their precious energy flying in and out of the loft, etc. The main idea is to have them expend that energy only intraining flights and competitions. The flyer’s aviary should extend over the roof level to allow the Tipplers to see in all directions when being settled. A trap would be fixed to the backside of it and could be opened by the pulling of a cord. Breeding the Tipplers is another topic toaddress. With some luck, the beginner should start with older birds to breed from because these birds would not be slow to mate, etc, Younger birds tend tobe slow about mating and could therefore lay their eggs days apart fromthe other pairs. Whatis desired is for the pairs to lay their eggs within a few days of each other so that the youngsters would be about the same age for training. Three to four pairs of breeders is good to start with and youngsters that have proven themselves may be added as mating partners for the next season. Another good tip is to mate the birds in November or December so that they'll be familiar with their nest partners. Some fanciers allow the pairs to actually lay eggs and sit fora few days and then discard the eggs and separate the birds until the start of breeding season. For me, that is at the beginning of February because after the laying, incubating and rearing, there would be enough time to get the young birds trained for the first Young Bird Contest in early June. Most Your Window To The Digeon World Pyccn Debutfanciers will have their breeders raise three nests of youngsters. The third nest of youngsters is to be trained for the fall contests, as they would not be all that deep into the molt. Some fanciers place the bands or rings on the young birds without regard to number sequence. A good idea is to set aside six (6) bands for each pair providing that the fancier would raise three rounds of young birds from each of the pairs. Pair # 1 would get band numbers 1-6, pair #2 would get 7-12 while pair # 3 would get 13-18, etc. This is a simple way of recording the band numbers. Nesting boxes should be atleast twenty inches wide by about twelve inches high by the same measurement deep. This size would accommodate two nest bowls that are approximate nine inches wide. Feeding the Tipplers: During the breeding season, the birds should be fed a diet that has a high protein content. The nestlings need the protein to grow at a steady rate into strong young candidates for the future contests, Vitamins added to the water once or twice per week also helps them grow. Whether one decides to feed regular barley or malted barley to the weaned youngsters is a matter of choice. Both are good and may be fed to them along with other grains and seeds later on in theirtraining. Other grains to be fed to the youngsters, once they've been settled to the loft, are hard red wheat, white or red kafir corn (also know as dari) and either safflower or sunflower seeds. Some grain companies combine these grains together and call it a ‘Purifier’ mix. This *Parifier’ mix can be used as the basic training diet for the young Tipplers. There are fanciers that will only use malted barley as a basic diet for their birds; then again, different methods of feeding and training. Settling the Tipplers: Because the young Tipplers are bred from quality flying stock, they are somewhat more difficult to settle to the loft and surrounding area. ‘Therefore, these young Tipplers should be placed in the rooftop aviary at a very early age every possible day for a couple of hours at least. Some fanciers take them from the nest at about two weeks of age and do this. These young Tipplers should have an unobstructed view from the loft rooftop if at all possible. The amountof days/weeks that the young birds are allowed the access to the aviary varies from one fancier to the next. I'd venture to say that it would be about two weeks at the least. The droppers can also be put in with them while in the aviary so that the young Tipplers become accustomed to seeing them and are not frightened at theirappearance, Another ideais to have the droppers walking on the rooftop and/or flying about the lofi area so that the young Tipplers see this action. Still another is to have a ‘remote’ settling cage that can be placed a short distance from the loft so that the young Tipplers have a distinct view of the loft other than from its rooftop. First release. This, for me, can be the most nerve wrecking of all! Some fanciers are known to not feed the youngsters at all for about one or two days prior to their first release. By doing this, they would retain some control on them. The newcomer should have purchased and settled several droppers many weeks prior to this stage of the young birds training. Droppers can be any variety other than Tipplers themselves. Most droppers are usually white in color and are able to flutter about the rooftop of the loft thereby creating anattraction for the young Tipplers. [cis a good thing that these young Tipplers should be familiar with the droppers so that when they are first released they do not frighten them, The English fanciers usually settle one bird at atime though here in the USA we tendto settle the kit of young birds all at the same time. Now, if the fancier has the time... to settle one Tippler ata time, well, all the better, though not many do. Should the young Tipplers take to the air, then begin throwing grain sparingly onto the rooftop so that the droppers will chase about after it. This will create an attraction and cause the Tipplers to take notice and (hopefully) come down to the loft. Sometimes, a Tipplermay drop ‘onto another rooftop. This can be excused the first time, but should it do so again and again, then that bird should be considered as spoiled and dealt with as the fancier sees fi to do. Just remember that ‘where one goes, another may follow’! The novice fancier should realize that he will suffer losses on this first release and should not get discouraged. Many of the birds that do not return that same day may very well return over the course of the next 4-5 days. They can, after recuperating from this experience of being away from the loft and without feed and/or water for several days, be released with the remainder of the young Tipplers and resume training. The young Tipplers should be released every ‘Your Window To The Pigeon World Page 8possible day at this stage so that they become ‘imprinted’ to the area. Itisnot wise to skip a few days here and there and then thinking that the Tipplers are settled only to learn a hard lesson by having them not return that day or for several days thereafter. The rest and the feed, that the Tipplers have during this confinement, will boost their energy level causing them to expend it when released with the end result being losses ora dose of bad training on the fancier’s part should he be lucky enough to have them return days later! Measuring of Training feed... Atthis very early stage in the settling the Tipplers are being fed either barley or malting barley only by some fanciers while