Hills District Branch BSNSW inc. Established 1974

Hills District Branch BSNSW inc. Established 1974 NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2010

Position Name Address P/Code Phone Email Address Chairman Vice Chair Show Manager Events CoOrd Alt Delegate Vice Chair Ass t Show Sec Secretary Mgmt Delegate Treasurer Show Manager Show Secretary Ass't Show Sec Ring Registrar Ass't Show Sec Publicity Officer Ass't Show Sec Ass't Show Sec Editor Events CoOrd Librarian Catering Officer Mgmt Delegate Trophy Steward Peter Dodd Craig Buckingham Harry Charalambous Kathy Manton Ian Manton Mark Chidel Cliff Spare Graeme Gordon Ross Selig Mark Valvason Jeff Mansfield Santo Calabrese Andre Ozoux Paul Brett Jo Zammit Ray Galbraith Brian Findlay 7 Rocca St Denistone East 44 Barellan Ave Carlingford PO Box 990 Wahroonga 44 Clifton Rd Marsden Park 44 Clifton Rd Marsden Park 27 Avondale Rd Pitt Town 10 Olive Lee St Quakers Hill 35 Watkins Rd Baulkham Hills 617 East Kurrajong Rd East Kurrajong 130 Chapel Lane Baulkham Hills 59 Broughton Rd Strathfield 65 Tallowwood Ave Cherrybrook 79 Morrison Rd Gladesville 3 Spring St Kellyville 7 Grevillea Drive St Clair 5 Gardiner Rd Galston 14 Brabyn St Windsor 2112 9888 5631 peter_dodd@iprimus.com.au 2118 9872 9392 ultimateexpression@bigpond.com.au 2076 0417 209 416 harry@planassist.com.au 2765 0411 835 757 hillsbranchsecretary@bigpond.com 2765 9627 7748 iankathymanton@bigpond.com 2756 4573 6133 mchidel@tpg.com.au 2763 9626 0300 clicky.bill@optusnet.com.au 2153 9639 9603 sangra@bigpond.net.au 2758 4576 7093 rosshon@tpg.com.au 2153 9862 6644 pomeroy@excelbm.com.au 2135 9861 0393 jeff@ascon.com.au 2126 9875 2647 santoc@bigpond.net.au 2111 9816 5914 idandre@iprimus.com.au 2155 9629 3210 paulandval@bigpond.com 2759 9834 6541 dav_jo@bigpond.net.au 2159 9653 1538 boxer73@bigpond.net.au 2756 4577 9535 Auditor H& H Charalambous Member CoOrd Lloyd Mullens 23 Flinders Rd North Ryde 2113 9802 0780 M'ship Registrar Peter Dodd Webmaster Daniel Child 11/105 Hammers Rd Old Toongabbie 2146 0410 628 691 fordano@hotmail.com Floor member Andre Ozoux Floor Member Floor member Floor Member Laurie Cauchi Richard Abraham Ken Mitchell 311 South St Marsden Park 3 Edwards Rd Middle Dural 22 Salter Court Harrington Park 2765 9628 4285 2158 9651 3689 2567 4647 4444 ken.denise.mitchell@gmail.com Return'g Officer Paul Brett Trustee Craig Buckingham Trustee Daniel Child Services Mgr Stuart Williams 7 Kerry Rd Schofields 2762 9627 1415 birdboxesgalore2@bigpond.com

FROM THE EDITOR The Hills members just keep on winning. Following on from Ross Selig s great win in the South, everybodys favourite Craig Buckingham has taken out GRAND CHAMPION AT CENTRAL COAST YOUNG BIRD SHOW, and at ST GEORGE / ILLAWARRA YOUNG BIRD SHOW with two different young birds.the St George winner is on this month s cover. Please note that the Hills Branch Christmas festivities will take place on December 5 at 12.30 pm at the Maison Manton 44 Clifton Rd, Marsden Park. Hills members and their partner or significant other (please note only one or the other will be allowed) are cordially invited to take part in the festivities. WE MUST HAVE NUMBERS AT THIS MEETING TO CONFIRM OUR CATERING ARRANGEMENTS. Guest Speaker Judge November 2010 Matt Campbell Geoff Woods December 2010 No Meeting Christmas Party December 5 NIL Ross Selig - Champion Adult Feather, Champion & Opposite Sex Novice Geoff Hand (Canberra Branch) This will be the final Newsletter for 2010. There will be NO MEETING in December. My thanks go to the people helping in the production of this Newsletter, especially Ross Scoop Selig for his Meet the Member feature and Daniel Child and the whole Hills Graphic Arts Department for its contribution.

