Pigeons!

Jimmy, a neighbour just around the corner, is a pigeon fancier. For more than 46 years, he has raised and raced homing pigeons. We spent a wonderful afternoon with him, learning much more about pigeons than we ever expected to know. He showed us chicks from newly hatched to 14 days (a fortnight) old and explained that he starts training the ones born now in May-June and racing them in July! More experienced racers are shipped to the south of Ireland, to England, and even to France and released to make their way home. His best racer ever flew nonstop from France (400 miles) in just over 12 hours and immediately--without even pausing for a drink--sat on her nest.
I kicked myself for forgetting the camera--maybe we'll pop over another day for some pics.