Q1: Will we ever see you on the show bench again?

GSB:

I thought this might come up!

My reluctance to show goes back to the 1980′s, when at the Budgerigar Show I was twice in line for Best in Show, being in the last two selections and in each case with a far superior bird to the eventual winner.

Sour grapes? Certainly not – I believe it was political. At the time, I was “Mr Budgerigar World” and in the first case I was at home on the Saturday when I had a call from a lady – who I don’t know to this day.

She said:

Mr Binks, I was going to join the hobby but I never will after what I have just heard and seen.

When the last two birds were selected – adult and breeder – an official came to one of the judges and called him over.

He said to him “Do you realise who owns the blue cock?”

“Yes”, was the reply, “it belongs to Arthur Bracy.”

“No, it doesn’t, it belongs to Binks.”

“OK”, was the judge’s answer – “leave it to me.”

And that was me – dead!

The next occasion was in 1997, when I had, arguably, the best Grey Green in the UK. Again the result mirrored the first example and I was put down against an opaline cinnamon cock with the awful “keyhole effect”, which the judges of the day should still be ashamed of.

Witnesses? I have dozens, but again I was rocking the establishment with fresh ideas and actions that were unacceptable by just six persons – no more than that.

Today they are nowhere to be seen!

That is why I became totally dispirited about showing again – as jealousy was put in front of judging integrity.

Finally that Grey Green went on to win Best in Show, weeks later, at The Budgerigar World Show at Blackpool where 4,500 birds were on display.

However, I have recently bought ten new show cages!

Q2: The very first Budgerigar World Show at Sandown Park that you ran, really raised the bar on how major shows should be run. In your opinion, do you think that the major shows of today can be improved upon – not only for the exhibitors benefit, but also to promote the budgerigar fancy as a whole?

GSB:

That is a rhetorical question!

The first two Budgerigar World Championships arose out of looking at the Granby Hall in Leicester and The Queen’s Hall in Leeds, the later being a “converted” tram shed with the roof leaking all over the place.

I was then appalled when the whole of the Champion Adult staging collapsed.

It was a milestone and I knew I could do better.

Within 6 months, with great credit to my then printing partner John Blance, his wife and a great hand-picked team of helpers, we put on the first show in the concourse at Sandown Park racecourse. An enormous length and a pristine setting.

New staging was bought (now the BS staging, still with BW logos on it !), a hawk display in the paddock, and very large garden setting surrounded with international flags, where we sold Budgerigar World magazines, and in the garden, a pond with four flamingos which startled everyone who entered.

The judges I picked personally, as it is my view that the finest experienced judges of the day, from anywhere in the world, should only be the ones considered. This is because breeders spend all year trying to win such an event.

Selecting judges “from a list” is an insult at national level, in my opinion. Clean up that policy internationally and you make progress and credibility.

Q3: New fanciers coming into the hobby are in the older age group so someone joining at sixty years of age will be seventy years of age before they can go on to the Budgerigar Society judges panel. Do you think there should be a fast track to get people on the panel? Or do you think the judge’s training scheme has had its day?

GSB:

Oh dear – what a question!

Such a suggestion can only make matters worse. I introduced the Judges Training Scheme in the London & Southern Counties Budgerigar Society years ago.

We had oral and written questions and six judges who presided over each prospective candidate making notes throughout as the candidates went round all six classes.

All those reports were spread out in front of the nominated Council of Judges where they were studied in great detail and it was the aim to get the candidates through where possible.

Most passed, but some were asked to re-take next year. Those who were obviously incapable – and there were quite a few – we failed.

The problem later was that they then went to the Budgerigar Society scheme and passed!

I still am of the opinion that all prospective judges should attend their Area Society Judges Scheme (or nearest) based on the same format, and then go to the Budgerigar Society morning for final assessment.

I cannot see the sense of having candidates going all over the country being “trained” by judges – but then Binks has different ways of management!

If you think about it, there are two major faults in the hobby. One is that the entry fees at shows are so low as to be laughable – because they don’t relate to the cost of halls or the club’s ability to do the very best for their members. Also, membership fees are so ludicrously low – so organisers are limited in what they can put on in the way of a serious display.

Secondly, there is no effort to publicise to the general public that the show either exists, or is in the local papers or is publicised outside the hall and around the town. That applies at the top level as well. Publicity is marketing – or vice versa. No outside publicity exists in the hobby in UK. That, combined with lack of finance, because of the above reasons, is the major problem – which continues to be ignored.

Q4: What do you think of the forum and the use of the World Wide Web to promote our hobby?

GSB:

I have to apologise, but with my time being so occupied with all that I have to do with my own website – www.budgerigar.co.uk, which has gone ballistic – I have not had enough viewings on the forum to pass a full comment.

However, I have heard that one fancier, who has an advert with the Forum, is being overwhelmed for stock.

Such is the power of promotion and advertising, as discussed above, that both your Forum Site and mine possess.

All internet promotions are the modern way of advertising – but we should all get to the general public, not just preach to the converted.

I now believe that printed magazines in our hobby have had their day – times have changed.

I gave my final lecture lasting two hours at the Budgerigar Society Convention in Woking in May 2011 – so ably organised by Roger Carr and Fred Wright, among others. Before I started I asked about 100 seated fanciers if they were on the internet – and at least 80% put up their hands.

It is for this reason that fanciers from all over the world make it a habit to attend this unique show.

This year was no exception when fanciers traveled from as far afield as Australia, Canada, Pakistan, USA and, from mainland Europe, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal & Switzerland to witness for themselves the quality of the birds benched.

Attractions

Apart from the quality budgerigars at the show there is the seminar staged on the Saturday morning, always popular with many fanciers attending and this year one of our top breeders and exhibitors, Brian Sweeting, was the guest speaker.