others may feed differently. By this time, the young birds will know the barley and eat it without hesitation because it has been given them since their weaning stage along with other grains and seeds that they’re now accustomed to. They'll continue to be fed barley (plain or malting) until they’ve been recognized as being settled and have flown an hour and more in training at this point. Only then will their diet include other grains and/or seeds (seeds that contain oil such as rape, niger or flax). Some fanciers continue using the barley as a main part of their Tippler's diet while others may choose to include hard red wheat, white or red kafir and safflower seed. This combination of grains is a mixture known as ‘Purifier’ and is sold by feed companies as such. The fancier should be careful, very careful, when he decides to change their diet; it should be done gradually and not suddenly. The young ‘Tipplers’ diet should be increased gradually as their flying time increases. Measuring of Training Feed; this can be done by the use of a one-ounce measuring spoon or a plastic ‘Nyquil’ container or something similar. Adult Tipplers will usually eat about an ounce of feed, though they should beslightly underfed (less than one ounce). Young Tipplers eat just slightly less. Try not to overfeed and don’t allow feed to remain. Feed and water once per day, at or near dark is best. Some fanciers place the droppers into the section or group kit box at the time of feeding so that the young Tipplers recognize the droppers as a signal for feed. Droppers; if the fancier is training hiskitin the ‘conventional’ manner then the release of the droppers will be the signal at the end of each and every training session. The Tippler kit comes to recognize these droppers as clearance to come to the loft and will take notice and respond upon their release. When a kit of young Tipplers is being settled, the droppers are allowed to remain on the loft with the Tipplers. The droppers are allowed this freedom up to and until the Tipplers form a kit and after subsequent releases are flying at least an hour or more. ‘The droppers are then withheld until the kit shows obvious signs of wanting to come to the loft. Those signals for dropping are small circles flown by the kit about the loft area, tails are seen to be spread and you might be able to see their feet hanging, the birds are also seen to be ‘looking for the clearance’. At that point, it is time to release the droppers. Failure to do so could result in having the birds come to the loft ‘on their own’ and possibly ruined. The releasing of the droppers should always conclude training sessions. The objective is to instill in these young birds’ minds that they must fly until the droppers are released. Release the first and second droppers when the kit is circling away from the loft so that the kit does not see you doing this and thereby associate you with the droppers! Otherwise, the kit will begin torespond once they see you Always keep a few of the droppers held in reserve just in case the kit isn’tresponding as quickly as you'd like. You can’t have enough of the help and how-to articles. Enjoy and learn, Here’s three in a row. Got No Time? By: Tim Kvidera Itis a given that it takes time and dedication to properly train a kit of Flying Tipplers. The more effort that you put in, the more consistent and quality the kit performance will be. But many fanciers have too many balls to juggle to be able to put, as much time into the training of their birds as should be done. Work, travel, family commitments, etc. take their toll on the time that is available for the birds. Yet withalitileassistance from others an acceptable job can still be accomplished. The settling of the birds is best. handled by the Tippler fancier, but once the kit is picked and working together decently the trainer can delegate some of the kit handling to another capable individual. If the trainer is notable to secure such Page 0 Your Window To The Pigeon Worldassistance, with a little creativity and technology, he could do it himself. After the kit is up to the daily one to two hour mark you can cut them back to every other or every third day. Work them up to the four to six hour mark per fly, depending ‘on feed and weather conditions When you have confidence that they will for sure fly at least the amount of time that you are not able to be there you can ask for assistance in releasing the kit while you are still at work, or otherwise detained. That way they will have a few hours in by the time you are there to monitor the balance of their fly, be there for the release of the droppers, getting the kit down, etc. This is extremely helpful during the spring and fall periods when there is less daylight between the end of anormal work day and dark. Unless your assistant is intimately familiar with your birds do not expect him/her to catch the right birds out of a community loft. Have them housed in some sort of kit box. If you are working more than one group of birds be sure to have the different boxes clearly identified and be very specifi which are to be released and when. Kit box arrangement used by Tim Kvidera, Feed and water cups clip to outside of boxes Dividing walls are cut out for easy removal fo allow larger group sections Birds are much easier for a casual handler to cateh if in individual kit boxes than a group box. If the assistant is vertically challenged, try not to put the birds to be released in the top boxes. ‘The kit should be removed from the kit boxes and put into some type of release cage. A box or wire enclosure, large enough to hold the birds, that has a drop open side for simultaneous release of the kit. Itis a good idea for the fancier to use this same release cage when he trains the birds. Ttalso doubles for a acclimatization cage to put the kit in, after recording the band numbers, a few minutes before release in the early morning twilight on competition day. Specific guidelines need to be established as what to do if the weather is questionable at the time that the kit is scheduled to be released. How much rain is too much? What ifit looks like asevere storm is going to blow in within the next few hours? What if one of the hens looks like she is about to, or has just laid an egg? Ete. Do not leave open the chance that an individual not familiar with your birds has to make a decision that could spoil the kit. They are your responsibility, and the decision as to how they are to be handled is yours, as well as the accountability for those decisions. So what do you do if you are unable (o find an assistant willing to release the birds when you are not there? There are ways, With the use of timers and electronic release mechanisms one can construct a release box that can be positioned outside the loft in a protected area. This could be a group box ora series of individuals. The kit is loaded into it before you leave. The timer set to drop the release door at the appropriate time. Maybe a bell or some other way of assuring that the