Meet the Member By Ross Selig. Ray Galbraith Position in Club Management Delegate BBQ and Trailer Handler Age A young 64 Lives Galston Occupation Happily Retired Marital Status Married 1. What started your interest in Budgerigars? I grew up in Birchgrove/Balmain and as a youngster found it difficult to pass a pet shop, but the budgerigars were my attraction within the shops. Santa brought me a pair of birds when I was eight years old, which ultimately lead to my father converting an old tallboy wardrobe into my first aviary. 2. When did you decide to start breeding exhibition budgerigars?, At approximately eleven I joined the Budgerigar Club of N S W who used to meet in a church hall in York Street, Sydney, adjacent to the Harbour Bridge,

and I would catch the bus from Birchgrove into York Street, then walk up to the hall. The birds I had then were a far cry from the birds we exhibit today and at the time being a youngster/teenager and a novice exhibitor, it took a lot of saving to buy a bird. I had two great uncles who lived at Bulli south of Sydney where our family were regular visitors. Both these men bred and exhibited canaries and budgerigars and were members of the local caged bird club and occasionally assisted with a bird, so from an early age I was around the exhibition of birds. The club that I joined later became part of the Budgerigar Society as we know it today. Like most young blokes, later teenage years seem to find other interests, namely; Rugby League, Cars, Studies Apprenticeship, and Women, so looking after budgerigars started to run a bad last, so the feathered birds went Later when married and living at Galston, an aviary was built (passed by council) as part of the rear yard garden, with budgerigars and finches being colony bred. Around 1997 I was in need of hen and did not know any breeders, but through a football contact was given the name of Richard Abrahams who lived locally at Dural. A visit to Richard aviary and seeing his birds ----- the rest is history, joined Hills Branch and Richard and I are good friends. 3. What bloodlines did you start with? A mixture of bloodlines, but generally associated with breeders having particular varieties or when birds become available from established breeders. From within our club, birds from Mark Chidel and Craig Buckingham have greatly assisted me and in particular a grey green split lutino from Craig, that has had an impact into my Lutinos.

4. What are the bloodlines in your current birds? Coming back into exhibition budgerigars after so long an absence, the influence of UK bloodlines can only be reflected through the breeders of today, again I make mention of Craig and Mark, whilst a few birds from Rob Smith have blended with my birds. 5. What varieties do you keep and what are your favourites? Main varieties consist of Lutinos, Albinos Recessive Pieds, Clearwings along with Normals and some Dominate Pieds; with the Lutino being my favourite. The Inos have always been an attraction for me, and the Recessives Pieds whilst enjoyable can be frustrating. Since the passing of John Renn, some of his former Clearwings have been bred with mixed success. 6. Do you have particular methods you use with your birds, such as medication, feeding, show preparation and training? The birds are fed Budgie Blue and Small Parrot Mix in separate containers along with Budgie Breakfast into which I mix Egg and Biscuit as a soft food mix of a morning. Green food consists of Spinach ( Silverbeet and English Spinach ) and when available Chick Weed,. Carrot is also provided. Budgie Blue is mixed with Breeder Aide and given to the birds as a separate dish. Cuttlefish and Mineral Blocks are available for the birds, whilst D 3 Vita multi-vitamins is given within drinking water on alternate days. The birds also receive seed sprays. Approximately half of each of my four flights are up off the ground, with wire floors which allows me to spray all my birds when in the flights and not down breeding in cabinets, thus saving the floors of the flight being wet underfoot for the birds and seed containers are clear of water. After leaving the Nappy Cage, the youngsters are in a flight of their own situated between separate flights for cocks and hens and the spraying for shows is undertaken here, with washing of birds taking place in the birdroom, along with training.

