The amount of care and affection that they devote to their birds is immense and their dedication to the hobby is the same.

Their stud is located in a beautiful rural location near the town of Ballybay in County Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland.

They are always happy to share their knowledge of the exhibition budgerigar with visitors, many of whom regularly travel from as far away as the U.S.A., Europe and the U.K. to purchase birds from this high quality stud.

The Birdroom

The Emerald birdroom is a superb building measuring 70′ x 25′ (21 m x 8 m) and is described by many visitors as 5 star budgerigar accommodation.

The birdroom, among many other things, contains:

• 4 full height flight rooms each being 10′ x 8′ (3 m x 2.5 m)
• 2 nursery flights each being 10′ (3 m) long
• 2 breeding rooms which contain 50 breeding cages

All wire breeding cages are preferred, not just for their cleanliness, but so that all birds can enjoy a colony atmosphere.

Wooden, outside fitting nest boxes are used, sprayed inside and out with disinfectant and an anti-mite solution, before copper coins are put under concaves for their anti-fungal properties, with a handful of fine wood chippings added.

Stock

Emerald Budgerigars line breed and keep all the mainstream colours, specialising in Lutinos and Albinos.

Fine examples can be found in all colours.

The stud’s original mainstream colour stock came from Eric Lane and Ormerod & Sadler bloodlines.

The “ino” original stock came from Margery Kirkby Mason, Reg Watts and Rick Watts …. that was about 40 years ago!

In more recent years, very strong blood lines have been built, based on Daniel Lütolf, Reinhard Molkentin, Jo Mannes, Huxley & Marchant and Willi Dokter.

Eileen and John’s birds are well known for their overall quality and especially for their strength in width of head, length of feather and directional feather, which they have also managed to put into their “ino’s”.

Management

Daily management for Eileen and John includes changing the birds’ water and cleaning the utensils. Bottled water is used – not tap water – due to the chlorine content.

Another daily job is to make and provide every bird with fresh soft-food. This is made from boiled eggs, soaked oats, Orlux moist eggfood, vegetables, honey, garlic oil, ‘Panta-20′ (supplement), a small amount of salt, cod liver oil, wheat germ oil, ‘Frucht-mash’ (supplement), calcium / D3 powder, love bird seed mixture, and the most important ingredient ….. “EB.1 complete” – a magical mix that is used by many of Europe’s top breeders.

Eileen and John will provide more details and quantity information to any breeder requiring the same (see website link at the end of this article).

All birds, at all times, have access to 4 different seed mixtures:

• An “A.1.E.” mixture that contains 60% canary and 40% mixed millets
• An “E.B.” feather growth promoting seed mixture
• An “E.B.” conditioning and herb seed mixture
• An “E.B.” Japanese millet and fruit pellet mixture

Again, Eileen and John will provide more detail to any breeder requiring the same (see website link at the end of this article).

Grit and mineral utensils are changed weekly and all flights and cages are cleaned and disinfected weekly.

Cuttlefish and iodine blocks are provided to all birds and the bird room is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner twice per day.

Once a year, all birds in the Emerald Budgerigars birdroom are treated with “Tricho Plus” as a preventative against Trichomonas.

Also once a year, all birds are treated with “Doxycycline”, before pairing-up, to ensure the birds optimum performance.

Breeding

All birds are kept in the stock flights unless breeding.

Cocks and hens are kept together to encourage exercise and eucalyptus branches, ladders, tumblers, balls and various other play things are provided to stop the birds becoming bored and to encourage additional exercise.

Ring issue dates are ignored, as pairing commences every year in September. Eileen and John say that September is the best time to pair up exhibition budgerigars. If the birds are in condition, 50 pairs are put up in this month.

Both cocks and hens have their vents plucked and both birds are put into the breeding cage at the same time with the nest box already attached. Nest boxes are inspected daily, but only once.

When pairing birds, Eileen and John attach much importance to pedigree, and try to pair the best visual cocks to a lesser visual sister of their best hens, so long as the pair complement each other visually – i.e. if one of the pair lacks in a particular feature, the other in the pair must excel in this feature, and so on.