kit will exit upon the opening of the door. And there you go. Kit is on the wing when you return, With such a remote release method you need to have confidence that the kit will not mess up while you are not there. With the help of human assistants you have the option of them periodically assuring visually that the kit is flying well before you get home. Now when we get to the point where each bird is wearing a miniature ‘transponder, and we follow the kit's performance on a recording radar, Welded wire release cage used by Tim Kvidera for liberating kis. Pigeon Debut indow To The Digeon World Pape 85possible day at this stage so that they become ‘imprinted’ to the area. Itis not wise to skip a few days here and there and then thinking that the Tipplers are settled only to learn a hard lesson by having them not return that day or for several days thereafter. The rest and the feed, that the Tipplers have during this confinement, will boost their energy level causing them to expend it when released with the end result being losses or a dose of bad training on the fancier’s part should he be lucky enough to have them return days later! Measuring of Training feed... Atthis very early stage in the settling the Tipplers are being fed either barley or malting barley only by some fanciers while others may feed differently. By this time, the young birds will know the barley and eat it without hesitation because it has been given them since their weaning stage along with other grains and seeds that they're now accustomed to. They'll continue to be fed barley (plain or malting) until they've been recognized as being settled and have flown an hour and more in training at this point. Only then will their diet include other grains and/or seeds (seeds that contain oil such as rape, niger or flax). Some fanciers continue using the barley as amain part of their Tippler’s diet while others may choose to include hard red wheat, white or red kafir and safflower seed. This combination of grains is a mixture known as ‘Purifier’ and is sold by feed companies as such. The fancier should be careful, very careful, when he decides to change their diet; it should be done gradually and not suddenly. The young Tipplers’ diet should be increased gradually as their flying time increases. Measuring of Training Feed; this can be done by the use of 4 one-ounce measuring spoon or a plastic ‘Nyquil’ container or something similar. Adult Tipplers will usually eat about an ounce of feed, though they should beslightly underfed (less than one ounce). Young Tipplers eat just slightly less. Try not to overfeed and don’t allow feed to remain. Feed and water once per day, at or near dark is best. Some fanciers place the droppers into the section or group kit box at the time of feeding so that the young Tipplers recognize the droppers as a signal for feed Droppers; if the fancier is training his kitin the ‘conventional” manner then the release of the droppers will be the signal at the end of each and every training session. The Tippler kit comes to recognize these droppers as clearance to come to the loft and will take notice and respond upon their release. When a kit of young Tipplers is being settled, the droppers are allowed to remain on the loft with the Tipplers. The droppers are allowed this freedom up to and until the Tipplers form a kit and after subsequent releases are flying at least an hour or more. ‘The droppers are then withheld until the kit shows obvious signs of wanting to come to the loft. Those signals for dropping are small circles flown by the kit about the loft area, tails are seen to be spread and you might be able to see their feethanging, the birds are also seen to be ‘looking for the clearance’ At that point, it is time to release the droppers. Failure to do so could result in having the birds come to the loft ‘on their own’ and possibly ruined. The releasing of the droppers should always conclude training sessions. The objective is to instill inthese young birds’ minds that they must fly until the droppers are released. Release the first and second droppers when the kit is circling away from the loft so that the kit does not see you doing this and thereby associate you with the droppers! Otherwise, the kit will begin to respond once they see you. Always keep a few of the droppers held in reserve just in case the kit isn’trespondingas quickly as you'd like. You can’t have enough of the help and how-to articles. Enjoy and learn. Here’s three in a row. Got No Time? Itis a given that it takes time and dedication to properly train a kit of Flying Tipplers. ‘The more effort that you put in, the more consistent and quality the kit performance will be. But many fanciers have too many balls to juggle to be able to put, as much time into the training of their birds as should be done. Work, travel, family commitments, etc. take their toll on the time thatis available for thebirds. Yetwithalittle assistance from others an acceptable job can still be accomplished. ‘The settling of the birdsis best handled by the Tippler fancier, but once the kit is picked and working together decently the trainer can delegate some of the kit handling to another capable individual. If the trainer is notable to secure such Your Window To The Digeon World Lyeou Debutassistance, with a little creativity and technology, he could do it himself. After the kit is up to the daily one to two hour mark you can cut them back to every other or every third day. Work them up tothe four to six hour mark per fly, depending on feed and weather conditions. When you have confidence that they will for sure fly at least the amount of time that you are not able to be there you can ask for assistance in releasing the kit while you are still at work, or otherwise detained. That way they will have a few hours in by the time you are there tomonitor the balance oftheir fly, be there for the release of the droppers, getting the kit down, etc This is extremely helpful during the spring and fall periods when there is less daylight between the end of anormal work day and dark. Unless your assistant is intimately familiar with your birds do not expect him/her to catch the right birds out of a community loft. Have them housed in some sort of it box. If you are working more than one group of birds be sure to have the different boxes clearly identified and be very specific which are to be released and when. Kit box arrangement used by Tim Kvidera. Feed and water eups elip to outside of boxes Fe Dividing walls are cut out for easy removal to aliow larger group sections Birds are much easier for a casual handler to catch if in individual kit boxes than a group box. If the assistant is vertically challenged, try not to put the birds to be released in the top boxes. The kit should be removed from the kit boxes and put into some type of release cage. A box or wire enclosure, large enough to hold the birds, that has a drop open side for simultaneous release of the kit. Itis a good idea for the fancier to use this same release