Early Attractions My Experience with Dominant Pieds I was first attracted to dominant pieds by their beautiful markings and the distinctive colours shown in the variegation on their wings and body markings. It then occurred to me that it would be nice to see a pretty budgie winning the top awards at major shows and this aspiration became almost an obsession. To this end, year after year, I have intentionally paired my top normals to my pieds. When I first started breeding pieds it was quite common to see banded variegation, sadly today this is seldom seen. I have brought this imperfection about in my own stud as a by-product of striving to produce dominant pieds that have a full set of spots. Nowadays judges tend to place a fully spotted bird of lesser overall quality in front of a well marked pied that might have a spot or two wiped out by the variegation. It is a puzzle to me that spangles that are lacking spots are seldom penalised in this way and can even be considered for major awards despite the BS ideal clearly stating that they should also have spots. Background Almost all of my initial stock of budgerigars was acquired from Ken Spraggs in 1986. He was at the time a very highly rated fancier both in the south west and nationally, having won many prizes at the highest level. He was a great help to me in my early days in the hobby. In 1987 I returned to him to buy one or two good outcrosses and saw the most beautiful sky blue dominant pied in his sales cage. Needless to say it was the highest priced bird there, but I swallowed hard and bought it. It had been bred from Eric Lane stock. Eric at the time was undoubtedly breeding the best pieds in the UK and I was delighted to have a bird from his bloodline. This bird proved to be a very good investment as it bred prolifically. In its first breeding season it sired many youngsters that won major awards for me during my second year in the hobby. Amongst them was an outstanding sky blue pied which won many best young bird awards. At the club show that year it won a young bird Challenge Certificate and was well placed in the beginner young bird section line up. This was when I became a serious pied breeder. Although I had taken the first step towards my early objective, I still needed to win Best Young Bird in Show, or better still, Best in Show with the variety. Establishing a Family As I wanted to develop a stud of top quality Dominant Pieds, all the chicks bred from the cock I bought from Ken were retained and paired back into the birds that I had obtained from him the previous year. Checking his records proved to be very beneficial as I found that I had bought other birds that contained Lane blood. All pairings were made with this in mind and fingers crossed. The sky pied that won for me at Doncaster bred seventeen chicks in three rounds, and seven of them were pieds. His brothers and sisters, pieds and normals, also bred very well. Every pied in my stud can be traced back to that original winning sky blue pied. From that time I continued to win many awards achieving my ambition in 1996 when my young grey pied won Best Young Bird in Show at Worcester BS. This cock went on to win the CC and best pied in show at Doncaster that year. It also won me my first Best in Show award at the open championship show at Bristol in 1998.

After a few years of line breeding I noticed that the number of pieds bred were diminishing year by year. I found that I could overcome this problem by the regular introduction of new blood into the family. A study of my breeding records over fifteen years backs up this theory. This course of action also helps in the breeding of other visual dominant varieties. Show Success I have continued to do well on the show bench and also in the breeding cage with dominant pieds, winning many major awards every year since the open show at Worcester in 1996. I have won Best Young Bird in show twelve times and Best in Show five times with this variety. The normals from this line have also performed very well winning even more top awards than the dominant pieds. However, last year a cinnamon light green pied cock that was late bred in 2001 came to the fore winning no less four Best in Show awards, eight Best Champion Any Age awards and thirteen Challenge Certificates, probably making it one of the most successful dominant pieds of all time. The successful year peaked at the Budgerigar Society Show at Doncaster where it won Best Champion Any Age, a Challenge Certificate and Best Pied in Show. This bird is a natural in the show cage and takes absolutely no notice of a day out at show. On its return home from Doncaster, following a short rest, it was paired to a hen from the same line and she has produced eight fertile eggs - fingers crossed for birds on the perch. Using Dominant Pieds as Outcrosses Over the years I have established a successful line of redeyes in tandem with my pieds. I have used pieds as outcrosses to the redeyes to produce very high quality lutinos and albinos. I have won many Challenge Certificates with both redeye varieties, including Best Redeye in Show at the Club Show both with a young lutino and an albino. I believe pieds make excellent outcrosses not only because of their size and feather quality but also because they have good colour and markings which enhance the redeye varieties, particularly because of their clear flights and variegation on the wings. My ideal pairing to improve lutinos would be an opaline yellow face cobalt pied hen to the best lutino cock in the stud. This will provide very high quality lutino hens. The cobalt colouring does not create any suffusion on the yellow feather, which is often the case when using dark greens, and the yellow face element improves the general body colour of the offspring. In the same way, the best outcross for an albino would be an opaline grey pied hen, even if she is flecked or heavily marked with little or very poor variegation as this, in my experience, would create no problems in the offspring. I have used this method to improve both varieties and my redeyes are now good budgies and, in this respect, equal to my other varieties. This was demonstrated when I won Best in Show with a baby lutino at Somerset BS Open Championship Show in 2000. Brian Sweeting 9th August 2003