There are also all the Budgerigar Society, area & specialist societies stands that give members the opportunity to pay for their following year’s subscriptions plus, of course, the array of trade stands and products that are available to fanciers to stock up for the breeding season.

One other important factor of this unique show is the social side, the friendships that are made, new and old, and the opportunity over the two days to meet and catch up with fellow fanciers that one only sees once a year. This is further enhanced by the dinner/dance on the Saturday evening.

The popular Auction of Promises on Sunday afternoon is followed by the grand finale of the two days when the President of the Society presents the wonderful array of 91 trophies to the winning exhibitors. Each part contributes to making this unique event a weekend not to be missed.

Behind the Scenes

A show of this magnitude doesn’t just happen!

The result is thanks to tremendous teamwork by a great many helpers.

It starts with the erecting of staging on Friday morning and ends when the last bit of staging is put away and everyone has gone home.

The people to thank are too numerous to mention but include the staging erectors and dismantlers, the managerial and secretarial staff, the club show committee, security, trophy, catering, seminar, tombola, door staff, stand co-ordinator, sales staff, stewards, in fact everyone who helped in any way.

Stands

Each year there is a competition for Best Trade Stand and Best Area or Specialist Society Stand.

The winning Trade Stands were as follows:

• 1st – Calcivet (The Birdcare Company)
• 2nd – Aviary Hygiene (David W Van De Peer MBICSc)
• 3rd – EMP (Donald Cooke Ltd)

The winning Best Areas or Specialist Society Stands were as follows:

• 1st – South Midlands Budgerigar Society
• 2nd – LABS (Lutino & Albino Breeders Society)
• 3rd – CBBA (Clearwing Budgerigar Breeders’ Association)

This was the third successive year that the South Midlands BS won – they received £25 and a lovely engraved glass plaque.

Judges were the Society President Dave Herring, Chairman George Booth and overseas judge Dave Collier.

Judging

The task in hand for this year’s show fell upon a team of 15 judges which included the Budgerigar Society President, Dave Herring.

The remaining 14 judges were:

• Alan Adams
• Ghalib Al-Nasser
• Jeff Attwood
• Lyn Bancroft
• Nigel Beevers
• Jerry Donovan
• Colin Lamb
• Jim McGeehan
• Geoff Moore
• Norma Phillips
• Tony Pope
• Cy Thorne
• Mick Widdowson

Every year the society invites an overseas judge and this year was no exception. However, although Dave Collier currently resides in the USA, he is actually a B.S. Judge, so it was meeting up with old friends for him at the weekend.

Accepting birds on the Saturday morning and starting judging a bit later proved to be quite popular with many exhibitors – and providing four extra judges to judge the sections while the colour judging was in progress worked extremely well this year.

The four extra judges were:

• Dominic Avo
• Ron Payne
• Ray Steele
• Terry Tuxford

These four have already been invited to judge the colours next year.

There were super quality budgerigars on display at this show and having gone through the selection by the colour judges, the 26 best of colour winners and their respective opposite sexes came forward to the final selection for the major awards.

The Budgerigar Society celebrated its 85th Anniversary this year, and each exhibitor benching 8 or more birds received a specially commissioned clock to mark the occasion, this was most appreciated by the exhibitors.

Best in Show

Les Martin ensured that his name be added to that long list in the Hall of Fame for winning the supreme award at this show when his Grey Green cock was initially judged Best Any Age in Show and went a step further by beating the young bird for the Supreme Best in Show.

Soon after Les was declared the winner, the crowd realised that the bird was that which won Best Young Bird at last year’s show.

It was a popular win as Les is a staunch supporter of the Budgerigar Society Club Show and his worthy winner was a bird that excelled in width of head and depth of mask with wonderful frontal rise and directional feathering, staged in immaculate condition.

Best Young Bird & Best Opposite Sex in Show

The Norwood Stud (Tony & Sandra) benched a wonderful Grey hen to capture the next prestigious award of Best Young Bird & Best Opposite Sex in Show.

This bird excelled in quality of width of face and shoulder with good length and staged in good condition.

Best Any Age Opposite Sex in Show

The partnership of Mick Freakley & Ian Ainley have featured regularly among the major winners’ listing since 2007.

This year they did it again when their adult Grey hen won Best Any Age Opposite Sex in Show. This was a massive hen with a wide head but was spoilt by a short tail.

Best Opposite Sex Young Bird

Last year’s Club Show winners, Paul & Dennis Spruce, teamed up with Keith Moorhouse to form the partnership of Moorhouse & Spruce and they won the Best Opposite Sex Young Bird with a lovely stylish and powerful Cinnamon Skyblue cock.

Champion Any Age

The Champion Any Age section was headed by the Best in Show and Les Martin captured the second spot with his Skyblue cock of similar quality as the supreme winner.

The Freakley & Ainley partnership was third with their massive Spangle Cinnamon Grey cock, large and bold shown in good feather condition.

The Grey hen of Freakley & Ainley was the Best Opposite Sex in this section.

Champion Young Bird

The first two places in the Champion Young Bird were occupied by hens of super quality.

First was the Norwood Stud’s Grey hen which was Best Young Bird in Show, followed By Richard & Michael Miller’s Yellowface hen of style with good depth of mask and colour.

Brian Sweeting benched an excellent Cobalt cock of good length in third place.

Intermediate Any Age

It was partnerships that occupied the first ten places in the Intermediate Any Age section and the Bowker family of Richard, John & Wayne headed that section with a Grey cock of good frontal rise followed by the Moorhouse & Spruce partnership with a Grey Green cock which was last year’s supreme winner. A massive bird with good frontal rise but was not in the condition that took him to the supreme last year.

The Brian Newton & Gary Shepherdson partnership was third with a Light Green cock of good head quality and large spots.

There were no hens placed in the top ten in this section.