cage when he trains the birds. It also doubles for a acclimatization cage to put the kit in, after recording the band numbers, a few minutes before release in the early morning twilight on competition day. Specific guidelines need to be established as what to do if the weather is questionable at the time that the kit is scheduled to be released. How much rain is too much? Whatifit looks likeasevere storm is going to blow in within the next few hours? What if one of the hens looks like she is about to, or has just laid an egg? Etc. Do not Teave open the chance that an individual not familiar with your birds has to make a decision that could spoil the kit. They are your ner Window To The Digeon World responsibility, and the decision as to how they are to be handled is yours, as well as the accountability for those decisions, So what do you do if you are unable to find an assistant willing to release the birds when you are not there? There are ways. With the use of timers and electronic release mechanisms one can construct a release box that can be Positioned outside the loft in a protected area. This could be a group box oraseries of individuals. The kit is loaded into it before you leave. The timer set to drop the release door at the appropriate time. Maybe a bell or some other way of assuring that the kit will exit upon the opening of the door. And there you go. Kit is on the wing when you return, With such a remote release method you need to have confidence that the kit will not mess up while you are not there, With the help of human assistants you have the option of them periodically assuring visually that the kit is flying well before you get home. Now when we getto the point where each bird is wearing a miniature transponder, and we follow the kit’s performance on a recording radar, Welded wire release cage used by Tim Kvidera for liberating kits Page Iiall we will have to do is monitor the screen, But what fun is it to watch dancing electrons when you can go outdoors and see feathers fluttering in the open air? Training a kit of Flying Tipplers takes time. With a little ingenuity and assistance a dedicated fancier can overcome a shortage of free time. Relocating Pigeons By: Jack Prescont 4 It is remarkable how a simple request from Alvin Simon of Baltimore has brought to my mind a wide range of experiences. The subject of relocating is pretty well the same as locating and imprinting very young pigeons. Ibis a great help if at the new location there are already a lot of pigeons that are established and used to flying. I always had about 50 tumblers and rollers that were used to flying every day and of course such as these generally fly around the loft area, well within sight. They do not and certainly should not range out of sight. Now these 50 were an asset for the relocation of new pigeons and for the imprinting and early training of young ones. One famous old trick (and I'm here to tell you all that Ihave quite a few oldtricks) was the use of a racing pigeon basket that T inherited when an old fancier died. This basket was 3 feet by 2 feet. I got a stack of wood chipping from the lumber company and the floor of the basket was dressed regularly with fresh chipping. The pigeons for relocation were placed inside the basket, which was then hoisted up to the top of a shed some 40 feet away from my loft. The basket, being safely in place, I would then release my 50 forexercise. [ would then sit and be a spectator, watching my magic 50, the new pigeons were also spectators. After the 50 had dropped, I sat there and watched them on the loft top and the grass patch and the new pigeons were watching too. After several days of this, I would allow just one to fly to join the dropped kit and day by day work through the bunch. Just release one at a time. Such being justabitextra hungry, but not “blind hungry.” In due course, I relocated all 40 new birds from Scattergood in 1975-76 without a single loss and in batches of 8 to 10. However, if faced with the problem of no pigeons being available ata new location, there is of course, more of a problem. It is easy to locate droppers who should be docile so I would suggest that droppers should be used. If we fly Tipplers seriously, we use droppers anyway. In Britain, often 6 10 16 are used Just to. wateh droppers, knocking about on the loft top and foreground is the essential ingredient. You may well ask, why not just have the basket on top of the loft? Why not just have the new ones inside the wire netting roof trap? Now, that there is a good question. My answer is that I find that they get direction pull and imprinting experience if viewing the loft from a distance. They will be seen to be striving (o get out and join the droppers or the pigeons already on the rooftop. This is the pull, If they are already on the loft top they don’t get this essential pull. Another Prescott-ian trick, is to very gently sprinkle the new ones with a fine spray of water. Ideally, it should come down on them, just as light rain. Being wet, tranquilizes them and they don’t go offina stampede. Just one waming, before I go, if you have such a basket or cage, don't leave it unattended or if you do, make sure that it’s safe from cats or whatever. A hawk will have a go at caged birds. Me, I'd never leave my birds out and unattended unless really forced. Overthe years, I’ve learned that it’s a dangerous thing to do. And one last dramatic comedy, ‘hope you like it. Sergeant, the Best Tippler that Ever Was! By: Clay Pigeon — An Excerpt from the Book It.was early in the evening. T was released with some rookie Droppers to get some high-strung Tipplers and Sergeant, back to the house. I was fairly young at the time and had just been given the job of teaching these rookies the ropes, soto speak. The last dropper with the job had been taken by a hawk only days before. But, who cares, right; you read the title of this article and you want to know; who the Tippler named Sergeant is and why is he the best? Well read on, I'll tell ya. Sergeant, was a Tippler about my age, three months orso. He had Your Window To The Pigeon World Pipcon Debutmanaged to make it through settling with the help of a lot of good droppers. But, Sergeant was not going to be with the kit for long Instead of staying in a tight group with the other Tipplers of his class; Sergeant would go off on his own. And even worse, he flew fast and low. Two things the floor scraper, I mean the “flyer,” he wants to be called flyer, does not like at all. The fly would see Sergeant and say, “Dead pigeon flying.” Tipplers who fly like Sergeant are taken away, we don’t know where. But they never come back, and we don’t hear from them either. Well, Sergeant had a way about him, he'd hop on the flyer’s out stretched arm and take supper from the flyer’s hand. Very few of the other Tipplers did this, so Sergeant was being sent up with the youngsters to keep them in the neighborhood, then they’d be released in a kit by themselves and Sergeant would be keptiin, until the next group would