Today is a sad one for me. I feel like an old friend is gone. 903, my foundation cock bird slipped away from this world.

A bird that I have had in my loft for 17 years is no longer eating from my hand, is no longer flying off his perch inside the hen pen where he spent his last 2 years chasing amorous hens to his delight.

Without doubt, he was my favorite bird, a world class Birmingham Roller, a very smart and alert bird that was the co-foundation cock of the Ruby Roller strain.

Relatively few rollers are ever known outside their own loft, 903 will be remembered through his progeny that are in lofts all over the USA and now in other parts of the globe. All I can say is: 903, FLY ON!