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Open Day 2006 HVFC
 
 
  

 

On the 22nd of January the Hunter Valley Finch Club acted as volunteers for the first Open Day for the Save The Gouldian Fund and here is them hard at work for the Gouldian war effort!


A Magic Day At Mikes!

On Sunday the 22nd of January a "few" hardy finch lovers and interested parties attended an Open Day at the research facilities of Mike Fidler - the first official function of the Save The Gouldian Fund.
When I say a few it was actually 152 from a number of avicultural societies in NSW – with Bathurst, Manly and Sydney featuring strongly.

For a number of weeks before the event the Open Day volunteers under the direction of Generals John and Elisabeth were hard at work planning for the day. Many said that it would be a ‘nightmare’ and that the logistics required wouldn’t happen and some scoffed that it’d be a disaster, well ha, because none reckoned on the stamina and pulling power of the Hunter Valley Finch Society!
There was a constant stream of volunteers from the Club to run all the food stalls and man the stations and after a few practices it was full steam ahead. Many suggested the sight of locals Suchie and Woz in aprons and wielding BBQ tongs was well worth the price of admission alone!!
Lisa and John Barrett from Birds R’ Us fame did the Fund proud with a special program for the day featuring their avicultural products and much needed information about the Save The Gouldian Fund. Which they did free of charge off their own bat I must add – thanks guys, gratefully appreciated!

                               
The day went like well-oiled machinery thanks to the untiring efforts of the Club volunteers and a few "ring-ins’ from Queensland! The number of people that commented on the club spirit on display that day was huge and a great credit to our club. Also great to see Peter Spinks from Australian Aviary Life wandering about snapping a few shots to help with raising the profile of the Fund. Thanks Pete!

                     

The research facility itself was divided into 6 stations manned by yet another group of knowledgeable volunteers. In no particular order here are those stations:

1) Bottom of large open aviaries- Explaining set up for Red-Eared Firetails.
    Meter high rat / snake wall, meter wide stainless termite wire set in half metre deep
    fused to foundations and shade cloth on top to inhibit hawks. On a slope so that
    shelter higher so birds roost and nest in shelter.
2) Open aviary walk way - serviced from outside, no need to walk in less stress.
    Feeder doors lifted off to clean in dishwasher. Seed Hopper and automatic water.
    Straw on floor treated with Coopex. Nest boxes different heights. Brush in wheeled
   2meter tall cylinder which stands in middle= stops cockroaches, etc, easy to
   change brush, wheel out take into bush, empty - refill - wheel back in. Infra red lamp
   suspended 350 mm from floor for cool nights.
3) Bengalese room + Quarantine - Bengalese used on imprinting research +
    insurance policy > for standard avicultural practice. Quarantine room - every new
   bird goes through strict quarantine = deworming / mite /protozoans.
 4) Birdroom - Gloster Canaries, Painted finches, White-Eared Masks and Peters
    Twinspots - which had fledged juveniles the day before the open day!!
 5) Research Block – bird nutrition, aviary design with emphasis on aavicultural
    implications and a physiological sampling session with Dr Sarah Pryke.
 6) Workshop – with Dr Mark Simpson, an avian vet from the Newcastle area, and
    Mike Fidler talking mainly bird nutrition. How to sprout seed; prepare soft food and
    green food.
Dr Simpson stressed that there was quite a great deal that a good avian vet could offer to the finch breeder. The services were composed of two main avenues – Intervention before there was a problem with diet and cleanliness to prevent the spread of disease and in the post-mortem department. Also the use of flock sampling (faeces) to give a view as to the health of the flock.

Mike then outlined his own husbandry methods including his procedure for soaking seed:

● Mix 1 kilo of seed in a litre of water and add 1 teaspoon of Virkon-S and allow to soak for 1.5-2 hours.
● Seed should then be ready to sprout within 24-36 hours depending upon the temperature.

It has been pointed out to me that us "science types" "hiding" in the aviaries really did have it easy when compared to the BBQ people. So I’d just like to defend us by saying that anyone inside those aviaries must have lost several kilograms over the course of the day!! Shirkers indeed, the very thought!

As the day progressed more and more interest was focused on the huge raffle draw with most eyes centred on those Blue Gouldians.
Before giving you the results of that draw I should make mention of the people that donated prizes for the Open Day raffle draw:

●1 pair blue Gouldians - R & W Lowe
●2 pairs Gouldians - M & E Fidler
●Gouldian book - M & E Fidler
●Bottle of whiskey & $100.00 - J & M Butler & friend
●Bag of seed - Alan Tunbridge of Gundowring seeds
●Bottle of port - Barbara Sykes
●2 Birds R Us gift vouchers - J & L Barrett
●Bird carrying box - B & I Garland
●Bag of feathers - A Harris
●6 bottles of wine - A & J Harris & Scarborough Wines
●2 T-shirts-Aviary Life Magazine
●2 bags of cuttlefish – Birds R Us - J & L Barrett

As you are aware Paul and Pam Dick from Just Finches & Softbills launched the Save The Gouldian Fund in their recent edition and generously donated us 20 copies to sell for the fund on the Open Day – which went in no time flat I must say, of course!!
Doug and Heather, the ‘dynamic duo’, from the Finch Society were also untiring in their efforts in encouraging members to visit on the day and many thanks for their organisational skills.

Also Mark Riley from Molly’s Seafood in Singleton loaned us a number of huge Eskies and all the ice for the day and the BBQ itself was organised by Neil Sutherland from the Rutherford Baptist Church. Whew!! Think I made it through the huge list!

Mere thanks alone is far too little to say to all these generous people and let’s leave it at that we will ensure that all the proceeds go to the restoration of the wild Gouldian.

Since initially compiling this report the final figure came in at a fantastic $7000 for the day, far exceeding everybody’s expectation, well everybody’s bar one very smug president from the Hunter Club whose expression could only mean "I told you so!!"

Again to everybody that made the journey to Mikes for their generosity and positive comments and to those that helped organise the "minor" details and those tireless workers from the Hunter Valley Finch Club I thank you on behalf of the Save The Gouldian Fund. I have never been so proud to belong to any avicultural body as I was on this day.
Now, all I have to do is talk Mike and Elisabeth into having another Open Day for those that missed out!!!! Stay tuned!!!