A group of Canberra Branch members met on Saturday evening (12 April 2008) at the Pangalos residence "Yarraman" in Little Burra NSW, about 10 kilometers from Queanbeyan. Each member brought at least one budgerigar along for Dr Rob Marshall to examine.

Many thanks to Bob Cowburn for suggesting the visit, Ann & Geoff Hand for organising the visit and Markos & Helen Pangalos for hosting the visit.

Members of the Canberra Branch would like to thank Dr Rob Marshall for visiting Canberra to share his knowledge of Budgerigars and their health with us. There was plenty to learn for all of us, even the most experienced breeders. A informative commentary was provided by Dr Rob Marshall as he examined each member's budgerigars while discussing any issues obvious from examining the individual bird along with any issues the breeder has in his/her aviary.

For more information visit Bird Health with Dr. Rob Marshall at http://www.birdhealth.com.au/.

Above from left to right: Dawn Lukeman, Rita & Stuart Foster and Mario Capasso. Markos Pangalos entering the house.	Above from left to right: Rita & Stuart Foster, Andrew Bourne, Ann Hand, Rob Marshall, Mario Capasso and Gordon Steward.
Above from left to right: Rob Marshall, Andrew Bourne, Robert Pryke and Evelyn Peel.	Above from left to right: Mario Capasso, Rob Marshall, Evelyn Peel, Geoff Hand and Robert Pryke.
Above from left to right: Ann Hand, Andrew Bourne and Rob Marshall. -	Above from left to right: Tess Kilpatrick, Evelyn Peel, Alan Lomas and Stephen Brooks.
Above from left to right: Rob Marshall, Robert Pryke, Markos Pangalos and Geoff Hand. Photo taken by Rita.	Above from left to right: Robert Pryke and Maureen Bourne in the background capturing photos of the visit. Photo taken by Rita.

Some pictures of the Budgerigars as they were being examined by Dr Rob Marshall.
Every picture tells a story. There were lessons to be learned from each of the birds.

The wings can tell you a lot about the bird's health and progress through it's annual moult. Usually only one wing feather moults at a time, this bird has three short feathers, indicating that three feathers moulted together. This puts the bird under additional stress and would delay her readiness to breed.	The cere of the bird can tell you how ready the hen is for breeding. As the hen is coming into breeding condition her cere turns "nutmeg" in colour. The staining above the cere indicates that the hen is coming into breeding condition. As the hen's ovulation cycle finishes the cere turns brown and looks crusty.
Above: Rob Marshall examining a bird. Photo taken by Rita.	Above: The importance of checking the wing looking into a light source can't be over emphised. Markos Pangalos in the background. Photo taken by Rita.
This Spangle Double Factor Yellow has "red eye"; this results from an eye infection. If there are feathers growing into the eye that cause irritation, it is best to avoid breeding from a bird with this trait.	Dr Rob Marshall examining the wing structure.
	Rob commented that the tail of this Spangle Cinnamon Light Grey cock was too short for the age of the bird (approx 4 months old) and stated that this indicated that something must have happened to retard the bird's growth.  Bird's History: This bird was the youngest of six chicks to hatch and the first clutch of a new junior member. Over a period of one week the three eldest chicks in the nest box died and this chick was not been fed. At 13 days old the bird was close to death, it was removed from the nest box and hand raise with bird raising mixture using a spoon. He progressed well over the next 15 days but then struggled when being weaned from the spoon. With the example of older birds feeding, he learnt to feed himself and has been fully weaned since Easter (March 23 2008).

Unless otherwise stated photos on this page were taken by Maureen Bourne.