Showing

Eileen and John have won many “Best in Show” awards, “Major Specials” and “C.C.’s” at Championship, National and World Championship level.

However, in recent years, they much prefer breeding budgerigars than showing them and now, regrettably, show very little and do not show at all in Ireland.

However, they say that they will always support the B.S. World Championship Show whenever possible.

Tips for Beginners

Here are some of Eileen and John’s top tips for beginners:

• Budgerigars do not always breed when paired up for the first time. Some birds can go 2 or 3 years before they breed for the first time, so it’s worth persevering with a quality bird.
• Try to buy one outcross, or two, every year to add quality fresh blood and always buy the best that you can afford with the desired feature(s) that your own birds require for improvement. Do NOT be tempted to split the money you have available over say 3, 4 or 5 birds – spend all the money that you have available on just one or two birds and buy the best that you can obtain. Quality is more important than quantity.
• Some budgerigar hens will not use a nest box if the entry hole is facing direct sunlight, as it will not be dark enough for her inside.
• Every evening before the main lighting changes to night lighting, fine spray the bird room (NOT the birds), with an F.10, Virkon-S, or similar solution, to kill possible airborne germs.
• When preparing your birds for a show, spread the de-spotting process over many days. Do NOT de-spot a bird completely in one attempt, as you run the risk of a good spot falling out later due to bruising around the area.
• It is good practice to spray the inside of a nest box that has chicks, in the same way using an F.10 or Virkon-S solution. Simply cover the chicks with your hand when spraying to protect the chicks from the spray.
• Have patience! If your birds are not performing as well as they could, seek assistance from an experienced breeder. If things are going wrong in your birdroom, it is probably not the fault of the birds, but your fault!

Further Information

For further details about the Emerald Budgerigar Stud, please visit Eileen and John’s website:

• www.emeraldbudgerigars.4t.com

Photographs

All photographs below of Eileen & John’s birdroom and birds were taken and kindly supplied to us by Eillen & John Hall.

Click on any image to enlarge it.

Emerald Budgerigar birdroom
- external view

Emerald Budgerigar birdroom
- internal view

Breeding cages are on the all wire system

The Hall nest box design

 

 

 

 

Q1: Which contemporary breeder is the best in your opinion and could you please explain the reasons why you think his or her birds are better than the rest?

GSB:

I have just been across to Jo Mannes’ aviary to buy in outcrosses. There is little doubt that in modern times he has led the hobby in Europe as a skilled breeder and is totally focused on his work, with his wife’s help.

I have allowed myself to spend a great deal of time founding the Budgerigar World Magazine; showing how an exhibition should be presented; writing continuously (including books); as well as trying to breed quality budgerigars.

That was a mistake! I should have focused entirely on the birds – but it is my nature to help everybody, so I do not regret it.

Jo has a lot of dark factors around, but the top birds are super, as always, and importantly – balanced and without any signs of long flighted characteristics which are creeping into many studs. Judges must be aware of this and keep their eyes open.

Q2: In the UK whose studs do you admire? Also have you got your eye on any up and coming fanciers / partnerships with regard to a possible future at the very top?

GSB:

There are perhaps less than ten breeders, maybe just five, who possess the right birds for modern budgerigar improvement. I have my eye on them, but cannot be drawn on naming them.

Q3: The modern exhibition budgerigar seems to be changing rapidly, especially over the past 5 years. Which breeders do you think take the credit for this and in your opinion how has this been achieved?

GSB:

Jo Mannes, Daniel Lütolf and Les Martin are but three in the last few years, but there are others in Europe that I have not seen, so I cannot give a complete answer.

Q4: During your time in the fancy, which birds have been ahead of their time and have taken the hobby to a whole new level??

GSB:

One has to go back to Ken Farmer of Luton who took what is still today, “The English Budgerigar”.

That is featured in my book, The Challenge.

Joe Collyer in Surrey was the next. He bred a nest of Grey greens and a grey – far ahead of their time, but poor by today’s standards – these are also in The Challenge.