Intermediate Young Bird

The Cinnamon Skyblue cock that was placed Best Young Bird Opposite Sex headed the Intermediate young Bird section for Moorhouse & Spruce followed by their Yellowface Cinnamon Grey cock of good style and size with lovely top end.

R & J & W Bowker were third with their challenge certificate winner, a Grey Green hen with exceptional head quality showing the “buffalo effect” and benched in good condition.

Novice Any Age

A Skyblue cock of Dave Brick headed the Novice Any Age section, a lovely bird with good face and staged in good condition.

Simon Roberts was second with a quality Grey Green cock followed by Richard Hooper’s Spangle Cinnamon Grey Green hen in third place. A good hen with good width of face and shoulder.

Novice Young Bird

Albert Jennings headed the Novice Young Bird section with a nice long Violet cock followed by Dave Brick’s powerful Cinnamon Grey cock in second place.

A Light Green cock of quality from Philip Pearce & Connor Pears was third.

A Grey hen from Liam & Simon Devaney was the best opposite sex in this section.

Beginner Any Age

The only exhibitors who managed to win both sections were Jim & Carol Huxley in the beginner section who had a good team to win many awards. Their any age winner was a Grey cock of good top end and mask staged in good condition. Their Spangle Blue cock was placed third best.

Separating the two was a nice Grey hen benched by Terry Price.

Beginner Young Bird

Jim & Carol Huxley headed the beginner young bird section with a lovely Spangle Blue hen of good width and size. This was followed by Ian Ward & Michelle Rogers Cinnamon Grey Green cock of good width and blow of cap spoiled only by one shadow spot.

James Theobald had a Yellowface cock in third place.

Best Junior in Show & Junior Any Age

It is always good to see competition in the junior section, the future of our hobby.

Connor Spruce won the any age section with a nice Grey Green cock and Best Junior in Show – while Gary Cameron won the next two places with a Spangle Blue cock and a Grey cock.

Junior Young Bird

The junior young bird section was won by Jack Hickton-Cragg with a Dominant Pied Blue cock.

This was followed by Erin Newall’s Grey Green cock.

Jordan Butcher was third with a Cinnamon Blue cock.

Teams

There was a total of 6 Teams benched in the team classes of 4 and 6 birds and Geoff Bowley won both classes and Best Team in Show with a team of six Albinos.

Any Age Challenge Certificate

Winners were:

• K. Leedham – light green, cinnamon green
• Norwood Stud – dark/olive green, rare variety
• L. Martin – skyblue, grey green
• B. Sweeting – cobalt/mauve/violet
• P. Greenwood – grey
• C. Bowman – opaline green
• Main & Jenkins – opaline grey green
• Moorhouse & Spruce – opaline blue
• M & S Banks – opaline grey
• J. Stainforth – cinnamon blue
• T & A Luke – opaline cinnamon green, opaline cinnamon blue, any other colour
• I. Fordham – lutino
• D. Bowley – albino
• R. Day – yellow-wing
• R. Docherty – whitewing
• Cheatley & Alcorn – crest
• J. Grubb – spangle green
• Freakley & Ainley – spangle blue
• A & D Woan – dominant pied
• C & D Jones – recessive pied
• J. Nevin – yellowface

Certificates of Merit:

• D. Brick – Novice
• J & C Huxley – Beginner
• C. Spruce – Junior

Young Bird Challenge Certificate

Winners were:

• R. Allen – light green
• P. White – dark/olive green
• C & M Snell – skyblue
• B. Sweeting – cobalt/mauve/violet, opaline blue, spangle blue
• R & J & W Bowker – grey green
• Norwood Stud – grey
• M & T Rodgers – opaline green, opaline grey
• Main & Jenkins – opaline grey green
• Ward & Rogers – cinnamon green
• Moorhouse & Spruce – cinnamon blue, yellowface
• D. McKeown – opaline cinnamon green
• T & A Luke – opaline cinnamon blue, any other colour
• I. Fordham – lutino
• A. Kelly – albino
• Guppy & Barnes – yellow-wing
• R. Day – whitewing
• A. Brown – crest
• J & C Huxley – spangle green
• P. Hodgkins – dominant pied
• M & M Chapman – recessive pied
• Swain & Ford – rare variety

Certificates of Merit:

• A. Jennings – Novice
• J & C Huxley – Beginner
• J. Hickton-Cragg – Junior

It is an event not to be missed!

Guest Speaker – Brian Sweeting

Apart from the thousands of top quality birds benched for fanciers from all over the world to admire, there will be a seminar on the Saturday morning, with one of our top and successful fanciers Brian Sweeting as the guest speaker.

The seminar will kick off at 10.30 a.m.

Brian’s topic, through a power point presentation, will be “Make ‘em Breed”.

Tickets are £10 each and include entry to the seminar, light refreshments plus entry to the show on Saturday only. Those who attend the seminar will be invited to watch judging of the Best in Show and other major awards.

The Judges

While Brian is busy delivering his presentation there will be 15 judges busy judging their respective colours – they are:

• Alan Adams
• Ghalib Al-Nasser
• Jeff Attwood
• Lyn Bancroft
• Nigel Beevers
• Dave Collier (USA)
• Jerry Donovan
• Dave Herring (B.S. President)
• Colin Lamb
• Jim McGeehan
• Geoff Moore
• Norma Philips
• Tony Pope
• Cy Thorne
• Mick Widdowson

The section judging will be in the capable hands of the following:

• Dominic Avo
• Ron Payne
• Ray Steele
• Terry Tuxford (who will be invited next year to judge the colours)

85th Anniversary

To help celebrate the Society’s 85th Anniversary, each exhibitor benching 8 or more birds (excluding sales) will receive a suitably inscribed clock memento to mark this milestone occasion of the society.

Gala Dinner

The Saturday evening Gala Dinner will be returning to the Holiday Inn (formally the Moat House) and entertainment will be provided by Barry Cheese, a popular comedian.

