Letter from Holland

sjef van den Branden	3:00 AM (6 hours ago)
to David

Breeding with the Hwamei is going very well this season - 10 young on stock, from two unrelated pairs.

My shama breeding was also ok.  From my old bird (almost 20 years old ) with a new hen 4 young ( 1 female and 3 males, with a beautiful big hen.

Next year I will use another hen, half stricklandii/half lampung. I already have young from this male with three different hens.  I'am building a shama collection around this old male.  He is the best singer I have and beautiful to see, pretty big and good size tail, European size.

On 23 november there will be a Shama chai here in Holland, I personaly don't think its possible, most birds are just ready with molting and the winter is beginning but i'll join with one bird, not one off my best birds, but I support the trying.

One question this little Hwamei you spoke off, is there only one kind off. In two weeks somebody will sell 4 pairs. I think I will buy one pair, but like off all species their could be good singers and bad singers depending from which region they come ?

Witbuik-jungle-Timalia - Spot-throated Babbler - Latin Name: "Pellorneum albiventre".  "Tieu Mi"

Kind regards Sjef

Also greet Jeffrey and William for me

David De Souza	10:22 AM (0 minutes ago)
to sjef

Hi Sjef,

Congratulations on your successful breeding of the Hwamei.  I kept this species a long time ago but I found the song to be too loud for me.  

I am not too familiar with the Spot-throated Babbler. I kept 3 that were good singers but I have just given up the last one that I had.  I keep songbirds, other than the shama, from time to time.  I bring them to top form to see their display and hear their songs  but I tend to lose interest after in them after awhile.  The only species that I have been perpetually interested in is the shama.

If you have not already done so, may I suggest that you visit Youtube and type "tieu mi".  There you will see the videos of the various sub-species and familiarise yourself with their songs.

Best regards,

David