REDUCE THE DUST by Brian Sweeting In my professional life I was employed as a Planning Engineer (I am now retired) and one of my many responsibilities was for the environmental concerns in the factory where I worked. In industry as in our normal lives standards have been enhanced by the introduction of government legislation to improve the well being of our health and the planet. The experience gained from maintaining the many systems installed to clean up a chemical plant has led me to adapt several industrial ideas into my private life which will hopefully benefit me, my family, and of course the birds. I do no sweeping in the birdroom nowadays. This alone reduces the amount of dust in suspension. A vacuum system, which I have adapted from a conventional household wet & dry vacuum cleaner, is installed as a permanent cleaning aid. It is used at all times I have also made up several different ends to fit the vacuum cleaner flexible hose which allow me to clean the floor, cages and nest boxes as well as the general dusting around the birdroom. I would estimate that this improvement alone has reduced the dust in circulation in the birdroom to approximately half of the previous amount. This system is supported by good airflow through the birdroom from low-level air intake at one end, which passes through to a high-level positioned vent axia fan. The fan is switched on a timer and runs from 07-00am until 10-00pm each day. The airflow passes an ioniser en route, which polarises it. This action allows some of the dust to fall to the floor and some continues on and passes through the fan, to the outside world High-level dormer windows and vents each side of the breeding area maintain a cross flow of air, and also allow hot air out during the summer months. I have also manufactured a portable filter unit which incorporates a 12" (300 m/m) 240-volt household fan (you may use any size fan available, but big is best). This is set into a small box made of plywood with one end open and slots cut through the outlet side of the enclosure. The top of the unit has a filter screen fitted across it. The filter material used is simply a household fibre cleaning cloth (Jeye cloth). Air is drawn down through the fan and passes out through the bottom slots. The unit is mounted on a small table, which is fitted with castor type wheels. Although it can easily be moved around, it is usually positioned below the ioniser to catch the polarised dust as it falls. You could also, if you wish circulate air freshener by pouring it on to the filter cloth (aniseed is a particularly nice to smell in the birdroom). This unit is cheap to make from around 35.00, depending on the size of the fan. It is of particular benefit during the summer months when there is less natural draft through the birdroom. If you are not the practical type the safari select air filter would carryout the same duty but would cost approximately 150.00.

Best in Variety Judge : K Nicholls Date: October 2010 Variety Open Novice 1 Normal Green R Galbraith ---- 2 Normal Grey Green C Buckingham M Valvason 3 Normal Blue T Hancock ---- 4 Normal Grey ---- ---- 5 Blackeye ---- ---- 6 Lutino 7 Albino R Galbraith ---- 8 Clearwing I & K Manton ---- 9 Greywing ---- ---- 10 Cinnamonwing C Buckingham ---- 11 Double Factor Spangle ---- ---- 12 Opaline R Selig M Valvason 13 Opaline AOSV C Buckingham ---- 14 Clearbody ---- ---- 15 Lacewing ---- ---- 16 Fallow ---- ---- 17 Yellowface T Hancock M Valvason 18 Spangle C Buckingham ---- 19 Dominant Pied S Calabrese ---- 20 Recessive Pied R Galbraith ---- 21 Crest ---- ---- 22 AOV AOC ---- ---- Best Cock C Buckingham M Valvason Variety Spangle Normal Grey green Best Hen R Selig M Valvason Variety Spangle Yellowface Name Variety Best Open C Buckingham Spangle Cock Best Novice M Valvason Normal Grey green cock Bird of the Night C Buckingham Spangle Cock Opposite Sex R Selig Yellowface NUMBER OF BIRDS Open / Inter 25 Novice 4 Old birds 4 TOTAL 33

