Save The Gouldian Fund Day 2011

[Jayburd]

If any one wants a Forum cap let me know and I will take some with me.
No postage so the bargain price of $10 each.

I'll buy one

[bleeding green]

So went to the STGF open day today and boy did the weather turn it on. Very hot and sunny all day.
A nice place that has been set up by the owners of the facility. And alot of thought has gone into the setup of the aviaries. All the talkers were very helpful and happy to answer any questions and divolge info.

Glad I went, how ever the biggest thing I learned was that if you are getting young at good rates and not losing big numbers of birds than you are doing everything right! If not then you need to make subtle changes till you find the reasons why you aren't getting the good results.

Doubly glad I went considering they reported that this was infact the last open day that will be held.

[Ripley]

I went also today.....
I wasn't sure what to expect....but,,,I did think that being a day dedicated to Gouldians, there would have been Gouldians to see. I think all we saw was two...one stuffed! & another to take blood from.
Please, don't get me wrong, it was very informative, but I really was hoping to see Gouldians...Gouldians and even more Gouldians!!!
Anyone out there know where I can get a good pair of red head,white breasted gouldians, in Sydney?

Cheers
Ripley

[natamambo]

We too were surprised that apart from the two already mentioned the only Gouldian we saw was a dead one (a RHWB used for the demonstration autopsy). Neverthless a very informative day and as a newbie to softbills I found that side of his research interesting as well.

Was great to meet so many AFFers too .

Very long day though, left for our flight at 4am and back home in Melbourne at 10:45pm .

[bleeding green]

As my main focus is parrots, and Dad prefers the song birds eg foriegn birds I was concerned that the day would be focused on Goulds. I was kind of expecting that considering we were attending the Save The GOULDIAN fund Open Day, so I wouldn't have been annoyed if it was.
I guess I too am a bit surprised that we weren't shown any of the research being done at the facility with the goulds. I suppose I am a little dissappointed with that as Goulds are my favourite finch. However I felt that the three sesions we did we all informative and useful.

The first one we did, the live food/avairy walk was a bit rushed and I wasn't able to get too much from it. The second, even though I could bearly stomach the autopsy was great and the vet was a great bloke. The third was good, especially RK talk on how much focus needs to be placed on the aviary design, and how you can't just have a spare avairy and think you throw your next 'hit list' finch into with any thought of whether or not it suits them.

My reasons for going and dragging Dad along with me were so that hopefully I could take away some information from their research/experiments to use in my own husbandary. While this was limited I was glad I went. What I learnt most was that there really is no right or wrong if your getting good results and some ideas on what you can look at adjusting if your not.....but I think I already said that above.

[Jayburd]

great day, and as natamambo said great to meet so many AFF people
We tok a group photo, unfortunately Woodstockaus and Natamambo had left... I'll put it up when I can resize it at home.

[Simba]

The talks sounded very interesting but had I gone I would had been very dissapointed not to have seen the Gouldians.
Hope everybody enjoyed the day.

[finchbreeder]

Another chance for Deb to guess the face/name. See if you can do as well this time Deb.
LML

[natamambo]

the vet was a great bloke.

The vet was myzomela .

[Mickp]

Oh well in that case I'll give Deb a head start, myzolema would be 5 foot tall at the most then add the red hair .
There you go Deb that should make one easy for you