Having won nothing all year, Elizabeth, who now should be called Queen of Kelso, comes out as Best Scots Fancy for the third year running at Kelso OS Show today. I stil think my wee green hen has been overlooked! That is the last show of 2014. It's been a busy ten weeks; hard work; great fun and very successful. Now for a rest!

And some new blues to add a colour variety to my stock

I'll be back in the Spring!

These pictures are courtesy of Richard Lumley of the IOA. The buff bird won Best in Show at the Northern Counties Scots Fancy Club show in October and the white was Best Novice Current Year Bird at the Carlisle National. I have enjoyed and excellent show season which ends with the friendly rural venue of Kelso this Saturday.

Now that the birds are home, thanks to Willie McKay and Richard Lumley, I have the catalogue from the Golden Ring, I see I was second out of seven exhibitors. Not bad for a first timer. My birds must be reasonable given they were second out of ten and third out of ten. I am delighted.

Sent from Belgium today - a photo of my second place white bird.

I sent five of my unflighted Scots to the Golden Ring show in Belgium last weekend. I wanted to see how they might fare against European competition not expecting any success. I was amazed to hear last night that two of my birds respectively won a Silver and a Bronze medal. I am amazed and over the moon. There are 6,000 being exhibited at the show this weekend in Belgium.

www.goudenring.be is the web site 

Catching up on the last two shows - North East Gloster Cub with OVCA North on 9 November - Best Scots - sadly no competition but a great day out nonetheless.

I even made it in to Cage & Aviary Birds newspaper 

Then today, 30 November, Carlisle National, Best Novice Scots, Best Novice Current Year three specials and rosettes and two diplomas - delighted with my progress in a year. 66 Scots on show today 

Show Season - it's been good for me this year so far.

Blackburn and the Scots Fancy Specialist Club Show started the season. I won Best Novice and the points trophy.

The following day at the Northern Counties Scots Fancy Club I won, unbelievably, Best Scots Fancy in show. Really please. I also won six special prizes for Best Novice Current Year, Best Novice Yellow, Piebald and Green and Clear. A superb day for me. 

The National Exhibition followed at Stafford and while I won Best Novice Scots Fancy, I did not do as well as last year. It remained a great weekend away.

Today was the 150th anniversary show of East Lothian Cage Bird Society and I won Best Scots Fancy. My birds were looking a bit tired - they need more show cage training and to learn to use the top hat drinkers. We have two weeks until the next show so water drinking is the next lesson.

Next Show is in Northumberland on 9 November. 

Last year I lost access to my original blog because I switched from BT. You can now find my active blog at http://scotsfancycanary.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-post.html

The show season starts next weekend. Looking forward to it with my young birds looking good.

Some random photos of the birds today - lovely afternoon - sunny, windy but warm for March.

This cock bird is an excellent singer but perhaps too "frilly" in the chest for breeding.

This piebald cock is half brother to to the white cock but very much like his father. I'd like to use him this season but not sure of who his mate will be as yet.

Some of the hens. I like the piebalds very much.

This is Elizabeth's brother who showed well at Blackburn last November. I may pair him to his half sister who is also a clear yellow.

I like this green cock. He has excellent type and good shoulders like his father.

I think this is Elizabeth's mate - her half brother - he won at Blackburn last November and keeps improving. 

Full brother of the white cock. Lovely bid for length but way too frilled on the chest for long term inclusion in the breeding team.

Another half brother of Elizabeth. I may pair him to his grandmother.

The hens

The birdroom today

I think this is the white cock singing!

I am pleased that my winter management has worked. The cock birds are singing like mad and feeding the bars of the cages and the hens are leaping about and carrying nesting material. It's really all about the return of the light and I use no lighting in the winter. So all the birds moulted well and are coming into natural condition. I am still not sure that last year's cocks can fill eggs yet. Last year the start of the season was May so we are fully two months ahead of that. I will hold off pairing up until the start of April but Iam optimistic. Hopefully that is not misplaced!

Very pleased with my handiwork. I have built an escape proof door which I hope will prevent anyone escaping - last year I lost a baby who was only three weeks old but managed to fly out of the shed as I had no escape proof door. Didn't want that happening again. With the Spring weather starting, it also means I can leave the shed open for them to enjoy more light ad fresh air.