arrive. Well on this particular day, Sergeant was up with some rookie Tipplers and I was out with some droppers. Ours was a simple mission that began with a quick fly around the house, high and in full view of the Tipplers. We would Jand on the roof and then jump off into the air again. There is a large, tall tree to the east of the house. We'd fly around the tree and again return to the house. All this is supposed to attract the Tipplers to the area and down to the house and waiting flyer. We went about our business. ‘The rookies were nervous. Rumors were that the hawk ad been seen inthe area earlier this morning. As we rounded the large tree for the second time the world began to collapse around us. The hawk was among us, it was hell on earth, Fortunately a good portion of the group was almost to the house. I had slowed to encourage the last of the droppers to pick up the pace. Some had managed to cut through the tree, Some turned and went back around the other way. Buta few others flew further away to put another tree between themselves and the hawk. The hawk had missed its first target and was coming around for another pass. The droppers who had gone behind the far tree were going to be cut off from the loft. The hawk would pick out which everit wanted for lunch and perhaps another for supper too. I quickly got as many as I could back to the landing board and into the house. Now of course, all this commotion, also attracted the attention of Sergeant and the rookie Tipplers. ‘The flyer was in shock, I think. He was just standing there, eyes and mouth wide open. Where's that thing he scrapes the floors with when you need it? I motioned for the droppers to cirele behind the tree and the hawk and try to get back as fast as they could. I also motioned to Sergeant not to come in too close. Suddenly one of the rookies pointed to the hawk. It was circling wide too, so as not to allow the young droppers around behind it. Then we all watched in awe as Sergeantsent the Tipplers up again and broke from the kit and had gotten some wind under his wings and was charging atthe hawk. He'd go toward the hawk then cut to the left. Toward the hawk again and cut to the right, as if he had been training for this moment all along. ‘This, sure enough, got the hawk's attention and ours too, The hawk turned and went straight for Sergeant. Seeing this the droppers swung around the tree and came in a bee- line for home. The hawk’s eyes were fixed on Sergeant. The droppers were going to be safe, Even if the hawk came now, it wouldn’t have time to catch ‘em. ‘They hit the landing board and slid into the house, slamming the door behind them. Leaving me and Sergeant and the Tipplers to fend for ourselves. I took off, leading the Tipplers up for another round of the neighborhood and out of harms way. Sergeant didn’t look back. He didn’t see what happened. He kept on going, back and forth toward the hawk. Wham! When the hawk hit him he was crushed like an old dish-rag and thrown backwards in the air, hit by at least one killing blow of the hawks sharp talons. I could only turn away. The droppers in the house rushed and froze at the window screens of the house, trying in vain to get back out and help, if Your Window To The Digeon Worldthey could. The Tipplers gasped. I looked back, that Tippler, Sergeant had gotten back on his wings. He didn’t break for home while the hawk circled back too. He hunkered down, put his head up as best he could and took steady aim and flew straight for the hooked beak of the hawk, who was screeching wildly as it came, About four minutes later, the Tipplers and I were on the landing board. And the flyer had released some of the other droppers. And the flyer had found his floor scraper thing. I joined the other droppers in search of Sergeant. At the base of the big tree, there were hawk feathers all around. Just about three feet off the ground and plastered to the tree, was the now silent hawk. We found Sergeant draped over anear by branch. The young droppers tenderly pulled the now limp Tippler up and laid him on the ground for the flyer to attend to him. The flyer later said he had six massive wounds from the hawk. And, that the hawk’s fury must had carried them both into the tree trunk. Sergeant displayed great physical courage, and somewhere in his character was another kind of courage as well; moral courage, the courage to do the right thing. When he had the chance to do something else, he chose to do the right thing. He had a choice to make and did what was right at the cost of his life. No, Sergeant never won any flying contests. But, he saved a bunch of Tipplers and droppers and silenced a pigeon killing hawk and that makes him the greatest Tippler that ever was in my book. How about yours? Oskar Zovie and his kit boxes Three Champs Lior: H. Coulter, H. Shannon, and B.Anston Your Window To The igeon WorldIn the 1970’s I received Macclesfield Tipplers from the late Svend Hansen of Lindenwold, NJ and Macclesfields from the late Frank O'Keefe of Philadelphia, PA. I put these two families together to raise the present family of tipplers I have today. They bred the following colors: Blue Grizzle, Dun Grizzle, Light Prints in Dun and Black Mottles. During my years of raising these Tipplers, one hen, up in age, produced a light print cap (crested) hen. Iplaced the crested hen back with the father to create this family of Crested Flying CoumpLimnts OF FTA Members IN MASSACHUSETTS ASCEND TOO LOFT TIPPLER HEAVEN Mel Hallas Bela Kiss 57 Glenfield Rd. P.O. Box 65 No. Attleboro, MA 02760 —_ E. Falmouth, MA 02536 THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY LOFT Jerry O'Rourke 201 Codman Road Norwood, MA 02062 Moonlight Loft FTS & FTA Member Richard R. Kuhrer 15:01 Old Birds 12:49 Young Birds Over 500 hours flown in FTS Competition My Family & Bordan’s EXuIBIToR FLYER BREEDER Hin Fivine Trt Gorvon Hocus, Lovarr AND SHEFFIELDS E&W Buraczews! 1214 Bastow Srreer Hownroox, L.L., NY 11741 on Memuer or Tue ATV, FTA, ano FTS Your Window To The Pigeon WovldI MAY HAVE MOVED !! (By the time this issue comes out, or shortly thereafter) Former Holder | Young Birds Flown OfFTA HS Old Bird : ; 16:00, 15:46, 15:32, Record, 15:12 etc. In FTA Competition FTA member ae ae Flying Tipplers Since 1970 Since 1959 TIP-IN-TAIL LOFT Tim Kvidera 13610 Johnson St. N.E. Anoka, MN 55304 Phone 612-755-7983 ‘If Tam no longer reachable at the above, check the Minneapolis area phone book Quality endurance proven families of Flying Tipplers. Assorted Rare colored Flying Tipplers. (almond, opal, andalusian, indigo, ash red, etc.) x eel ae Other breeds include exhibition quality Fantails (almonds, reds, blue saddles, browns), Indian Fantails (almond, blue bar, silver bar, dominant opal), Pheasant Pigeons and copper bronze Show Tipplers. Also rare colored Racing Homers and assorted color and feather structure mutant genetic projects. My loft is a classroom for genetic study, other students welcome. THANKS -- Dave for coordinating this Tippler Special issue Page 40 Your Window