Hastings bird show winner Peggy Gyde, and her very fat cat

Peggy Gyde loves her prize winning budgerigars as much as she loves her fat cat Marmalade.

On the surface, her two favourites are a recipe for potential feathers flying disaster, but Gyde insists there's never been any "naughty business".

Peggy Gyde with her winning budgerigar and cat Marmalade, Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor

The former Hastings Bird Club president won big at the Annual Hastings Bird Show recently, and after thoughts of retiring from the scene, she's now had a change of heart.

Breeding and showing budgies has been a big part of the 73-year-old's life - even her cat Marmalade is used to all the birds chirping away, and doesn't bat an eyelid.

"She's not interested in the birds at all, she's too fat and full to care - there's never been any naughty business go on."

Gyde has been in the bird showing and breeding world for more than 40 years, having won dozens of rosettes and medals, and even national titles with her treasured budgerigars.

Peggy Gyde's prize winning four-year-old male budgerigar. Photo / Paul Taylor

Gyde and her daughter Rachel Sullivan's aviary has 30 of the little birds flying around in it.

But, the favourite at the moment has to be her most recent winner, an unnamed, bright green, four-year-old male.

He won Best Any Age Champion Budgerigar and best budgerigar overall at the Hastings Annual Bird Show at Ebbett Park School on May 29.

"I was going to give up this year, but then he came away as a champion so I'm going to have to stick it out."

Gyde said what made her green male win was his striking colouring and nice head.

"He's just lovely."

Gyde and her daughter have about 30 budgies in their aviary, in Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor

Gyde has a man who comes to her house to give the chosen birds a bit of a pamper session, plucking around the birds' necks before an up and coming show.

She said the shows can get quite competitive at times and it's hard just to hear your own voice with all the feathered competitors making their presence known with constant tweeting.

Marmalade the cat has also had her time to shine and has been shown at previous cat events in the region too, but now she likes to lounge in the sun, next to the Gydes' aviary.

It's clear that Gyde has a passion for her budgerigars, when asked why she's kept them for so long her grin grew big and said she "just loves them".

However, none of her beloved birds have names.

"Could you imagine me getting up in the morning and saying hello to all of them by name?"