Harry Bryan and Maurice Finey were the next two to advance the quality dramatically and then Jo Mannes came along, followed by Daniel Lütolf and now Les Martin.

There are others who have seriously contributed, but only these have made massive jumps in quality in their time and Les Martin continues that process.

Q1: What is the secret to maintaining a quality stud of budgerigars year after year?

GSB:

Unstinting good management and buying in outcrosses frequently, otherwise you produce small birds if a stud becomes too closely related.

Sell 10 birds and buy one.

Don’t put the sale money in your pocket or else the new buy becomes expensive instead of a swapping process.

Q2: What is your opinion on the modern budgerigar compared to all the different types you have seen throughout your career? Please refer to both the aesthetic part and the physiological part (size, breeding difficulties, vitality, and fertility).

GSB:

Good question!

Fanciers are apt to say:

The birds of yesterday were better than the birds we have today.

Not true at all. I have seen all the changes in progress in my 66 years at this hobby and the beauty of the top birds we have today far exceeds all predecessors.

The size of birds now is fantastic (look at the Best in Show Grey green of Les Martin’s at the 2010 Budgerigar Society Show, as well as his skyblue).

New standards are being set all the time – and now in the chase for width of face, we have what I termed “the Buffalo effect”, which has gone worldwide.

This faces us with an even greater challenge. Vitality and fertility, contrary to what many breeders think, with such big birds being infertile or difficult, is broadly incorrect.

It is a poor diet that causes such results and basically bad husbandry.

Yes, there are exceptions of course with individuals, but overall what I have said is correct.

Q3: Can you predict where the modern budgerigar will be in five years time? Have you looked beyond the “Buffalo” effect?

GSB:

Another good current question.

I am worried about the fact that I have seen birds that are already ugly with super heads, but dreadful carriage both of which are related to producing length of feather.

The word “Type” seems rarely to be heard, or even practised.

It is no use having “Buffalos” that exhibit drooping flights hanging below the body midline which exhibit narrow primaries and in some cases cannot fly.

I have seen it in several aviaries in the past few years, in the hunt breeders have for super head quality.

Without naming anyone, I know now where the long-flighted and long tails have come from – and it is not from the UK but outside the UK.

As Jo Mannes says, a budgerigar has to be a “charming budgerigar” – not a bag of long feathers and ugly faces.

Breeders beware!

Q4: September and March are the times when budgies are said to be in the peak of their breeding cycle. How do you build your birds up to get the best out of them?

GSB:

I do not, as such, as my feeding technique results, after my early mistakes and inexperience, are now near perfect.

Thus the birds come into condition naturally in September and March as the question states.

Why is this you ask? The reason is that there is still good natural light and this determines the condition factor. Artificial light is only on part of the day, so natural light is a massive factor.

This is born out by the chart in Dr Robert Marshall’s book “The Budgerigar” (it took 12 years to write) where he compares the northern and southern hemispheres as regards which are the perfect times to start breeding.

In both cases, he is dead right.

In the UK we drag our heels with decisions made by well meaning fanciers who stick to a ring date without thinking deeply. A 1st January ring issue date is fatal, as breeders work to that date and pair up for the rings for the early chicks.

Europe is far more advanced with a 1st November issue date so that pairing can be in September or early October – when there is still good light about!.

The great difficulty in budgerigar breeding is starting them.

Think about March as a month. For all my years, breeders have said it is better to start in March. It is of course the increase in light that makes it easier.

In my opinion the ring issue date and BS Show date, now being forecast to change back to November, should be re-visited fast, but then our BS gets itself strangled by the fact that rules can only be changed every three years!

Why do essential changes (that in business would be done immediately) take so long? Bizarre.

I am being constructive based on facts – nothing more – and if change is effected more rings will be sold as a result of more birds requiring rings!

Q5: What are your views on using birds with feather defects – in particular “tail less wonders” – or birds that do not keep a full complement of flight feathers? Do you feel this problem is genetic and by using birds like this could cause the problem to come out in larger numbers further down the line?

GSB:

“Tail less wonders” we obviously do not like – as it is associated with long feathers and the longest feather is the one feather that requires perfect nutrition in the aviary to grow to its full length.