To The Digeon World “gear: DebutTHE BALTIMORE, arate TIPPLER UNION stablished 19987] Dedicated to-the enhancemen bh physical and perform e grote ‘Standing, loft to right Shanewan Barnes, Quinton Nore, St, Thomas S Derrick Peterson, Curtis Brown, Dana Richardson, Quintin Nore, President, Aaron Cummings, Sterling Games - Treasurer, Charles Samuel - President and Mark Jones - Central Ti Knceling, eft to right: Siwin Martin, Ayman SI Daley etary, James Nat shown: James Bailey, hid, Delkin Parker - Sergeant-A-Arms, Leroy ith Wilkerson, Charles Harlen and Russell Rogers El Anyone interested in contacting officers or members, call the Club President Charles Samuel at 410-646-0856 Email: In462@aol.comFALCON’S LOFT BEST WISHES TO ALL PIGEON FANCIERS AROUND THE WORLD JOE FALCON BREEDER OF CHAMPION 3535 WILLETT AVE FLYING TIPPLERS BRONX, NEW YORK 10467 FALCONJOSEPH@NETSCAPE.NET or FALCONJOE_2000@ YAHOO.COM FROM C&C LOFTS BEST WISHES AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS SPECIAL CELESTINO- TINY- CONCEPCION CHAMPION FLYING TIPPLER i % Sooty : BREEDER-EXHIBITOR vm 718-409-0518 i cee aN eile Fall Combine Page to Your Window To The Digeon World Pigeon DebutPee ee ee ee ee ¥ Flying High since 1987 a y 4 {Flying Tippler Society of the USA a ¥ a ¥ & Congratulations Tippler Fanciers Officers of the FTS 4 {on another Great Tippler Special! Se eT . '¥ tocontact the Flying Tippler Society of the USA | Dale Reynolds, Wester Vice President, $41 2582442 | A % write to: David Fuller, Sec./Treas. ‘Maceo Price, Eastemn Vice President, 4102337481 | + ¥ 18 Oaklawn Drive Cart Commuso, Central Board Director, 618 785 2793 | 4. Y Metairie, LA 70005 Eadie Carlson, Easter Board Diroctor, $70 629 6261 | ,* y Happy Tipplering! Richard Kehrer, Wester Board Director, 916 547 4067 | 4, t David Fuller, See/Treas., 504 835 8904 4 yf Victor Adams, KY Walt Dimek, ME Milan Markovic, OH Nicholas Romono, NYA. 'y Bob Adams, National Marty Dolley, FL Mitchell Markowski, NY Brian Rose, NTU Sec., ’ Champ 16 15 YB, NY Bob Fagot, LA Kevin Mayer, NT England* A ff Amjad Ali, NY Michael Flynn, MD Jon Mazaran, NY ‘John Rowland, IN x 'y Ali Amini-Hajibashi, WI Yul Foster, MD Nebojsa Milic, NV ‘Joe Russo, NY é ¥. Rene Asencio, NY Walter Fotey, GA Donald Mock, FL Arthur Sager, SC 4 ff Keith Baber, CA David Fuller, LA Laszlo Molnar, CA Charles Samuel, BMTU 4, "y Sukhi Bains, CA ‘Tom Gargan, NT Dan Muir, WA President, MD : Y Shantwan Barnes, MD ‘Sterling Garnes, MD Quintin Nore, MD Carlos Sanchez, NY as i Michael Beat, Central Majid Giahi, WA Terry O'Rourke, MA Daljit Sandhu, CA 4 'y Timer, National Champ _Lakhjit Grewal, WA ‘Stan Ogozolek, NT Butch Soppington, MD ¥ 180508,NY Michael Gribben, GA Payman Omidi, NY ‘Max Scallan, LA & (Tim Bonelli, NY Erik Hall, NY Jerry Pace, NY Anthony Schepige,PA 4 "Paul Bongiovanni, RI Rajesh Hamilton, MD Deltim Parker, MD ‘Thomas Scott, MD x ¥ Michael Brewer, NV Wayne Haug, WA Dobie Peric, OH Harry Shannon, World hs © Curtis Brown, MD ‘August Hohman, MD Eddie Peverill, CA Champ 1940 YB, 2205 + 4) Gerald Brown, MD Gary Hulst, MI ohn Pezzulli, NY 08, NTU, North Ireland * ¥ Vernon Brown, CA Henry Irizarry, NJ World of Wings, OK* Alvin Simon, MD * 'Y James Brownson, MD Wally Jarbo, MI Larry Pinnick, MD Onkar Singh, CA k Y) Ed Buraczewski, NY Ronald Jimenez, NY Don Pisowicz. IN Ron Sloan, CT if ¥ Gregory Campbell, MD Luke Johnson, Jr., MD Boris Podoksik, TL Toe Smith, FL ‘A ¥Y George Cardona, NY Drago Kalebic, NI ‘Anosh Pourteymoor, CA John Sith, PA k | Eddie Carlson, PA Heinz Kaupschafer, DFU, Jack Prescott, England* Angel Tavarez, NI ¢ y Renfro Carter, MD ‘Sec., Germany* Maceo Price, Sr., MD Herb Tucker, NC Wes Coddington, NI Richard Kehrer, CA Michael Pys, TL ‘Anton van Dalen, NY ¥ Carl Commuso, TL Dan Kinnear, CNTU Sec., Paul Rado, WI Nick Volpe, NJ 4 Toe Contala, FL Canada* Joey & AlRamirez,PA Robert Washington, MD, Leroy Daley, 4th., Bela Kiss, AMA ‘Jose Reyes, IL Roger White, FL ‘ ¥ BMTU Sec., MD Tim Kjeldsen, WA Dale Reynolds, OR Clarence Williams, ATU * f Somir Darwich, AKT Bruce Knutson, AK Norm Reynolds, CA Sec., NY* a. y Gene De Marco, NY Tim Kvidera, FTA Presi- Joe Reznik, NT Andre Wooden, MD b + Morris De Ryke, MT dent, MN* Russell Rogers-El, MD Ed Young, PA * \' Peter Dibenedetto, NY Rex Leon, CA ‘Joe Romaine, NT Bruce Zegurski, TL 4 ee ee ee eee eee ee won Debect Your Window To The Pigeon World PagetAnerican Cippler Union Suc. PRESIDENT ‘Hf Buraczewski 516 981 2863 VICE PRESIDENT Joseph Russo 516 884 2553 SECRETARY / TREASURER Clarence Williams 831 Nicolls Road Deer Park, NY 11729 516 667 4238 Joseph Falcon Nesson Garcia Ed Mahistadt Adalberto Ramirez CENTRAL TIMER Joseph Russo PUBLICITY DIRECTOR Joseph Falcon MEXBERSHIP Jim Bonelli, Frank Accardi Brik Hall Nicolas Romano Micheal Alleyne John Hayes Vinnie Rooney Jimmy Ayala (son Albert) Peter Kahl John Roth Bric Baker Raymond Khare Rich Schemitz Abraham Batista Drago Kalebic John Smith Michael Beat Michael Mahlstadt Richard Smith Phil Block Poul Marsola Jiney Sottile David Bourns Jose Nartinez Robert Tone George Cardona Carlos Tito Montalvo Joseph Valla Ruben Catto Edwin Montalvo Anton Van Dalen Paul Certonio Frank Nothaft George Vazquez Celestino Concepcion Joe Palazzolo Peter Venzo Gregory Concepcion Franco Perna Selinda Von Sydow John Cuttone John Pezzulli Ryan D'Alessandri Joseph Polidoro * Honorary menbers Gene DeMarco John Quinn ** Junior menbers Andy Dolan Jose Ranirez *** Partner Ba Eager Edwin Ramos Paul Epstein Murph Randall Ben Garbernan Jose M. Rodriquez Your Window To The Pigeon Vovldpeo Dobeat FLYING TIPPLER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA 1999-2000 FTA Officers President — Tim Kvidera Eastern Vice President — Ed Buraczewski ‘Western Vice President — Richard Kehrer, Jr. Secretary ~ Joe Russo Treasurer — Jerry O'Rourke 201 Codman Road Norwood, MA 02062 Board of Directors Joe Contala, Gary Hulst, Stan Ogozalek 'S. Robert Powell, Wayne Tomsic Central Timer -- Jerry O'Rourke Current Fees Dues -- $15 per year Bands -- $6.25 per lot of 25 Fly Entry — $3 per fly Season Fly Pass - $20 Your Window To The Digeon WorldFlying Tippler History In the course of the past two decades, I have assembled what I believe to be an important collection of papers that relate to Flying Tipplers, in general, and to the Flying Tippler Association of America, in particular. For six of those years, it was my pleasure to serve the FTA as an official: 1989: Publicity Director and Central Timer; 1990, Acting Secretary; and 1991-1994, Secretary. In order to make all of my Flying Tippler papers easier to use and, at the same time, to preserve them and the important history they contain, I arranged these Flying Tippler papers in more or less chronological order and had them microfilmed (28 microfiche cards). In total, there are 1,947 pages of Flying Tippler history on these microfiche cards. There is a great deal of information in these papers about the Flying Tippler sport, including the complete texts of the four American “Tippler Specials," complete sets of the Bulletins of the Flying