Tickets at £25 each can be booked with Pete Hutchinson by sending him a SAE (stamped addressed envelope) and a cheque payable to “The Budgerigar Society” to:

• Pete Hutchinson, 125 Moss Lane, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 7XE
• Tel: +44 (0)1625 420269

Auction of Promises

On Sunday afternoon at 1.00 pm Geoff Capes, assisted by John Alcock, will be on the hammer with the ever popular Auction of Promises – with many quality birds promised from top leading fanciers together with many other superb items and promises.

This has been so popular over the years and it generates income towards staging the next show.

Tombola & Club Show Raffle

Throughout the weekend Norman & June Cox, helped by Jackie Fox, will want you to visit them at their great tombola stand with lots and lots of prizes to be won.

So go to them and have a go and be one of the winners!

Don’t forget also to participate in the Club Show Raffle while you are there.

Trophy Presentation

The finale will be when our President Dave Herring takes to the trophy stand to present the array of 91 trophies to their prospective winners. Will you be one of them?

There are a lot of incentives for exhibitors apart from competing at the highest level. The Jim Moffat Charitable Trust is allocating its usual £1,250 for the major winners divided as:

• £300 for Best in Show
• £150 for Best Any Age
• £250 for Best Young Bird
• £150 for Best Opposite Sex Any Age
• £250 for Best Opposite Sex Young Bird
• £150 for Best Junior

The Budgerigar Society will be presenting Georgian Crystal to the major winners and the Any Age section winners will each receive Georgian Crystal and £30 while £25, £20, £15 & £10 will go for 2nd – 5th Best.

The Young Bird section winners will each receive Georgian Crystal and £45 while £35, £30, £25 & £20 will go for 2nd – 5th Best.

The junior sections will get Sports Vouchers, a framed certificate and £20 for the winner and £10 & £5 for 2nd & 3rd Best.

Patronage

Patronage has been received from all 10 area societies and the show is also the club show of the following:

• Clearwing Budgerigar Breeders’ Association
• Crested Budgerigar Club
• Lutino & Albino Budgerigar Society
• Rare Variety & Colour Budgerigar Society
• Spangled Budgerigar Breeders’ Association
• Variegated Budgerigar Club

Trade Stands

Apart from all of the above there is an array of Trade Stands at the show for fanciers to be able to stock up with all their needs before the commencement of the breeding season; of course not forgetting the large number of birds that will be in the sales section.

Birds & Opening Times

Birds will be accepted on:

• Friday between 2.00 – 10.00 p.m.
• Saturday between 7.00 – 9.30 a.m.

The show will be open to the public on:

• Saturday between 3.00 – 6.30 p.m.
• Sunday between 9.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.

Admission to the show is £6 per person and a catalogue is £4.

Schedules

All members of the Budgerigar Society will have received their schedules already with the July / August issue of “The Budgerigar”.

Schedules may also be obtained from:

• The B.S. Office, Spring Gardens, Northampton NN1 1DR
• Tel: +44 (0)1604 624549

Schedules may also be downloaded from the Budgerigar Society’s website:

• www.budgerigarsociety.com

Closing Date for Entries

Closing date for entries is 21st September 2010 and these need to be sent to:

• Ronnie Simpson, 22 Homefield Avenue, Morley, Leeds, Yorkshire LS27 0DX

For other help contact the Show Manager Dave Hislop on +44 (0)1253 855894.

Visitor Information

For our overseas fanciers getting to Doncaster is easy.

By Air

• Local airport: “Robin Hood Airport” (only 10km away)
• Manchester airport (approx. 90km away)
• London airports (approx. 250km away)

By Train

• From Manchester International Airport to Doncaster
• From London Kings Cross station to Doncaster

By Sea

• via the port of Hull (approx. 42km away)
• via the port of Norwich (approx. 185km away)
• via the port of Dover (approx. 315km away)

By Road

• via the A1(M) motorway
• via the M18 motorway
• via the M1 motorway

There are a large number of accommodation facilities available in Doncaster ranging from Bed & Breakfast, Guest Houses or Hotels and a full list can be obtained from the Doncaster Tourist Information Centre.

See You There

Come to this wonderful show to join in the activities throughout the weekend, meet your fellow fanciers and just enjoy the amazing atmosphere among like-minded people!

The overheads are the problem, as they include Avian Influenza clearance (UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has stated on its website that the UK has been free of this disease since 2007/8) and additionally faecal samples are now required for psittacosis checking.

In a recent small shipment of just four birds, this faecal laboratory testing alone was charged at a total of £197.40 incl Value Added Tax (VAT).

Add the usual airline charges (which have increased since 2008), the veterinary inspection & documentation completion, plus the International Air Transport Association (IATA) crate, and in total a very sizeable sum is invoked from the buyer.

• You are a young school person who has little money, but your parents are fully supportive in all that you do.
• You are in full employment with a family, but need a sound hobby to relieve the pressures of the workplace – something different in fact.
• You are in full employment, but can see that retirement approaches or redundancy might loom at any stage.
• You have just retired and want a hobby that both you and your partner could enjoy together.

What is the first stage?

Firstly, the advice so that you do not waste hard earned money from whatever source.

This is to not do anything in the way of erecting a birdroom or buying budgerigars in the first year – you have much to learn and you learn from two sound, must have, up-to-date books and you have a lot of visits to make to aviaries owned by very well experienced fanciers.

This website advertises many breeders and the links, appropriate to your country, will open such doors to gain massive quantities of ideas and designs for your aviary that suit the birds first and then you – in that order!

The essential books are published on this website.

Stage #2

In most countries, but not all, there are National Societies – plus what are termed State or Area Societies and then the Local Societies near to you.

Your contacts with other breeders will have opened such doors. My advice is that you join the National Society immediately.

