All Entries in the "Profiles" Category
Obituary – Bill Watson
It is with the deepest regret that I find myself writing this obituary about Bill Watson.
A Visit to the Emerald Budgerigar Stud
Exhibition budgerigars have been an important part in the lives of Eileen and John Hall for about 40 years.
Svetlana Folomeeva – Exhibition Budgerigars in Russia
A profile of Russian breeder Svetlana Folomeeva.
Obituary – Fred Sherman
It is with the deepest regret that I find myself writing this obituary about my long standing friend Fred Sherman.
The Ultimate Specialisation – Japanese Crested
Breeding the Japanese Crested variety in Egypt.
Bruce Ross – the “Ideal” Committee Man
Barrie Shutt interviews Bruce Ross.
Didier Mervilde – Breeding Rares
My name is Didier Mervilde, I was born in 1952 and live with my family in Aalter Belgium. I first became interested in budgerigars in 1965 and at that time I kept about 5 pairs in a mixed aviary. It was in 1986 that, after a visit to the aviary of Gerald Binks, I decided [...]
Soak Up Your Mentors’ Gems of Knowledge
In the 50 plus years since I started keeping budgies there have been several outstanding guys who were my mentors to help guide me along the way.
Lutinos – Making a Start
Look on these birds as being like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle – your job is to put these pieces together to make the finished article.
The Shape of Things to Come
Why would anyone want to keep, breed and exhibit budgerigars? And, supposing you did, where would you get the know-how?
GSB Q & A – Part 3 – Fanciers
There is little doubt that in modern times Jo Mannes has led the hobby in Europe as a skilled breeder and is totally focused on his work.
Don Havenhand – A Tribute
Don Havenhand was an English gentleman and a dedicated budgerigar fancier and an excellent judge, who all fanciers will greatly miss.
Top Japanese Budgerigar Breeder – Tatsuhiro Ozeki
Great breeders of top quality budgerigars now exist in Japan – and Tatsuhiro Ozeki is arguably one of the finest. Tatsuhiro Ozeki has bred some beautiful birds and his photography of his stock speaks for itself.
In all he has a running total of some 300 birds at any one time and, the normal varieties apart, he is the number one breeder of crests throughout Japan.
Neil Murray – A Breeder With The Right “Eye”
“Who is Neil Murray?” you may ask. Neil Murray lives in Stockport, England and his stud was formed when he started as a boy. Here is a breeder with “The Eye” for what is needed to progress. It will be very interesting to watch the progress of David Neil Murray in the coming years.
Sheppard & Flanagan – Part 2 of 2
Feeding of quality budgerigars is a science according to Bruce and Colin, they both have a strong ethic in this area which has been developed over decades, and they expect that their programs will continue to develop as more is understood.
Sheppard & Flanagan – Part 1 of 2
The Sheppard & Flanagan partnership was formed in 1990 – by necessity in a way, as individually they could not afford to import a shipment of birds from the UK separately. So, as a partnership, they participated in the very first shipment (nine birds) and the majority of their stock was purchased from Tom Williams and Peter Sanderson.
The Dicavalli Stud – Henry George
Henry George lives with his wife, Diane in a stunning area just north of Brisbane in Queensland. He is arguably one of Australia’s pre-eminent budgerigar breeders and his results at national level are second to none. For the record, Henry was the driving force to get 4500 birds into Australia from the UK so many years ago and the leader of the first syndicate.
An Insight into Budgerigars via Evolution and Selective Breeding
Charles Darwin devoted much of his later life to studying the Racing Pigeon and set up a breeding loft at his home in the village of Downe, Kent. However, we as budgerigar breeders are doing much the same thing by attempting to defeat Natural Selection, which incidentally as I certainly know we can never win!
Dr Robert Marshall
Any fancier can easily find an emergency solution, via a step-by-step diagnosis of any sick bird, to see exactly the right course to follow and drug(s) to give.
Dr Marshall is also arranging for supplies of the relevant approved drugs to be available within the UK for distribution worldwide.
Daniel Lütolf – A Breeder Ahead Of His Time
In my time, I have interviewed hundreds of very good breeders in their aviaries in many parts of the world – all have contributed good ideas. Occasionally I come across a few breeders who seem to think more deeply than their contemporaries. One such breeder is Daniel Lütolf in Würenlos, close to Zürich, Switzerland. Lütolf [...]
Gerald Binks – Andy Chick Interview – December 2008
When I started in November 1945 there were few birds around except in the pet shops and I knew nothing at all about show points or anything really. I was raw in the extreme. There were no Beginner Classes – you started in Novice and then went straight to Champion.
A Budgerigar “Safari” Visit to Brian Sweeting
Last November, just prior to The Budgerigar Society Show in Doncaster, I decided to visit Brian Sweeting at his home in Bridgwater, Somerset. Arguably it is the best studs of pieds in the UK. I clearly remember seeing two magnificent pieds of his at the South Hampshire Show a few seasons ago; both massive birds [...]