Otherwise the tails succumb to borderline FM – which is what it is!

Such a bird will breed well and it will have no bearing on the chicks it produces – unless of course you haven’t paid attention to improving the diet and your husbandry.

It’s not genetic! It’s your fault!

Q6: Can you tell us a little of your selection process when looking for birds to retain for the following breeding season?

GSB:

I have a problem here.

I should have three flights and I only have two. You need three for sorting.

One for the adult keeps, one for young keeps and one for sales.

It is a big handicap here at “Tanglewood”, but I am too advanced in years to build another extension.

To answer the question is difficult for these reasons. I just have to use my eyes and decide what to keep along with plenty of quality reserves as backup.

Q7: You have been breeding exhibition Budgerigars for a very long time. If you were to start all over again, knowing what you do now, how would you go about it?

GSB:

Do nothing for a year.

In that time go round 50 aviaries in the UK and Europe and learn everything, without buying a thing.

Then analyse all your data on aviary design and quality birds and where they are and decide: What sort of budgerigar do I need to beat the rest? (That is ahead of any Ideal Budgerigar that is depicted.)

The one asset you need is DRIVE. Without it you will not get to the top.

Q8: Is there a particular fault in a bird that you just wouldn’t be prepared to work with?

GSB:

Long-flighted characteristics that can ruin a stud, which if present cannot be “worked out” by pairing to short feathered birds, back in, at a later date.

It is a terrible dominant genetic fault.

Q9: Do you have a number of different family lines? If so how many – and is there one more prolific than the others? Do you use lines as outcrosses, or do you go for outcrosses externally?

GSB:

There are three main lines here in the greens, grey greens and the blue series with, now, cinnamon being an important factor but used carefully.

My records are near perfect as anyone who has been here will tell you.

All lines are prolific with the odd exception here and there that we all get.

The longer I have been in the hobby the more I realise that quality outcrosses are a must.

The problem is where to get them and it is only the bigger breeders that have the numbers from which to be able to let you have what you want.

Existing lines are not used as outcrosses.

I have, for many years now, been exporting birds to Japan. Principally these have been to Mr Ozeki, and, despite never having met Mr Ozeki in person, I have developed what could be described as a long distance friendship with him and his wife, Eiko.

As always, I select birds to match the budget figure stated by the buyer. They trust me to choose the best available birds for the amount involved, whatever that may be. This approach has always served both me and my customers well.

Care Has To Be Taken

Step by step, Tatsuhiro Ozeki has bred some beautiful birds and his photography of his stock speaks for itself.

He is now, like all breeders, wanting birds with the “buffalo effect”, but that can, as I have seen in a few cases, ruin the appearance of our birds unless carefully watched.

Make no mistake. We want to widen the feather across the face, but I have seen an example where it has been taken to extremes and the beauty of the budgerigar has gone and appeared ugly.

I cannot imagine a skilful breeder like Mr Ozeki doing this at all, but he has great experience behind him. It is the fellow with little experience that has to be watched.

The Japanese Scene

There are four societies in Japan comprising two hundred breeders and Ozeki himself began breeding budgerigars in 1972.

Each show has around 300 birds benched and many of the birds go back to the days when the late Harry Bryan exported to that country.

It is alleged that a lot of inbreeding has taken place by pairing Harry Bryan blood inwardly for years and years, so consequently the quality has dropped without careful use of outcrosses being dropped in periodically.

Not so Ozeki, but I personally believe after buying solely from myself (not the crests) for many years, that he needs related new blood that has outcross blood within it. I know he realises this.

The Eiko and Tatsuhiro Careers

Tatsuhiro Ozeki worked in the textile industry for more than 44 years, before, at the grand age of 60, starting his own business! This was also with textiles, printing and selling what the Japanese call “Art Water-Moss”.

Tatsuhiro also works in the Aichi Prefecture and Tsuchiya Corporation research and development centre (www.tsuchiya-group.co.jp).

