Post by Marianne Marlow on Nov 24, 2011 15:59:14 GMT
We are pleased to welcome our first interviewee..
Mark Gulley
Mark is a breeder and exhibitor of Exhibition Budgerigars from Cornwall UK, presently exhibiting at the status of Novice.
Mark kept birds of different varieties since his early childhood, starting with various breeds of bantams and then moving forward to keeping show quality White Leghorn & Pekin bantams.
This was then followed by fancy pigeon’s and then Finches.
After a few years of working away from home and finally settling down Mark then decided to keep a few aviary type birds starting with finches and parakeets.
At no point did he intend to keep budgerigars they always seemed to remind him of the annoying little thing his mother kept in a cage in the kitchen when he was a child.
It was not until Mark visited his first cage bird show in 2001 that he discovered Exhibition Budgerigars, what an eye opener. The birds on show were far different from the pet type budgerigars he had previously seen and his interest was awakened.
The bird house was converted and Exhibition Budgerigars purchased and the rest they say is history.
Mark keeps most of the normal varieties plus Spangle’s, Pied’s, Lutino’s, Clearbodys and Albino’s.
Every year Mark’s birds show an improvement from the previous year and hopefully he will one day win that best in show he dreams about.
Mark acknowledges he needs patience because your dreams don’t happen overnight.
Like us all Mark admits to having experienced frustration and as most will tell you it’s always that good one you spot in the nest that doesn’t make it. Mark has made friends with people from all walks of life and from places far and wide.
To sum it up it’s a great hobby a real challenge and one he highly recommends to everyone.
Mark also adds “I have also found it pays to find a breeder local to you who can call on for help and advice. Never be afraid to ask for help.”
Mark has been lucky to have Brian Reese to mentor him and has the added advantage of having Brian as his local seed agent.
Time to throw a few questions at Mark before he falls asleep again.
Q. When did you first start to become interested in budgerigars Mark and what sparked it off?
A. it was 2000, i had just started keeping birds again, I went t a show with my step daughter , she won a bird in the raffle , a grey pied cock , along came another fancier who had just won a hen in the same raffle, here you are he said , you now have a pair, they bred and i joined the Budgerigar Society in 2001
Q.What did your first Aviary/Breeding room look like?
A. It was an old 8x6 shed cobbled together with anything I could find to make cages and an aviary.
Q.Where and when did you acquire your first birds?
A. My first exhibition birds of any quality came from Colin Williams and Edgar Swan on advice from Brian Reese, I then started to acquire birds from Brian.
Q. Do you still have birds from these bloodlines?
A.I can still trace birds back to both fanciers, plus the backbone of my stud is of the Brian Reese bloodline
Q.Which Bloodlines have given you the most impact on your stud?
A. Again the Brian Reese blood is the backbone, features have been added from the Freakley & Ainley and Ricky Watts bloodlines plus there’s a touch of H2509 and recently an addition of Paul Stannards blood line.
Q. Do you have a specific way of preparing your birds for the breeding season?
A. Nothing out of the normal, I just improve the quality of the food and increase the daylight hours
Q. Do you pair your birds by Visual appearance/Pedigree or both?
A. A bit of both, visually first then I check the pedigree.
Q. What are your views on pairing up related birds? Have you had any success with this?
A. There is always a chance of a good one popping out.
Q. How many chicks and clutches are your birds allowed?
A. As many as they can handle clutch wise but I prefer to limit to four chicks per nest if at all possible.
Q. What differences are there in your feeding programme in the breeding and non-breeding seasons?
A. In the none breeding season I feed a basic 50/50 budgerigar mix with occasional treats, in the breeding season they get the lot.
Q. What would you change about your set up if you had the chance (and infinite money to do so?
A. Far too much to list I reckon just take the best you have seen and double it. I would start by moving house to somewhere with plenty of space and then let my imagination go wild.
Q. Do you believe in preventative medication? If so what do you use?
A. I don’t use any prevention’s other than ivermectin
Q. How do you deal with birds with feather disorders?
A. Live with it.
Q. Do you have a favourite mutation or variety?
A. I have a soft spot for Clearbodies and Lacewings.
Q. Who do you admire most in the hobby?
A. There is more than one or two and I would rather not mention names as I am sure to forget someone.
Q. What was the best bird you ever bred?
A. I don’t think I have bred it yet lol, I am very happy with an opaline blue hen I bred this year even though she is flecked.
Q. What was the best bird that you have seen from someone else's stud?
A. I suppose so far it Peter and Margaret darks Cobalt. But again there’s a bunch of fantastic birds about the country. It would be fun to be able to buy them all and see if you could breed something extra special from them.
Q. What is the most important piece of advice you could give a beginner just starting out in the hobby?
A. Don't rush , and don't spend all your money to quickly
Q. What more do you believe we can do to promote the hobby?
A. The age old question, I honestly don't know the answer. Perhaps talk that bunch of dragons den into backing the fancy, and persuade Justin Bieber into taking up the hobby as he seems quite popular recently.
Q. What do you enjoy most about the hobby? Are you still as enthusiastic as when you first started?
A. I enjoy it all, the birds the shows, the breeding, the visits, the meetings and 99.9% of the people.
Thank you Mark for taking part in the questions and answers.