October 2010 TABLE SHOW POINTS OPEN / INTERMEDIATE / NOVICE M_Valvason C_Buckingham I & K Manton R Galbraith T_Hancock Variety Normal Green 10 Normal Grey Green 5 10 Normal Blue 8 Normal Grey R_Selig S_Calabrese C_Ciantar Blackeye Lutino Albino 5 Clearwing 13 Cinnamonwing 5 Double Factor Spangle Opaline 5 5 Opaline AOSV 10 Clearbody Lacewing Yellowface 13 5 Spangle 8 9 Dominant Pied 5 5 Recessive Pied 13 Crested AOV AOC Old Birds Cock ASV/ASC 8 1 Old birds Hen ASV/ASC 23 33 21 28 18 14 5 1

Abraham - R Baker_ E_J Brett_P Buckingham - C Calabrese_S Charalamous_W&P Cauchi_L Clark_J Dodd - P Findlay_B Galbraith - R Gordon - G Variety Normal Green 5 18 5 4 Normal Grey Green 15 8 5 5 Normal Blue 5 16 5 1 3 5 Normal Grey 5 5 Blackeye 10 Lutino 5 Albino 5 10 Clearwing 6 23 Greywing Cinnamonwing 13 1 5 Spangle D/F 13 10 5 Opaline 4 10 10 3 16 3 Opaline AOSV 27 3 3 5 Clearbody 10 Lacewing 5 13 Yellowface 8 3 10 5 3 10 Hancock_T Spangle 5 25 5 5 1 3 24 13 5 6 Dominant Pied 5 5 5 5 16 5 2 3 8 Recessive Pied 24 5 11 Crested 17 AOV AOC 5 1 Old Birds Cock ASV/ASC 10 12 Old birds Hen ASV/ASC 5 TOTALS 5 95 5 0 14 0 14 39 63 11 53 0 0 63 0 0 0 0 33 57 0 51 54 26 19 1 Hill - M Mansfield Family Manton - I & K Marshall - J Massey - R Smith_B Mitchell - K & D O'Brien_D Mullens - L NESBITT Family Selig_ R Valvason - M Zammit_ Dave & Jo Zammit_D & D Ciantar_C

MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY MEETING HILLS BRANCH - B.S.N.S.W. (Inc.) Meeting held at Don Moore Community Centre on Friday 22 nd October 2010 MEETING OPENED: 8.30pm Peter Dodd presided. PRESENT: As per attendance sheet. VISITORS: Phil Ashton, Mario & Carol Galea APOLOGIES: Andre Ozoux, Cliff Spare, Brian Findlay, William & Penny Charalambous. Moved: P. Brett Seconded: D. Zammit PREVIOUS MINUTES: Moved that the minutes of the previous meeting are a true and accurate record. Moved: D. Zammit Seconded: R. Galbraith BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES: Christmas Party & BSNSW Annual Show discuss in General Business TREASURER S REPORT: All accounts approved at previous General / Committee meetings have been paid. Income since last General / Committee meeting: Nil Accounts paid since last General / Committee meeting: Nil Accounts received for payment: - J. Zammit Suppers $ 62.55 - S. Calabrese Newsletter Sept $ 64.75 S. Clabrese Newsletter Oct $ 92.75 Moved that the Treasurer s Report be accepted and accounts be paid Moved: K. Nesbitt Seconded: D. Zammit CORRESPONDENCE IN: Emailed responses regarding trophy buttons CORRESPONDENCE OUT: Don Burke - confirming his acceptance to present awards at our Annual Show Invitation to Warren & Cathy Wilson to attend Hill s Christmas Party Invitation to Bruce & Nola Bradford to attend Hill s Christmas Party Invitation to John & Cheryl Lipczynski to attend Hill s Christmas Party Invitation to Stuart & Julie Williams to attend Hill s Christmas Party Moved that the correspondence be accepted. Moved: D. Zammit Seconded: P. Brett GENERAL BUSINESS: Trophy Buttons majority voted for number 3 that included the logo, but request that 2 and 3 be re-sent in same size as the actual button would be produced. Also try number 3 with the written word outside of the pic. A formal decision to be once we comment after seeing the real size buttons. Table Show Point Score published in Newsletter only included Sept results - refer to Cliff. Christmas Party up to 50+ at this stage. Confirmed numbers required by next Branch meeting. Congratulations to Ross Selig on winning Grand Champion at Southern Cup YBS Clearwing Annual Show last Sunday in November at Marsden Park Budgerigar Portrait Event 15 th November to 5 th December at Paddington Comment on the unprofessional attire by some judges at shows Show cage raffle won by Dave Sterritt Welcome to Keith Nicholls, guest speaker and thank you for judging the night s Table Show MEETING CLOSED: 9.05pm PETER DODD CHAIRMAN KATHY MANTON SECRETARY

MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE MEETING HILLS BRANCH - B.S.N.S.W. (Inc.) Meeting held at Dural Country Club, Dural on Tuesday 9 th November 2010. MEETING OPENED: 8.08 pm Peter Dodd presided. PRESENT: Brian Findlay, Ian Manton, Kathy Manton, Cliff Spare, Graeme Gordon, Craig Buckingham, Harry Charalambous, Ross Selig, Ray Galbraith, Richard Abraham, and Peter Dodd. APOLOGIES: Ken Mitchell, Andre Ozoux, Mark Chidel Moved that the apologies be accepted Moved: C. Buckingham Seconded: B. Findlay PREVIOUS MINUTES: Moved that the minutes of the previous meeting as printed in the Newsletter are a true and accurate record. Moved: R. Selig Seconded: C. Buckingham BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES: Annual Show Awards discuss in general business TREASURER S REPORT: All accounts approved at previous meeting have been paid. Income from last General / Committee meeting: Raffle of Show Cage $112.00 Sale of Rings $877.00 Accounts paid since last General / Committee meeting: BSNSW memberships $ 78.00 North Rocks Recreation Centre $ 78.00 Moved that the Treasurer s report be accepted Moved: B. Findlay Seconded: C. Buckingham CORRESPONDENCE OUT: Flowers sent to Jean Painter who has been in hospital Email to Keith Nicholls CORRESPONDENCE IN: Email from Betty Berry re Jean Painter Budgerigar Magazines Thank you card from Pam Jones (re our thoughts for Kevin) Acceptances from Bruce & Nola Bradford, and Warren Wilson to attend our Christmas Party Moved that the Correspondence be accepted- Moved: G. Gordon Seconded: I. Manton Brian Findlay reported Denise Mitchell has been diagnosed with bowel cancer. She remains very positive that all things will go well with her treatment. GENERAL BUSINESS: Annual Show: - Brian Findlay did some research and advised trophy prices for major awards - Rosettes are in hand (Mark) - Brian to order 100 Hills logo buttons, plus 2 different sized sets of trophy awards - Schedule front cover and rear of front cover currently being worked on (Craig - front cover, Kathy inside front). - Printing of schedule Craig to check with Daniel, if not then Craig will organize - Show cages 13 required. Peter to order from Colin - Ad in Budgerigar Mark to organize prior to 1 st December - Harry Smith has made a generous offer to donate millet sprays 52 x ½ kilo bags or 26 x 1kg bags required Peter to speak with Harry Smith to confirm - Suggestion from Harry Smith re small prizes for Novice specials winners. Committee decided that we wouldn t pursue.

Moved that Hills Branch pay for Peter & Gwen Dodd s dinner at the Annual Show Social Event Moved: H. Charalmabous Seconded: C. Buckingham Matt Campbell, Dave Ingo, Gary Gazzard to be booked into Stamford Hotel Craig to check with judges Photography to be organized for the Grand Champion award Table Show: Craig to provide a follow-up for the Newsletter based upon Keith Nicholl s talk, on Mode of Inheritance MEETING CLOSED: 10.05 PM. PETER DODD CHAIRMAN KATHY MANTON SECRETARY The Hills Branch Christmas festivities will take place on December 5 at 12.30 pm at the Maison Manton 44 Clifton Rd, Marsden Park. Hills members and their partner or significant other (please note only one or the other will be allowed) are cordially invited to take part in the festivities. WE MUST HAVE NUMBERS AT THIS MEETING TO CONFIRM OUR CATERING ARRANGEMENTS