His wife, Eiko is a highly skilled lady who teaches the astounding practice of creating Japanese dolls with a standard of workmanship that has to be seen to be believed. Exquisite, would be the word I would use and my wife and I have three of them here at Virginia Water which we treasure. Her skills also extend to creative “Water Moss Exhibits”, again her skills are very evident.

The Birds and The Aviary

The bird photographs speak for themselves (see below).

The aviary is a state of the art establishment and has 32 breeding cages breeding some 150 birds per annum. There are 14 stock cages and 2 flights.

On the feeding side, Ozeki gives 12 forms of grain sources plus cod liver oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, a mineral source, salt, seaweed, and soluble multivitamin.

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.

He is a judge of course but has not yet had the pleasure of being invited to judge outside of his country. Big National Societies – please note!

The favourite colours are spangles and the dark factors (especially the violets), but all his colours possess quality across the board.

Add in “buffalo effect” and it is very possible Ozeki could be one of the world’s best and most skilful breeders ever! Time will tell.

Here is a small selection of Tatsuhiro’s birds.

You can have the right blood, but it may still be totally inadequate for the correct features! The two have to be present – not just one.

Since that time, Neil has branched out by buying from Florian Böck in Germany, Daniel Lütolf in Switzerland and at home in the UK from Frank McGovern.

Neil was born in 1967, is married and has two young daughters. He is in the electrical contracting business so he has no time to show, but does attend the BS Show at Doncaster each year. His mentor is Bernard Kellett – no finer tutor exists, especially when it comes to information on directional feathering.

In this article the birds need no explanation – the quality is there for anyone with an eye for detail.

Neil’s early problems were lack of shoulder power and inadequate spots and it was Frank McGovern’s birds that sorted out those two problems. In 2006, he bought birds from Florian Bock and, following further visits to Germany to see Florian, he was introduced to Fritz Buttner, from whom Neil purchased birds which were great for outcrossing but objectively with what Neil calls the older “English” style. In 2009 birds from Alan Marchant and his partner Chris Huxley, were added to the existing lines with great benefit.

Today, Neil breeds some 180-200 birds each year, but very sensibly starts breeding in mid-October at the latest when there are still good natural hours of light available to overcome the difficult problem of “getting the breeding team going”.

Whatever rings are on the birds matters little to him – “Just get birds on the perch early and the rest will follow easily”.

An interesting, but unproven, change by Neil, is the installation of the ultra violet lighting normally used over reptile aquaria. He now has superb fertility amounting to an average (across the stud) of 8 fertile eggs per nest. That includes the fact that the ultra violet lights are at the top of the aviary which is correct for those birds within a metre, but he finds that the bottom rows, some two metres away, are just as fertile. 24 cages in all are installed in his aviary.

His next stage in the development is to not buy in outcrosses for at least another 12 months but to work with what he has at the moment.

Here is a breeder with “The Eye” for what is needed to progress. It will be very interesting to watch the progress of Neil Murray in the coming years.

Here are a small selection of Neil’s birds.

They had also visited other leading breeders and had now reversed their former opinions completely, including their opinions while at my aviary.

I think their earlier views a few years back were possibly true, but the UK has not stood still and many breeders have attacked very hard and are now breeding super birds – as was shown at the 2009 Budgerigar Society Championship.

The only difficulty is that there are perhaps only a few UK breeders who have great depth of quality to be able to sell really good outcrosses – but that applies to all countries.

Brian’s quality strength extends to other colours of course and following my visit his adult cinnamon skyblue hen was to win Best Opposite Sex Adult at the Budgerigar Society Show. Also Best Champion Breeder of the Year for the fourth successive time; six Challenge Certificates and several Best Opposite Sex awards. In the previous year a superb skyblue pied cock took the Best Breeder Award at the same event. Quite an achievement!

The Pieds

Some while ago Brian spoke to Jo Mannes about his pieds. Mannes felt, that to improve variegation and general markings, Brian needed to pair the best two marked pieds together to produce double factor pieds, after which he should pair these double factors back to normals. This he did and it has worked really well. One cock produced five chicks – four hens and a cock. The four hens were particularly well marked, fully spotted with an almost complete band.

