Sadly, I was unable to make our long-awaited National Exhibition at Stafford County Showground as I fell victim to the severe cough and cold that has been doing the rounds. Fortunately, I tested negative for Covid-19, but still felt rough for a few days, and did not want to pass on my germs to others. A big disappointment for me, but feedback on the show has been largely positive, with a good number of visitors attending, in spite of the fuel crisis. A handful of bad apples had over-crowded cages, but were dealt with by stewards and our Animal Health inspector Lynda. There were also the usual escapees flying up into the roof of the show halls. PLEASE use our handover aviaries when moving birds from one cage or carrier to another – there are several dotted around the halls. But otherwise, a successful event, and we are now preparing and looking forward to our final show of the year – the Help the Birdkeepers Show, on 5th December, at the same venue. Advance booking of tables and wristbands is now available via our office or the Shop on our website.
Once again, a reminder that our AGM on November 21st will not now be held at the Quality Hotel, Allesley, Coventry, as we were notified at short notice that the hotel has been taken over, and will be closed for refurbishment. It will instead be back at a previously used venue – The Old Palace Lodge Hotel, Church Street, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU5 4RT, from 2 pm. You are welcoming to join us in the afternoon – this is your Society – and the first few to sign up will be entitled to a free lunch in the hotel restaurant!
To use Her Majesty the Queen’s oft repeated quote, hopefully this annus horribilis of drought, gales and floods, Covid-19 and prolonged hospital waiting lists, shortages of fuel and other deliveries, stabbings and other attacks, loss of confidence in our police, and now the threat of reduced supplies for Christmas – is drawing to a close, and we can look forward to an improved year next year. Who knows, but I am eternally optimistic!
Those who keep and breed parrots will be settling down their birds at the end of the season, and looking forward to next year, with a final shuffle of stock, and perhaps some sales and exchanges lined up for the show in December. Why not tell us about your experiences with your collection? We are always looking out for interesting articles about different psittacine species for our monthly magazine, and what you may consider as simple, everyday information may be new and useful to other enthusiasts, and well worth sharing! The same applies to tales of your pet parrots, with all their individual quirks and characters. Either way, I do hope that you enjoy this issue of your magazine.
Alan K Jones Oct 18, 2021