In addition to paper magazines that are supplied as part of your annual subscription, it is through these major societies that you get your budgerigar rings – which are called closed rings. These have your personal code number inscribed on each ring for the rest of the time you are in the hobby.

Stage #3

You are now a member!

In addition to the books mentioned, you may find there is a National Mixed Variety Publication – contact your paper shop as they will have details. A few mixed variety magazines are superb covering Budgerigars, Parrots, Foreign Finches and Canaries.

One such is the Australian publication “Australian Birdkeeper Magazine”. High quality, beautiful photography and whichever variety is your preference, there is something to learn within the pages on the other species.

As you gain experience, ask questions all the time. Many beginners feel they are being silly at a meeting of their chosen club, asking basic questions. Do not hold back – nobody minds especially any lecturers who feed off such questions and thrive on them.

Also never put anybody, who you might think is a top champion, on a pedestal. We are all in the same hobby, all involved and our doors are open to beginners and champions at all times. Just call up out of courtesy and make a time to visit and above all – enjoy the experience.

Stage #4

By the end of your first apprentice year, you will be bursting to erect an aviary and get going – but the wait will have been worth it, believe me.

Remember, it is no use spending on basic sheds unless you anticipate you will have to move home at some stage. Even then it is better to make a sectional birdroom that can be moved. Next, remember, however big you decide you will have your aviary, eventually you will want a bigger one. So allow for expansion.

We now come to Local Authority permission to build! However, before you do that, I strongly advise you to approach all your neighbours that border your property and ask their permission, or their approval, to erect your aviary. Ninety nine percent will give that if you explain clearly what the design is and that you are not putting up a chicken run affair. Once they have been approached and know what you are doing and have said “Go ahead”, they are then happy and thereafter will have great difficulty if they have a complaint. Noise can be controlled by a design that does not necessitate outside flights, but in hot countries this may be desirable.

You now approach the “Local Authority”. Be aware that staff in such organisations are not always sure of their own rules and will insist that you have to have Planning Permission and conform to Building Regulations. This author found out the hard way on one occasion.

What you need to realise is that if your aviary is not attached to your property you (probably) do not need Planning Permission, as it is “external to the uses of the dwelling house on freehold property”. Local Authority property is another matter.

You do however have to conform to the Building Regulations which are an easy matter to deal with. At your Local Authority Offices ask for sight of the document applicable to a structure for a hobby (in the UK it is called “The Town and Country Planning Act”). They will oblige with copies of that information for you to study and give you forms to complete. If you have a problem, go to another Local Authority and ask them for help – on the understanding that you are moving into the area they are responsible for. Then armed, go back to your Local Authority and submit what you now know beyond doubt. Obviously such rules will vary from country to country – but the basic principles apply.

Stage #5

With full approval and design decided, you can start building.

There are basic pitfalls – such as having too much light with oversize windows, so that in hot weather the birds suffer and do not breed well.

Aviaries should be about ten feet / three metres wide, minimum, all through. This allows for external nest boxes and seed store benches and yet allows space for you and visitors to be comfortable.

Make sure your aviary is on a very sound concrete base with a solid foundation underneath. Are you having water laid on as well as electricity? It is cheaper in the long run to do this at the start.

Consider skylights above the internal flight areas, but not in the breeding area as other indigenous birds can cause disturbance at the wrong times, plus budgerigars like to breed in shade.

If you can afford it, double glazing is also greatly beneficial and avoids the dreaded painting and rot replacement as with wooden frames. You might trace some second hand double glazing to save money. It is certianly worth the effort.

Stage #6

Fitting out is a pleasure. Keep your eyes open for anybody stopping their hobby, if money is tight. Their cages may suit you and you can get them at a low price. If cost is not a problem, this website has a list of reliable suppliers and these should be approached first.

Your initial early visits to aviaries will have told you what you require. Once complete and you have obtained all the seed and foodstuffs that you require, not forgetting a heated platform and antibiotics for the odd sick bird – you are ready to start buying your birds.

Just one last word. When buying what will be your Foundation Group to build your stud, use your eye for quality to the full that you have learned along the way. There are all sorts of great people in the hobby who treat you fairly but there are a few “rogues” (as there are in all walks of life) who will sell you poor or problem birds that have little or no use.

The test for any fancier is to travel, say, 250 miles or more and have the courage to walk away and go back home if they have any doubts at all. Then you are a true fancier. Treat everyone, in time, who comes to you when you are a champion, totally fairly and then you will have great credibility and respect from everyone.

Enjoy your new found hobby and remember your friends are more important than the birds – not the other way round!

Site Usage Statistics

Whenever this site is used, Google Analytics logs the activity. This gives me a wealth of data – some of which I thought I would share with you.

So, here are just a few of the statistics concerning your website since launch (as at 4th March 2010):

• 45,000+ Pages – viewed by site visitors
• 7,400+ Visits – An average of 210 per day!
• 3,000+ Individuals – have visited the site
• 100+ Fanciers – view the site every single day
• 79 Countries – have sent visitors to the site
• 7 Minutes – is the average time spent per visit to the site

Did You Know?

There are some 79 countries / territories we now know of, who are keeping budgerigars, or who are keen to be involved in our hobby. Most we know, but this list of extra countries may surprise you, as indeed it did myself:

To all those fanciers who have visited this international website, may I extend a big WELCOME to you all.

The established hobby will surely help you in all manner of ways in the future!

From Daniel Lütolf, Switzerland

I just visited quickly your website.

Well done, big compliment, lots of useful information.

Concerning the information for budgerigar breeders, as it develops, it may already be the universal site for the worldwide budgerigar hobby.

I can imagine, you are quite tired after that big effort, but it was really certainly worth it!

From Jac Cuyten, The Netherlands

As we can expect from a man like you, another super initiative for all budgerigar breeders all over the world.

Of course you may place the Cuyten DVD trailer on your website and it will be an honour to see you in Holland some time.