Instant Success

I asked Brian about the change in the hobby in the past 20 years whereby newcomers seem to want instant success rather than steering a steady learning curve.

BS: “I fully agree. Everyone wants this or that special bird from champions when they have just started. Many beginners seem to be reasonably well off and to be able to buy straight in to birds which are certainly at Intermediate level. Fanciers want to get on the fast track route before they have learned the basics.

In my own case, I have had to take the longer route because I could not find the type of bird that I wanted that was able to be purchased. With hindsight this is the best route for dedicated fanciers. They can last the distance and stay in the hobby for a lifetime having made all the mistakes with modest birds first of all. Work with bloodlines and by careful selection of all the qualities, you achieve a quality stud that others then wish to buy in to.”

Shows In The UK

My next question concerned the number of Budgerigar Exhibitions that currently are held around the country. Did he think there were too many?

BS: “My feelings are that only if a club is strong enough within its own membership to manage and also have sufficient exhibiting members, should they run a show, especially if it’s an open show.

In the south west, we support one another very well between shows. In that way we keep our entries high at almost all shows that are staged.”

Preparation For The Budgerigar Society Show

I wondered, with the Budgerigar Society Show imminent, how he approached the run up to this big event starting with the assumption that his birds were earlier out of condition? When did he select the possibles from the flights and how did he get weight on them?

BS: “Well, with the show being held in mid November, which is such a bad month these days for the most important show in the country, I have to stop showing in September. This gives me two months to prepare.

I concentrate, obviously, on the proven winning birds first and then catch up the best of the late bred birds. Young breeder birds are still growing of course and these can emerge quite easily. All spots are removed in late September as well as any damaged flights. Tails are dealt with in the same way, taking 8-10 weeks to be replaced. They are then left to fly in a small flight.

These actions help the birds to sometimes start a full moult. As soon as I see a show bird starting to moult then it is caught up and stock caged where they are far more relaxed and begin to put on weight as a result. I have never had a problem with spots not re-growing.”

Buying Outcrosses?

The next question concerned the problem of buying in outcrosses. Where did he go to buy the features he felt he needed – in the UK or did he prefer to buy abroad?

BS: “May I first mention the practice of exchanging birds for this purpose. It never seems to work out really well for both parties. For this reason I will not do that today and I certainly prefer to buy abroad and take my chances.

Regarding the UK, of the breeders I have visited in the last five years, all have good birds but none have the depth of quality to be able to release the birds you really need.

So I cross over to Europe nowadays. Of course this is not easy at present with all the restrictions in play as a result of the avian flu scares which possibly may be unfounded in the long term, if it doesn’t mutate and cross into humans.

The Budgerigar Society Show In 2004

In 2004, Daniel Lütolf from Switzerland was in the UK on a buying visit to various fanciers. I met up with him at the Budgerigar Society Show and he asked me to examine every bird in the show methodically to see how many really super birds were on show. The feeling was that there were only about 60 that reached that hard description. What was Brian’s opinion?

BS: “I think that is a bit severe. However, I have to admit I didn’t go round with that objective in mind.

One of our national problems has been the exit of a number of well known names for a variety of reasons including Christine Heale and her husband. Other names are Dave Topliss, Barry Wild, Alf Ormerod, Harry Bryan, Eric Lane and the Hallam’s, plus Jim Moffat from Scotland to name but a few.

These fanciers carried quality birds in depth and exhibited at the Budgerigar Society Show.”

A Winning Streak

I then turned to Brian’s wins in recent years. Which had given him the greatest pleasure?

BS: “I have been Buckton’s Breeder of The Year for the past three seasons – which the hobby is very grateful to receive from their company. It is much appreciated.

I have also won well at the Budgerigar Society Club Show as mentioned earlier but a great pleasure was to win the Peter Sanderson Trophy for the first two years which is awarded for the most Challenge Certificates won with birds bred by the exhibitor. This followed his very sad passing. I was very delighted to win that as he was perhaps the most popular man in the hobby up to that time.”

