Hi everyone,

I first fell in love with budgies in the early seventies. I used to visit my Nan and Grandad in Cronton Lancashire at the weekends with my dad. A neighbour of their's, Joe Thompson kept a small mixed aviary of Budgies and foreign finches. He used to let me call round and I would spend hours there watching his birds and chatting to him. My dad quickly noticed my interest and asked me if I would like to have my own aviary. I of course said yes and Dad gave over his brick built shed which was his workshop and tool store to me and built a flight on the outside for me.

Next he got two pairs of birds from a work friend a Mr Winstanley from our home town of Widnes. These consisted of an Opaline Light green cock, A sky blue cock and two Opaline sky blue hens. Joe Thompson also gave me two Resesive Pied Light green barhead cocks, and I was in seventh heaven. I joined four local CBS's which were Widnes, Runcorn, St.Helens and Warrington along with a friend of mine who after seeing my birds took up keping Foreign Finch's.

After a while I bought a couple of Lutino's and these became my main colour/type of budgies. I also kept Foreign birds and a few British birds. I remember winning Best Young British in Show at the annual Widnes CBS show with a beautiful Cock Greenfinch. I must have shown him in a budgie show cage because that was all I had.

I also took an award or two with my Lutino's, but as I remember there was not a lot of competition in the Junior section.

Alas within a few years I found other interest's and my dad was left to look after the birds. I eventually left home and dad found homes for them all.

Now finally I have re-kindled my interest and am making sure this time to keep Budgies only and with the help of new found friends in a number of Budgerigar clubs and local fanciers I have started to cull the Joey's which I started of this time with and am now turning out some very pleasing youngsters.

I will post some photo's of this years youngsters next time.