A lot of winning birds you will not see from me, because my pleasure from the hobby is directed to the breeding side. This is the great challenge for me.

Of course I can send you pictures of my best birds and I will see to that later.

Quality wise I feel I am making another step forward this year.

From Steve Bailey, United Kingdom

Congratulations with the new international website. I am sure the whole hobby worldwide will get involved within it under your stewardship.

I am delighted to be back in this great hobby after several years of absence and would like to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your help getting me started again. I have achieved considerable success at top level shows with your birds (as is fairly well known) and have now built up a very good stud of birds in which I take great pride.

Once again, I wish you every success with your new venture.

From Larry Moore, United States of America

My friend you have done it again!

The new website is exactly what this hobby has needed for a very long time.

We can always count on you to come up with something innovative that will benefit everyone in the hobby.

Continued good luck.

From Casper Maree, South Africa

Congratulations with your new site.

I have already spent some time on it and it proves to be THE site for the future.

All the best for the future.

From Matt Welchman, Australia

Congratulations on a fantastic site and a great idea.

The WWW is the key to the continuation of this wonderful hobby.

I recently started a web page for the Central Coast Club and have had great feedback – The Internet is an invaluable tool for the hobby today.

From Ron Payne , United Kingdom

Congratulations on the new web site, I spent a couple of hours going through it last night and didn’t realise time could go so fast!

Perhaps the word on the street should be “Binks has put his far-reaching thinking cap on again!”

From Jane Todd, South Africa

Your website was forwarded to me by the Budgerigar Society of South Africa today.

I just went to have a quick look and was amazed at the extent of information on it!

I now live in South Africa but originated from Hertfordshire and have recently become a “budgerigar fancier”! I started off with larger parrots such as African Greys, Amazons etc but find the budgerigar far more endearing and intend extending my collection.

Thank you for your website, I will view it often.

From Jim Marshall , Canada

I have just visited your new website and may I congratulate you on a very friendly and most comprehensive information bank regarding our great hobby.

The world wide web is a boon for the “Global Budgerigar Fraternity”.

Thank you for sharing.

From Didier Mervilde, Belgium

Like always with you, a very nice website and an “A+” for the hobby.

I am looking forward to the articles. Congratulations.

From Maurice Laker, United Kingdom

AT LAST a website for the hobby.

I am looking forward to spending some time on it.

Well done and congratulations on this new venture.

Any help I can give you please ask.

From Jos Reynders, Ireland

Congratulations on a job well done.

I heard about it so I was looking forward to seeing it for the last few weeks.

I was greatly surprised. I expected quality, but this is outstanding.

A great stimulous to the hobby worldwide.

Again thanks very much.

From Michael & Dean Borcherds, South Africa

Firstly congratulations on a truly brilliant website & the thinking & marketing behind it.

It is inspirational.

Wishing you & hopefully the hobby all the very best through its pages.

From Javed Khananza, Pakistan

Excellent site with tons of information.

We can say it’s an encyclopedia of information for fanciers.

From Alan Taylor, Spain

As an ex-budgerigar breeder now living in Spain, the web is my only way of keeping in touch with the fancy.

In my involvment with the fancy I was subscription secretary for the V.B.C. and show secretary for both the L.C.N.W.B.S.and Merseyside B.S.

I would like to congratulate you on the website – it is certainly one of the best that I have seen.

Best wishes for the breeding season.

From Prof. Maher Hamed, Egypt

Congratulations and thank you for launching such a valuable, helpful and interesting new website.

I enjoy reading the information, advice and articles in it. Many thanks.

From Ralph Jenne, Germany

Thank you for this really good website! You have clearly invested a lot of time.

I hope that this international website takes our wonderful hobby even further forward!

Greetings from Freiburg!

From Gary Sutton, United Kingdom

The Budgerigar hobby has been in need of just this type of website.

Congratulations to all involved.

GSB: Apart from an overall treatment in the first instance, if it has never been done before, you should not treat again unnecessarily.

The sensible action is to isolate ALL new arrivals in a separate room and treat them immediately before release into the main stud.

Your outside flight must also be covered on the roof to prevent any indigenous infected birds excreting into it and thus infecting your disease free stud.

There are countless examples of fanciers ignoring these basic rules and budgerigars being lost in good numbers

When buying a bird, what should I check before parting with my hard-earned money?

GSB: Firstly examine the bird closely. Is it tight in feather or loose feathered and huddled? Catch it and check for the following:

1. Is it clean round the vent area and with no stained feathers?
2. Is it full in the hand and has bright eyes?
3. Look for and feel for any cysts around the lower gut area and in particular examine the wing butts where cysts are easy to miss.
4. Feel the crop. Is it normal with some seed inside it or is it bloated – which raises a question about the bird’s digestive tract?

My aviary is completely enclosed. What should I do about the lack of direct sunshine with its vital vitamin D factor?

GSB: Vitamin D that is lost in this way should be replaced artificially via multivitamin solutions and / or cod liver oil bought from your pharmacy.

Should hens be taken to shows?

GSB: Hens are generally more easily stressed during transport and while being moved around inside the exhibition. I suggest that you take them to no more than two to three shows only and certainly not three day shows.

On arrival home from a show, give them every care and attention and allow them access to food and grit before extinguishing the lights should you arrive home late.

Do not overshow them and they will subsequently breed well.

I began breeding this marvellous Australian Grass Parakeet at the age of 12, immediately after the 2nd World War – 67 years ago!

I am still as fanatical today about breeding top quality exhibition budgerigars though I do not claim to be so obsessed to the exclusion of my family and golf – the latter modestly. Over the years, many hundreds of Australian and New Zealand fanciers have visited my home in Virginia Water and all have been welcomed.