The Ring Issue Date

I then asked him about the ring issue date. I knew he was an adamant supporter of staying with the current date of January 1st. Did he feel the same today?

BS: “Yes, that is correct. I was absolutely rigid about sticking to it. However my views have altered after seeing poor seasons hitting fanciers year-in, year-out, and then leaving the hobby out of sheer disappointment.

I have seen the effects of good seasons arising from the European hobby moving to a 1st November issue date. They breed more birds – as a generalisation. I firmly believe that we should do the same if we want the hobby here to gather pace again.

Currently nothing is being done to address bad seasons and help fanciers and their societies to survive. The Budgerigar Society Council have to consider this very seriously. We all need help. They should remember that with two consecutive bad seasons you are dead in the water as a fancier.

Not all fanciers are able to afford super all-singing-and-dancing aviaries to cope with the changing weather patterns that we know about. A great number of fanciers are supportive of this move but don’t put pen to paper, so the result is no action by anyone.”

Selling Birds

My next question was: “Why did Mr Average have difficulty in selling his surplus stock? Was it lack of advertising after doing well on the bench or simply being inactive and waiting for the phone to ring?”

BS: “You have to be successful at some stage if you want to sell your birds easily. All the publications carry the word ‘success’ in some form or other. The front covers of the major magazines tell you that.

You have to promote yourself after getting good results. Nobody else will, except you. There is always a market for quality and it’s up to you to attack the situation and achieve that goal. Get into quality and all sorts of doors open. You will sell well and then be able to afford to buy in quality without affecting your overall budget, but you must tell people you exist at the same time.

Advertise in Budgerigar World and elsewhere. Over time it will pay dividends. The big error is to sell your surplus and put it in your pocket and do nothing.”

Quality in Europe

Having myself toured European aviaries and elsewhere, what was Brian’s opinion about the choice over there and the depth of quality that existed?

BS: “I cannot speak with any authority since I have not actually been to a show over there and that is the real test.

I have been to Germany, Holland, Switzerland and Belgium so far and seen breeders there, but these tend to be the well known breeders mentioned in the magazines in UK and at the top of the tree in their own countries. Whether they are representative of all the breeders I cannot answer.”

A Breeding Question

To trim the vents of the present longer-feathered birds we have today prior to pairing is a matter often discussed. Do you trim the vents Brian, I asked?

BS: “I always advise breeders today to trim the vents of both sexes before pairing. You need to give them every chance of providing you with fertile results. Everyone who visits here and buys gets that advice.

Occasionally, I find a breeder who is moaning about infertility and when I ask if he has trimmed vents, he admits he has not done so.

You have to trim away the dense flank feathers which curl around over the vent area. These can, in my opinion, interfere with the transfer of sperm into the females.

The “Buffalo Effect”

I raised with him the matter of my published observations when looking at a bird head on to which I had given a new descriptive term – when it was present. I refer to “The Buffalo Effect”. This is where not only does a bird have width but the feathering drops down either side of the cere giving a shape not dissimilar to buffalo horns. Did he agree?

BS: “It’s a good descriptive term. However few birds have it to any great extent. It is the next extension to width of face which we called directional feathering in the past.

I am amused that we are using the word buffalo to describe a budgerigar feature. However it fits and accurately describes the feature in the mind and I can live with that!

Beer or Wine?

I asked Brian for a final tip to fanciers. What came to mind?

BS: “Yes, I have one.

If, when your wife is watching the soaps and you find it difficult, take a glass of beer or wine and sit still in the aviary – and watch!

You will see the birds behaving differently to when you are moving around. It is very illuminating to see their differing behavioural patterns; their attitude towards their chicks and their respective partners. You will learn a great deal providing you do not overdo matters with the glass in your hand!”

Conclusion

I travel thousands of miles in this hobby to see aviaries and their owners and birds. It is a great pleasure and the visit to this south west establishment was no different.

Remember it is no use staying closeted in your own region buying stock from your immediate rivals. You have to travel to get the best from this hobby.

That reminds me – whatever happened to Sunday morning get-togethers? Half the hobby will not have heard about such things today.