Tippler Association of America for over 24 years, and facsimiles of several important and out-of-print monographs on Flying Tipplers. This may well be one of the largest and most complete collections of papers in existence on Flying Tipplers in the United States. Included in these papers is a wide range of Flying Tippler materials that were lent, made available, or given to me by Stanley Ogozalek (23 Orchard Street, Keyport, NJ 07735), Tom Murphy (11324 Country Club Road, Waynesboro, PA 17268), R. Omer Ogren (Route 1, Box 155, Dike, TX 75437) and Frank O'Neil (1826 South Talbot Road, Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada NOR-1LO). My sincere thanks to each of them for their enlightened generosity and thoughtfulness in making available resources in their collections. When I had these papers microfilmed, I did so for my private and exclusive use. It occurs to me now, however, that there may be others in the Flying Tippler sport who would like to have a copy of the microfilm edition of these Flying Tippler papers. If you would like to have a copy, I can provide you with one for $20. To read and/or do research in these Flying Tippler papers, go to your local public library and use the microfiche reader there. S. ROBERT POWELL R. D.1, Box 40, Carbondale, PA 18407-9706 srobertpowell@juno.com Page 40 Your Window To The Wigeon World Piygcon DebutJOE RUSSO 640 6™ STREET WEST BABYLON, NEWYORK. 11704 (516) 884-2553 Vice President and Central Timer of the American Tippler Union. Secretary of the Flying Tippler Association of America ‘Member of the Flying Tippler Society of the U.S.A. Joe Russo with his Forty Two Flying Trophys, Ribbons and 16 Show Trophys. Piycon Debut ‘Your Window To The Pigeon WorldNIU CNIU DFU ATU FISCNTAFTANIUCNTUD B di FI Exhibit NYU CNTU DFU ATU PTS CONTA FTA NTU CNTUE - - NIU CNTU DFU ATU FISCNTA PPA NTU CNTUL CEL yer Ee on DFU ATU PTS CNTA FTA NTU CNTU D be atY ATU FT! 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Cre CNTU DFU ATU FTS CNTAFTA NTE CNTL ae DFU ATU FTS CNTAFTANTU CNTU larry NTAFTANTU CNTU NTU eaten a MES cx NTU UCNTL &rUCNTU alee eteen NTL NTU DPU Aj 5 FYANTU CNTU cart pre REELAQM irate core CNTU DFU ATU FTS CNTA PTA NTU CNTU NTU DFU ATU FTS CNTA FTA NTU CNTU CNTU DFU ATU FTS CNTA FTA NTU CNTU CNIU DFU ATU FTS CNTAFTA NTU CNTU - Rare Colors} CNTU DFU ATU FTS CNTAFTANTU CNTU CNTU DFU ATU FTS CNTA FTANTL CNTL ENTU DFU ATU FTS CNTAFTA NTU CNTU Macclerfield - Skirvan Cross Strain |Garberman Lovatt St Clarence Williams "TU CNTU DFU ATU FIS CNTAPTANTU CNTU i CNTU DPU ATU FTS CNTAFTANTU CNTU 831 Nicolls Road NTU CNTU DPUATU FITS CNTAFTANTU CNTU Deer Park, New York 11729 xr prema Buster S10 xt. NTU BEL ST NTAFLA NTU CNTL (631) 667-4238 Tuer Ba Baten Lorrie de re Cort NEU CNTU DEToronte Ontario \ STU CNTL Promoting The Flying Tipplers NTU ENTE DEL SERRA SS ExT ce NTU CNTU DFU AKTANTU CNTL NTU CNTU DFU At AFTANTU € Member: American Tippler Union NIU CNTU DFU ATU FTS CNTAFTA NTU NTU CNTU DEU ATU ETS CNYA FTA NTL Since 1970 NU CNTU DFU ATU FTS CNTA PTA NTL Page Gf Your Window To The Pigeon WorldIN LOVING. INCREDIBLE GENE DE MARCO BREEDER /FLYER FTS OF THE PERFORMING ENDURANCE TIPPLER MASSAPEQUA, N. Y. HOBBY ‘Un the sport Baumgartner Strain sace 1976 FLYER ~ BREEDER ~ EXHIBITOR Joseph Polidoro 41 Vermont Avenue North Babylon NY 11704 (516)-587-4959 PROMOTING HIGH FLYING TIPPLERS MEMBER ar Garberman Lovatt Strain Debut Your Window To The Pigeon WorldCanadian National Tippler Union ‘Founded as the Ontario Tippler Union in 1984 and later renamed in 1998 the CNTU to reflect a wider interest for the sport of “Flying Tipplers” across the land. Executive Board President: Oskar Zovich Vice President: Laka Kapac Secretary Treasurer: Danny Kinnear Central Timer: ‘Tom Rankin Band Secretary: ‘Nino Bugeja| ‘A thankful and heartfelt mention to honorable lifetime member Harry Smith for his contribution to the sport of “The Flying Tippler & Club.” BREEDER AND FLYER BREEDER AND FLYER OF OF GORDON HUGHES **® GORDON HUGHES CompetiTION ComPETITION FLYING TippLers FLYING TippLers VIA VIA Vic JENDZO BriAN WHITE HENRY BAMPFIELD E.T.S. Imports Support YOUR gTq SupPorT YOUR KT.A. ETS. Epwin G. Younc Epwin G. YounG Wyncote, PA 19095 Wyncorte, PA 19095 Your Window To The Digeon World Pigson DebutYour source for Tippler information on the web: ¥ Find Tippler Clubs and Organizations Y Free Tippler Discussion Group: “Tipper Talk” Y Browse over 500 links to other Pigeon Related Sites Y Club Hosting & Tippler Email bttp://www.tipplers.com/ email: info@tipplers.com Breeding & Flying British Imports of World Record Holder Harry Shannon’s O.B. 22 hrs. 05 min., Y.B. 19 hrs. 40 mins. English Champion Eric Anslow O.B. 21 hrs. 21 mins.Paul Bowden’s 20 hrs. plus, and Brian White’s 20 hrs. plus. Strains are in my loft and I am privileged and thankful to these great British Tippler men for sending their birds to good old USA. Rex Leon FTS Member/Flyer 1125 Cardiff Ct. Pomona, CA 91767 (909) 623-7273 Brreone & Compenmivery Fuyine THe Gorven Hueres TYPE OF ENeust) Powe Tippners: ‘Stan Ocozaren (FTA === FITS) BREEDER FLYER EXHIBITOR Compliments of Eddie & Julia Carlson (570) 629-6261 FTAFlying Tippler’s Flying Cumulet’s Ed Mahlstadt (Eddie the Hat) P.O. Box 333 Reeders, PA 18350 Member of ATU & ETS. BTA. Michael Pys Chicago Ilinois Member of The FTS & The FTA! Lovatts, Sheffield, and Shannon, Bloodlines ! Anyone in the Chicagoland area interested in flying Tipplers competitively in a new club that I am organizing, contact me at 773-625-8528 The Windy City Tippler Club ! Your Window To The Sky Lab Loft Portable Flying Loft instructional Video Kear how to select, train, and fly Rollers and other Performing Birds in mobil lofts. 2 hr. VHS video tape, $25.00 USA Funds PP. Don Pisowicz * 85 Ed McDashowicz Dr. ¢ Porter, IN 46304-1378 Farmers Grain Company Attention: Chris 102 West Ist Edmond, Oklahoma 73003 (405) 341-3310 or 1-800-448-3310 Manufacturer of Edmonds Best Pigeon Feed and continental pigeon mixes, pigeon feed ingredients. We will custom mix Digeon WorldTHE RARE BREEDS PIGEON ‘OF Rare Pigeons Sincei971 Leslie King ‘AMERICAN GIANT RUMBLER CLUB Myerstown, PA 17067 Oriental Frills Sunes, Bloninetes, Stock Bids 1206 Syeamore Ln. Boor AR 72927 (301) 675-4646, Bogin at $25.00 each The Feed of Champions™ For years, Kaytee and Bay-Mor have manufactured the very best in pigeon diets. Now Kaytee and Bay-Mor have combined to give you the best! Introducing the Kaytee Bay-Mor brand of pigeon feed. Product Product Comments Kivi ipMOFWCLL Remon al purpose S maintenance fod ‘yee por 13 Popular economy race ic, Aled igh fet ingen Shomer ded for ext " Kaytee tay Mor Word Kajee Bay orWCIs Tapes aor Popular igh pecan beeing Sc Added sal ras Kaytee tay or N12 ayes Bay Nor NCIS ‘Mow popular race die High pes content, law cost malatenance base det ape Baybee CHT ope high protein ‘end Tor cig o ceding igh popcorn content Ropul malatnance dit for horeaced bls. oyice BiyMor PCLZE Economy popcorn end Kaye Bayer FCI2 Mow popular popcore sed dt, Used or bh rae and show