With my administrative background, I was also privileged to have been the UK co-ordinator for the nine Australian shipments of some of the UK’s finest budgerigars to Melbourne, before a ban was instituted as a result of infected ostriches arriving from Canada at the Spotswood Quarantine Station in Melbourne. That ban has not been lifted for budgerigars, but I believe pigeons were permitted until the Avian Flu outbreak arose.

Luckily 4500 budgerigars did pass into the Australian hobby which has helped enormously with head quality improvements and many fine birds are to be seen these days on the Australian show benches.

The Attack Principle

The desire to breed super exhibition budgerigars is the ambition of every fancier in every country. I am well aware of the fact that the Australian show scene and its structure and administration is different to the UK. That aside, we all have the same aim as it is the finest birds on display that we wish to breed and own for the simple reason of pride in having achieved something that money cannot buy.

That said, there always comes a point where you have to “speculate to accumulate” and buy the essential outcrosses to avoid losing size as well as quality.

Sell ten birds and buy one has always been my philosophy.

The Early Years

By the early years, I mean the first ten – perhaps even longer. There is so much to learn from each breeding season, particularly establishing a feeding regime that really works well and breeds many budgerigars each season from the best birds you possess.

I cannot stress enough how important that is. Two consecutive bad seasons can destroy a stud. That is the danger we all face as it brings you to your knees and so many leave the hobby at that point. If it happens there is only one person to blame – you! This is the point when the strongest characters refuse to give in and “attack”.

In “The Challenge”, I have listed in depth many proven successful diets, including Australian diets, that have stood the test of time. Those diets should be unchanged in their entirety and not added to with something that “so and so” is feeding at your club. If you do then the stud as a whole is rocked and as budgerigars object to change, it will show adversely in the breeding cages later on.

Once you have your proven diet working well, may I suggest you write it down and place it on file because it is so easy to forget an item(s) from the daily routine – then trouble arrives and your memory for what has gone wrong will fail you.

Get the feeding right and you can progress to look elsewhere if another problem appears. Remember, you need to produce quantity as well as quality from a nest so that you can select the best two and sell the rest.

Establishing The Basics

Like a great house, your stud has to be built on very solid foundations. Your initial problem may be financial. If not then you may be lucky, but if you are financially strapped you may well be better off in the long term, so do not despair.

This is the way I began as a boy, but I learned the hard way and was the better for it. The hobby is filled with a cross section of characters. Happily most are honest and will help beginners in a constructive way, but a few are depressing.

I clearly recall my first attempt at buying from one of the top ten UK fanciers when I was fourteen years old. It was my first lesson. I travelled a long way by train to this “famous” fancier. He asked me before I had even seen any of his birds, how much I had to spend. I had saved all my pocket money and I said (this was 1948) I had £20.00. His reply was stunning to a beginner. He said “You won’t get much for that young man”.

My father, having taught me well about the world being full of good and bad people, prompted me to say: “No problem, but I am not interested in your birds” and I left immediately. He never forgot me and always came up to me at shows after that, obviously ashamed. A lesson learned regarding buying and selling and how to treat people decently and fairly.

By contrast, you can have the odd well off fancier who likes to enter the hobby with a bang. He knows little but thinks money will get him to the top. They rarely last the distance and every country will have such examples. They might win for a while but their lack of experience results in their quality dropping, with poor results, and out they go.

So be encouraged that if you have a small pocket, as I did then, you will make a better fancier if you attack at all times as best as you can. If you are patient and sensible, it is a valuable lesson not to spend anything for 12 months, but in that period visit all manner of studs and shows to get your “”eye for quality” well established.

You will also see all manner of aviary designs and that will give you a good idea for construction of your own aviary. Remember that an aviary has to be designed for what is the best for the birds, not necessarily for what is best for you.

Have You The “Eye”

This title means: have you learned exactly what is wanted in order to win at top level?

The next question, if you want to save a great deal of expense, is “if not, why not ?”. With long-standing experience let me tell you that top quality judges, and there are many of them, also breed top quality birds. By doing so, they keep up to date with new features that are difficult to achieve. They can see faults to the millimetre and that isn’t very much. If he / she cannot do so they are second grade judges and there are even more of those.

It is my contention that the top national show, in any country, should be judged by the former group at all times – as breeders have been striving all year to win and thus deserve no less a compliment. Officials just working through a list of “qualified” judges to please all the judges, irrespective of their individual ability, is an insult to every fancier and indeed any non-exhibitor looking around the show.

I digress, but I make the point to illustrate how essential it is to possess the eye for every detail.

How Width Of Face Appeared

From the 1950′s until the 1970′s, the majority of us were breeding very good birds – or so we thought!

Somewhere towards the end of that period, a few fanciers realised there were far better birds around that were streets ahead of the so called “Ideal Budgerigar” as depicted in drawings.

One fancier in particular, Ken Farmer, wanted to capture the look that the Norwich canaries possessed with their lateral feather over the head and eyes. Until that time, the UK breeders had all their birds with their head feathers growing from front to back over the head. So now the hunt was on for any birds that possessed what is now called “lateral directional feathering”.

By the 1980′s, the numbers of such birds had increased slightly. The late Harry Bryan was a breeder who would scour the country for birds with “width of face”, as well as not losing the quality features already established. Not easy.

In 2010, that feature has become somewhat more common, but almost every fancier that comes into any aviary is looking for width – and it is that feature that by its very nature is expensive to acquire.

In 2005 I named it “the buffalo effect”, which is a descriptive wording that has gone world wide as a result of “The Challenge” book. Everybody in the UK who arrives at my home wants “buffalos” but so do I – and it is a struggle to keep them!

Focusing The Super Bird In Your Mind

I will now assume you have progressed a little. So now focus on the finest bird you have ever seen – forget “The Ideal” as it is probably behind what is actually being bred, but it has helped as part of your apprenticeship.

