Like many fanciers, work and family commitments meant Patrick’s involvement in the hobby came and went as circumstances allowed. However, each return brought him back into contact with people who reignited his enthusiasm, including George Duffield and Stephen Elliott. Retirement has now given Patrick the opportunity to fully immerse himself in the fancy, establishing new aviaries in his garden capable of comfortably housing around 400 birds, together with 45 breeding cages. After decades of interest in budgerigars, he also made the long-overdue decision to enter the show scene as a Novice exhibitor.

To establish his current stud, Patrick has acquired quality birds from breeders including Marie and Kerry Murphy, Sue Adams, Doug Lang and George England, and he has already enjoyed some encouraging early success on the show bench. As a member of both BSSA and NEBS, Patrick highlighted the tremendous support available within the hobby, with Kerry and Marie Murphy, Troy Holmes and Sue Adams among those who have helped him enormously in recent years. With his enthusiasm at an all-time high, Patrick is now looking forward to a productive breeding season and continuing to build on what has already been a very rewarding return to the budgerigar fancy.

Looking Ahead

The next North East Budgerigar Society meeting on Wednesday, September 9th is shaping up to be a particularly thought-provoking night, with several topics designed to challenge the way we think about breeding, management and exhibition budgerigars. We’ll take a closer look at “Upholding the Standard Description of Perfection”, including whether the fancy is becoming too focused on individual features rather than the balance, condition and overall correctness of the complete bird.  We’ll also open the discussion around inbreeding and nutrition, including the proposition that inbreeding can be viewed as an eliminative or strengthening process, and the impact poor nutrition can have on growth, fitness and feather.

Health and everyday aviary management will also be firmly on the agenda. We’ll examine an interesting practical account of prolonged antibiotic use, where an initial improvement in the birds was followed by a decline after five to six weeks, raising some important questions about gut flora, sensible antibiotic use and the role of probiotics following treatment.   And finally, we’ll tackle the very practical question of open drinkers versus tube drinkers, weighing hygiene against fledgling access, natural drinking behaviour, bathing, nest-box humidity and the particular challenges of keeping water clean during warmer weather.

There should be plenty here to generate some healthy debate, shared experiences and differing opinions, so come along ready to contribute. Whether your main interest is breeding, judging, bird health or day-to-day aviary management, there will be something in the discussion for everyone.

Whether you are looking for something specific to complement an existing family, searching for a new variety, or simply keeping an eye out for that standout bird, there is plenty to choose from. With three auctions running at once, it is certainly worth taking the time to browse the catalogues and see what might fit into your breeding plans for the season ahead.

Three auctions. Three great opportunities. Plenty of quality budgerigars on offer this week!