bi Kayes BpNor PC+i3__Facellen bred it Sal ln varey fo improved poten quali ‘aye iy MorBE IS Slower aed for improved ether condition Bron Petlormance diet For qustons ordeal igus, posse ea 1{20)840-2921 + 1-600 KAVTEE-1«wutwKAYTEE.com AexicaN Snow Racer AssociaTion Jom Wirn Us Ano Breep Tue Biro Win Ciass ‘Dues: Reg, $20, Junior 10 Senior $15 Family $25 Foreign $28 Loeal Club Affaton $25 For more Information Contact: Gary Cooper ~ See-Treas 585 Koller Ra Combing, TX 75159 asra@airmaiLnet oF ‘cooper lI @airmailnet (07) a76-8817 sn PIGEON ASEqp,, & of Pennsylvania "oy The Oldest All Breeds Club in America Since 1889 SecJTreas. Stacey Kooker P.O. Box 551 Spinnerstown, PA 18968 (215) 536-8753, Americar German Beauty Homer Club Dues: $10.00 9 year Izy Didion Jr. 5691 Edmonds Rd. Bellevue, OF 44811-9712 ‘Neweleters - Show Reports Dist Meets - Bands - Dues $10 ‘See/ies, Joe Gras ox 1,382 South St. Harveysurg, ON 45032 S13) 897-0070 AMERICAN KOMORNER TUMBLER CLUB Good Paton ‘Cut Battin AKC hande 0 ens och ‘Does: $30 Sts Adal Bin Mueing SecTres ‘1 Mt Veron Cr (ah See peo Dedeet Your Window To The Digeon World Page 58Jerry Gagne Pigeon Supply (Our gals snp, tat and end service. Every efor wi be mace o ship same yon order recieved before 12.00, Cel fr yur re tog. Medications - Vitamins - Conditioners Pest Control Concise. “Tobacoo Dua - Pt inthe nea bow 1195 "toon Pagial- A crop onthe perch forte, tks, 32450 {20g ‘Bath Sabs fee Veron ‘sr0s5, 09. Mabihion 57% - Corl ta, mite and pgson fleas 1498, doe. ‘doomacs 100g. Mull Mec: Warmer, canker, coccioaia 1505, song ‘Worm Met -Reundwor,harwors, tapeworms $1208, ie Won Tabs «nc treatment 1395, Ende Ec A drop on tha perch he worm sas5, 1g. ‘Ganka 1006 ‘Mut Mc Wormer, cake, cociiole 31595 Eunpeen 4s 1009. ‘Riel - Poplar European eater sa, ‘Asenocel {CD gr $2860 . as ‘Dinetidazle- Rata wth ta sta95, Exe Probiema Dacaine &-Coccidoel, carka, eco, partyphld 3135 Doin Pus APG $5880 S150, Eyed Nose Dope SOmi, 313.05 $1555, ‘Taranyein Olmert 1802. $7.95 cd NFZPufer 15¥ax $5.95 100m. 185 ‘Lees. Sim. Groen Droosings QvePercal- 100 dona $25.00 ‘Adenocal SOO $2850 PoxVaccha-10Ddose S005 European 41 100g $2750 Dieponatle Nesdioe-6@ $1.00. “100 dene $68.75 Lom Needs Newtons Ste $7.25 Teeatropdo- 100g. $1295 Nest Fronts ry Paraiyiypnose - 100 dose $600 12h 5500 Dowaled Wood Fenders 12" $8.50 AupenycinTabe 100 $478. 26 $16 ‘Auroomyen Cone. 8402. $575 ‘AureomeriSulnet Bee $1655 be $245 ‘tanto Minarats Pakad Root Wood Fender 26°310.55, gals Ate race or show ee $895 ‘332095 ‘Mico St Aer sess, vacation, sires doz ro Nest Egos Wt 25 Bounty - lima aoe mera supplant te 755 Neat Pads sOre $1055 ‘Veami Prevents vain ciency me. ‘Abe Vera oe - Everyticg needed tt ‘Canryng Baskets, Camas Dowsled Top. 8 Bd Baska mS (Comaiosa-Carmets an nbn fo PH ive ze. 0 15rd Gamat es, (Cocol-Geeimix- Canker & cocidoals ow. 20 Bid Basket s5 Gatle OF Ba 08, Gute hice "Son $805 ‘20 Bred Cotappable $6405 Brovera Youur 160, $475 Brower Yeust Puss. $425 ‘Rasplratocy Problems ‘Machina Bands ‘Respiratory Pu - Hapa prover 15 deonaoa sg. $2208 Plasto. erapen, numbered 25for $450 “Toni Treat bactualnfectons of respiatxy ete Sgr $1995 Paste, ep on, un urbered 100 for $5.25 ‘Bajo 0% - Bacar and repiretary weatient eee sas Spiale ‘eral Stor $285, (Don - A resiatr etic 00g. $3408 medium Dior $285 faye Oe $300 ‘Dan Pun - Abroad spctrum at-bat ie. snc0 Eye & Nowe Drops. Probleme that show up inthe nose SO. Gun -Ted and re repinty cre 0. 3455 Add $6.00 shipping per order! 15D. Two aries fer tepraany Be. e05 We have a 32 page catalog with much, much more. Call for your free copy today! Jerry's Pigeon Supply 9185 Bennett'sRun Rd. ‘Beaver Falls, Pa. 15010 ‘Toll-Free 877-355-7727 Fax 724-648-6070 E-Mail vickiesp@access995.com Your Window To The Pigeon WorldDISCOVER MOTHER NATURE'S SECRET At last! Bird health products that work with Mother Nature's own unique healing powers! We carry an extensive selection of Natural Products designed to improve the health of your birds ‘and they are reasonably priced. Specisticing in Natural Schutions to Bird thectite ‘The Avian Medicine Chest™ is dedicated to the prevention and remedy of illness in birds through the use of: * herbs * minerals * vitamins and * healing microbials. * FEATHER PICKING? * BACTERIA PROBLEMS? * CHRONIC SICKNESS? * BREATHING PROBLEMS? * FUNGUS PROBLEMS? * ORGANICALLY CLEAN YOUR FACILITY? Prevention is the best medicine! Call for details and to order! Call: (712) 644-3535 SPECIALBONUS!! -ouuatinitnonisir tne uation Your Window To The Pigeon World Page 58WILL YOU OR YOUR CLUB Become A “SUSTAINING FRIEND” to Help Maintain Your World of Wings Pigeon Center APPLICATION TO BE A SUSTAINING FRIEND OF THE WORLD OF WINGS PIGEON CENTER {lam wiling to contribute $120 annually to help defray the operational expenses of The Pigeon Center. I desire to be a “Sustaining Friend” and have a brick placed in the new "Walk of Fame Park” (1 Leneiose, with this application, $120.00 1] will mail in quactery installments of $30.00, [1 will mail $10 monthly for twelve (12) months Name: | would ike the following information on my brick Address: NaH laa Hiah Pahict Pah City Telephone: ( ttt. Each brick can display three lines, thirteen letters each; spaces, commas, and asterisks count too! Please print your insenpiion in upper case block letters in the above spaces, Clip and mail above application, with your check or money order to: World of Wings Pigeon Center or AHPI, 2300 N.E. 63rd, Oklahoma City, OK 73111-8208 = NEWLOWCOST = EE #77 - AUTOMATIC CONE TOP FOUNT Pigeon Founts & Feeders SMITH DISTRIBUTING 1.0, Box 32 / Covina, 491725 1800.88 671 (Tl Free - Orders Only) ; MONDAY - FRIDAY 8-5 Pacific Time Price : $19.15 Approx. wt 2lbs, 9" di PLASTIC FOUNTS " iding cover approx, Pll Fount keep water cet The p ccone top prevents roosting. Locking Just screw on to water faucet, turn water on, plastic float and brass base allows Fount to be hung. valve keeps the same water level in durable plastic pan. Birds never tan ou of water Aly rcving anew sappy of fs, col and 208-A— Cap.- qt 412" dia. x9 1/2" bi, 3.56 ‘clean water, FOUNTAIN HAS 5 DRINKING STATIONS, 206A Cap,-3.at 6° dia, x11 12" hi 632 Cone top prevents roosting and droppings in water. A full 5° high 204-4 Cape gal. Tia. x 122" i 9.79 | pressure hose gives you years of service. No assembly required 20-A Cap. 212 gal. 8" dia x 17h 1716 , PLASTIC FEEDERS = Heavy Duty Tap PIGEON “Ouro feces ae the ane sz athe popular Foun iat ong'e ah ‘TRAP-DOOR ‘Thoconstop proven tng. te x fog sntons Fam redeof leon psa w=? so Ieper dena eae foetal Trap is easly adapt Pree $19.79 DA cee onectgim tbls to cage, coop, et fort estatn aul oe al apo Eight = 3/16" aluminum SHIPPING INEORMATION _ " . tos wl not endo beak wa kemaae (Note: Founts & Feeders - approx. same ship. wt.) 2U-F Approx. Cap. 1 Approx. Wi lb, 4.37 206-F Approx. Cap b, Approx. WL MID. 697 reas sect ochre nino ten 204 Approx Cap-7 Ibs Approx. Wi. Lib. 16d (Wot alate CA) Calter daar ramon! yeu }20L-F Approx. Cap 6b. Approx. Wi.2Ib. 18ST Tyeon Debt