2011 bred young birds
The new aviary under construction
©2006 barrieshuttbudgerigars S3872.
Mark Gulley
Mark is a breeder and exhibitor of Exhibition Budgerigars from Cornwall UK, presently exhibiting at the status of Novice.
Mark kept birds of different varieties since his early childhood, starting with various breeds of bantams and then moving forward to keeping show quality White Leghorn & Pekin bantams.
This was then followed by fancy pigeon’s and then Finches.
After a few years of working away from home and finally settling down Mark then decided to keep a few aviary type birds starting with finches and parakeets.
At no point did he intend to keep budgerigars they always seemed to remind him of the annoying little thing his mother kept in a cage in the kitchen when he was a child.
It was not until Mark visited his first cage bird show in 2001 that he discovered Exhibition Budgerigars, what an eye opener. The birds on show were far different from the pet type budgerigars he had previously seen and his interest was awakened.
The bird house was converted and Exhibition Budgerigars purchased and the rest they say is history.
Mark keeps most of the normal varieties plus Spangle’s, Pied’s, Lutino’s, Clearbodys and Albino’s.
Every year Mark’s birds show an improvement from the previous year and hopefully he will one day win that best in show he dreams about.
Mark acknowledges he needs patience because your dreams don’t happen overnight.
Like us all Mark admits to having experienced frustration and as most will tell you it’s always that good one you spot in the nest that doesn’t make it. Mark has made friends with people from all walks of life and from places far and wide.
To sum it up it’s a great hobby a real challenge and one he highly recommends to everyone.
Mark also adds “I have also found it pays to find a breeder local to you who can call on for help and advice. Never be afraid to ask for help.”
Mark has been lucky to have Brian Reese to mentor him and has the added advantage of having Brian as his local seed agent.
Time to throw a few questions at Mark before he falls asleep again.
Q. When did you first start to become interested in budgerigars Mark and what sparked it off?
A. it was 2000, i had just started keeping birds again, I went t a show with my step daughter , she won a bird in the raffle , a grey pied cock , along came another fancier who had just won a hen in the same raffle, here you are he said , you now have a pair, they bred and i joined the Budgerigar Society in 2001
Q.What did your first Aviary/Breeding room look like?
A. It was an old 8x6 shed cobbled together with anything I could find to make cages and an aviary.
Q.Where and when did you acquire your first birds?
A. My first exhibition birds of any quality came from Colin Williams and Edgar Swan on advice from Brian Reese, I then started to acquire birds from Brian.
Q. Do you still have birds from these bloodlines?
A.I can still trace birds back to both fanciers, plus the backbone of my stud is of the Brian Reese bloodline
Q.Which Bloodlines have given you the most impact on your stud?
A. Again the Brian Reese blood is the backbone, features have been added from the Freakley & Ainley and Ricky Watts bloodlines plus there’s a touch of H2509 and recently an addition of Paul Stannards blood line.
Q. Do you have a specific way of preparing your birds for the breeding season?
A. Nothing out of the normal, I just improve the quality of the food and increase the daylight hours
Q. Do you pair your birds by Visual appearance/Pedigree or both?
A. A bit of both, visually first then I check the pedigree.
Q. What are your views on pairing up related birds? Have you had any success with this?
A. There is always a chance of a good one popping out.
Q. How many chicks and clutches are your birds allowed?
A. As many as they can handle clutch wise but I prefer to limit to four chicks per nest if at all possible.
Q. What differences are there in your feeding programme in the breeding and non-breeding seasons?
A. In the none breeding season I feed a basic 50/50 budgerigar mix with occasional treats, in the breeding season they get the lot.
Q. What would you change about your set up if you had the chance (and infinite money to do so?
A. Far too much to list I reckon just take the best you have seen and double it. I would start by moving house to somewhere with plenty of space and then let my imagination go wild.
Q. Do you believe in preventative medication? If so what do you use?
A. I don’t use any prevention’s other than ivermectin
Q. How do you deal with birds with feather disorders?
A. Live with it.
Q. Do you have a favourite mutation or variety?
A. I have a soft spot for Clearbodies and Lacewings.
Q. Who do you admire most in the hobby?
A. There is more than one or two and I would rather not mention names as I am sure to forget someone.
Q. What was the best bird you ever bred?
A. I don’t think I have bred it yet lol, I am very happy with an opaline blue hen I bred this year even though she is flecked.
Q. What was the best bird that you have seen from someone else's stud?
A. I suppose so far it Peter and Margaret darks Cobalt. But again there’s a bunch of fantastic birds about the country. It would be fun to be able to buy them all and see if you could breed something extra special from them.
Q. What is the most important piece of advice you could give a beginner just starting out in the hobby?
A. Don't rush , and don't spend all your money to quickly
Q. What more do you believe we can do to promote the hobby?
A. The age old question, I honestly don't know the answer. Perhaps talk that bunch of dragons den into backing the fancy, and persuade Justin Bieber into taking up the hobby as he seems quite popular recently.
Q. What do you enjoy most about the hobby? Are you still as enthusiastic as when you first started?
A. I enjoy it all, the birds the shows, the breeding, the visits, the meetings and 99.9% of the people.
Thank you Mark for taking part in the questions and answers.
2011 bred young birds
The new aviary under construction
©2006 barrieshuttbudgerigars S3872.