Carry that image of the finest bird in your mind. It is vital as you are now going out to buy birds to build that bird yourself from hundreds of good birds that may be on offer. Even better, you may have the ability to see beyond the best birds ever seen, but such fanciers are rare. Exactly what financial level you enter the hobby is personal.

Buying The Foundations

Your two selected breeders for purchasing should have a common genetic denominator – so establish where their original stocks came from. This is important because otherwise you will be buying unrelated birds which all have hidden faults that emerge in droves. By comparison, super quality birds will suddenly appear from pairing related stock.

I also stress that you should get pedigrees immediately you purchase the new birds, so that you know exactly what you are doing over the coming years. My records go back to 1950 (believe it or not), but in practice one never goes back that far of course.

Another tip – when you go to buy, go alone. You are in a much stronger position to deal with your seller on a one to one basis and you will not get distracted from getting what you want, bearing in mind what I mentioned earlier. You also have much greater leverage in the process.

Starting The Breeding Season

It is a fact that South African, Australian and New Zealand fanciers have it far easier to breed budgerigars compared to those in the Northern hemisphere. This is due to the sun and far better light that is available in the south. Reinhard Molkentin in South Africa confirms this as he has bred in his own country (Germany) as well as in South Africa where he now lives. So you all have a big advantage.

So let me assume you have bought three cocks and four to six hens, as not all will be in condition to breed simultaneously. The cocks should have been selected on the basis that any one can be paired to any of the hens you have chosen.

Watch the hens closely, as it is the hens that have to be caught up as they rise up to a peak of “itching to breed” and are chewing branches at every opportunity. I prefer to place the hens in the breeding cages with the boxes open, so they get used to their new territorial area for 48 hours before the cocks are introduced. Then you get great fertility results. Your season has started.

Looking Ahead

Assume you have now bred say 16-24 chicks.

Remember to feed them as well as you did when they were still with their parents. So many fanciers drop off the vitamins and soft food intake and wonder why their birds are not big after 18 months growth. You should be able to have big birds, certainly if they are Normals, by the age of 10 months and then you will know that by 18 months you will have a massive handful later on.

You now have to select what to keep and what to sell. With the income, go back to the original sellers and buy just one super bird – far better than any of the first group. You then move this bird, a cock being the obvious choice, into the genetic pool you have started. Then in the following season get him paired to as many of the best hens available as is possible, while transferring the fertile eggs out to other less important nests.

Now the excitement starts as the quality being produced suddenly shoots up and in nest after nest some great chicks start appearing. Other fanciers now become aware of your stud and begin to come round and try to buy from you. A great time, but keep it going and refuse to sell what  you want for next season – bearing in mind you need one third cocks and two thirds hens. You are on the way to the top!

Conclusion

Never forget, that when you get serious setbacks, you are in livestock and they have a habit of losing their breath – permanently. That is the time to forget it and in 24 hours go back on “the Attack!”.

Grits

I begin with grits.

So many fanciers do not pay sufficient attention to the supply of grits to their breeding pairs while they are involved in the very important process of rearing their families. Whatever the “clever” writers about our hobby say (i.e. that grit is not necessary), they are absolutely misguided in their views.

Nature has provided birds with a very hard and tough muscle in the zone below the crop – the gizzard. This holds the grit when it is present and it has the capability of movement. As a result, the grits that the bird consumes (and there has to be grit in an insoluble form and soluble form) act in a “mechanical” way to grind up the seed grains – in a similar way that wheat is ground up in a mill for bread.

Without those grits, the bird will live but will not be able to function properly in a metabolic way. Therefore the chicks that the pair is feeding will in turn lose out and will appear scrawny in some cases or may look satisfactory but never attain full growth.

One has to remember that today we strive to breed bigger and better birds. General feeding apart, you must always provide grits which possess granite like particles (insoluble) and shell particles (soluble). Not only should it be given but it must be changed every week to every pair.

Budgerigars will always take off the top layer of grits. They rarely dig down when the particles on the top of the bowls have been reduced to “dust”. Budgerigars are very selective where grit sizes are concerned and require 1-2 mm grains (at least) in front of them.

Ever noticed that when your birds have been out at show, the first action they take is to head for the grit bowl? That should tell you something.

Soft Foods

I now turn to the feeding of soft foods to the breeding birds.

There are countless systems and mixtures that breeders put together or buy in a proprietry form from suppliers. Common ones are Deli Nature Biovit and CéDé Budgie Egg Food to name but two.

Fanciers will work away hard at providing such protein-rich soft foods while breeding is in process, but then tiredness cuts in when the chicks are in the flights approaching their major moulting period. The soft food is then dropped at a time when the developing birds need every nutritional support if they are to attain size in the long term. I work at this all year round – each day and every day! If you went to the aviaries of Reinhard Molkentin and his son Holger, you would see exactly the same principle being injected on a daily basis.

What is the other major advantage, I hear you say? Well it’s very simple. Not only will your original “chicks” have attained size but they will be very healthy, strong boned and with plenty of muscle around them. They will also be in a perfect metabolic state to breed super chicks themselves – that is the benefit of all the work you have sustained throughout the year.

Lastly, your birds, when they are sold, will in turn breed well for your fellow fanciers and if they do well they will be back next year for more. The question they have to ask is do they do what the Molkentin’s and myself do every day thereafter?

Cage Cleaning

A common question I’m asked is how often do I clean the breeding cages?

I am known for always having a smart appearance to the aviary when people walk in, but I like to keep fanciers away from the aviary when I am breeding since I will not disturb them at this time.

So I use the “deep litter system” which really is a convenient term for doing nothing about cleaning out except for the large female droppings. Its benefit is that nothing is disturbed when birds are sitting on eggs or chicks.

It is very common for me to allow some visitors in to the birdroom towards the end of the season, only to find one or two chicks that have been crushed by the sitting hens getting agitated by strange noises. Keep visitors out. They can always come later.