Fanci-er Pigeon?

Today's blip was supposed to be of our quiz team eating our prize winning meal at Ye Olde Fighting Cocks pub in St Alban's.

Let me clarify that statement.
The meal isn't necessarily prize winning, although the food is very good, but the prize winning is what we did in last Thursday's quiz and the meal is the prize. 2nd prize is wine. Sometimes we play for second. Somtimes I say that - if we are second, but then we have to pay for our meal the next week, and I regret my comment.

However,
I had time to spare before my appointment in Dunstable with my accountant this morning, so I stopped on the top of Dunstable Downs (I never have understood why ups are called downs.) To see what I could see.

I met this charming chap taking his racing pigeons out of the back of his car and of course I asked if I could take a pic or two. He was a bit quick off the mark, so this was the only one I got before he opened the baskets. The rest as they say was a blur!

Today was a training flight for the birds, back to London, before their race on Saturday, when they will be taken to Ripon by courier to fly the 160 miles home - in about 4 hours.

It was super to watch the flock of 32 birds soar upwards, group together, circle round and evade 3 Red Kites, then head South.

Thank you for taking time to talk to me.

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks menu often includes locally produced meat and .....
No let's not even go there!!!

Post Script.
Pigeon was indeed on the menu. No.... I chose mackerel. We were 3rd in a close run battle.