A CHURCH is on a wing and a prayer mission to help give a pair of the country’s most feared birds of ‘pray’ a claw onto the housing ladder.
A total of £3,500 of council taxpayers’ money is being spent to provide a nestbox for a pair of peregrine falcons that have set up home on the tower of St Mary Magdalene Church, in Taunton.
The church has to raise a similar amount for the project, which also involves the installation of a webcam to give people a bird’s eye view of goings on in the nest if the falcons breed next year.
The peregrines have been a talking point in the town since they arrived earlier this summer and bred their chicks.
The vicar of St Mary’s, the Rev Rod Corke, said: “It’s great news and will provide a base for the birds and a webcam so that hopefully we’ll be able to put a feed down to the coffee shop and onto our website if they return to breed again next year.
“There’s evidence that they’ve been chasing off pigeons and seagulls with feathers all over the vicarage lawn. It’s a natural help to us to control the gull and pigeon population.”
The pair of birds – one from Bath, the other from Exeter – are believed to be the first ringed ones in the country to have had young.
St Mary’s has recently undertaken two major fundraising projects – one to replace the old bells, the other, which is ongoing, to repair the organ.
“That means we really have no funders, so we’re going to apply for some more grants,” said Mr Corke.
“If anybody wants to make a contribution they should contact the church.”
The council cash comes from tax levied on the unparished area of Taunton which is targeted at town-specific, community-focused groups and projects.
Cllr Jane Warmington, Taunton Deane Borough Council’s executive member for community leadership, said: “The falcons have become an attraction in their own right and, if they return as expected to St Mary’s, they would have somewhere to nest and rear young.
“The webcam will give people a chance to watch these beautiful birds without disturbing them.
“Of course, there is the practical point that the falcons will help control pigeons and gulls that can be a nuisance.”
The agreed funding will be released once the balance has been raised by the church.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
WASHINGTON – Senator Jim Inhofe announced the end of his annual wild pigeon, a cause for celebration for an animal rights group. The outdoor fundraiser had been the target of a multi-year campaign by Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, or SHARK, which alleged the event was cruel.
In a series of emails obtained by the group, a staffer from Sen. Inhofe’s office wrote in January to Oklahoma Department of Wildlife game wardens, “I am happy to let you know that this year, and going forward, we are going to halt the ‘old world pigeon shoot.”
Another email read, “I know this event has caused some tension in the past, so I hope this move will allow us to rebuild those relationships.”
The shoot had come under criticism for allegedly using tagged pigeons that were hand thrown in the air, instead of hunting wild ones.
In a statement, Inhofe campaign spokesman Luke Holland said:
“The Inhofe campaign has long held a very successful dove hunt event each year. In a few recent years, the event has included a pigeon shoot. This year we will not have that component of the event and will return to our traditional format; we expect it to be a record year and hope everyone who attends has a wonderful time.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — When you think of pigeons, the first thing that comes to mind is probably not, “world class athlete.”
“People know ’em as ‘rats of the sky’ and things like that. Sitting down on the buildings downtown and pooping on people,” Paul Rudolph said. “Pigeons have gotten such a bad rap over the years.”
But among a small group of people here in the Twin Cities, these birds simply inspire awe.
“It’s an enjoyable sport,” Rudolph said.
Competing in a sport most people have probably never heard of.
“It’s like having a kite, with no string,” Rudolph said.
Pigeon racing.
“Yeah, most people I run into, don’t have a clue on it,” Rudolph said.
Race day begins before sunrise. On this Saturday morning, the release point is just across the Iowa border, just south of Albert Lea.
Rudolph works to get everything prepared. There is a starting gate, if you will, but the unique thing about pigeon racing is the finish line is different places all over the Twin Cities, since the birds use their homing instinct to fly back to their own coop.
There are about 60 pigeon racers in the Twin Cities, and in this trailer, about 1,500 birds.
This race is only about 100 miles, but others are as long as 600.Then, at the designated moment, the race begins.
“They average about 50 miles an hour, but if they get a tailwind, 85, 90 miles an hour,” Rudolph said. “And on some of the long races, when you think them birds been pumping them wings for 15 hours, that’s pretty impressive.”
This race will only take a couple hours.
In the meantime, at coops like Rudolph’s in Maplewood, it’s a waiting game.
The winner of this race is going to win by how much?
“Seconds. Seconds. If that bird just pauses for one second, you lost the race. Just that quick,” Rudolph said.
How that’s measured is high-tech.
“These are what we call antennas. And as the bird walks over, he has a little chip band on his leg, like this, that triggers the clock,” Rudolph said.
Since they finish in different places, a calculation must be done — total time divided by total distance — to determine an average speed. The fastest is the winner.
“In time you find the birds that can do the distance, do the tough stuff, and so you naturally mate them together and you weed out the ones that don’t. And, ah, sell ’em to somebody else,” Rudolph said.The keys to this sport are breeding and training — actually a lot like horseracing.
Is there prize money?
“There’s some. But it’s so minute,” Rudolph said.
It’s not a sport you do for the money. It’s for the love of the game.
“When I see a bird come home from a four, five, six hundred mile race, and you think of the hours that bird was on the wing,” Rudolph said. “You can take ’em 600 miles and they’ve never been there, you turn ’em loose and they come home? Pretty amazing. I don’t know what other animal can do it.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Nearly a quarter (23%) of solar panel owners have had a problem with their system, exclusive Which? research reveals. Inverter problems are the most common, but pigeons, panel problems and electrical faults have also plagued other owners. Some of the problems were most likely to be spotted by owners in the first year, but others occur over time, with wear and tear. In June 2017, we surveyed 1,265 Which? members who own solar panels to find out about their experiences with solar panels. Read on to find out which other problems your solar panels are most likely to experience and what to expect with an inverter. Our in-depth factory audit reveals which solar panel brands are built to last. Solar panel problems: inverters and birds Besides problems with the inverter, the next most-common problems that solar panel owners experience are electrical system issues and loose or damaged roof tiles, as you can see in the chart below. Other problems experienced by fewer than 4% of owners were accidental damage to panels (3%), problems with other parts (2%) and isolator problems (1%). But 25% of you told us that you’d experienced another type of problem. One of the most commonly reported was birds nesting or fouling your panels. Several owners told us about pigeons nesting under panels, for instance. One owner is bothered by crows: ‘They get under the panels so I have put rolled up chicken wire round the outside.’ Another noted they get ‘bird droppings on the panels’. How soon do solar panel problems show up? Problems with the electrics in the solar panel system are most likely to occur less than a year after installation, our research reveals. The same is true for loose or damaged roof tiles; potentially occurring at the time of installation. But inverter problems are most likely to happen several years after purchase. To make sure your solar panel installation goes smoothly, make sure you hire a reputable solar panel company, and get at least three quotes. Use Which? Trusted Traders directory to find trustworthy local solar panel installers, recommended by other customers. Watch our video of a solar panel installation so you know what to expect on the day. Solar panel inverter problems An inverter converts the direct current (DC) electricity produced by solar panels to alternating current (AC) which can be used in your home. It’s a box which is often installed in the loft. Solar panels are expected to have at least a 20-year lifespan. But inverters aren’t so long-lasting, so you should bear in mind you’ll probably have to replace it during the lifetime of your solar PV system. One in ten owners have replaced their inverter One in ten (9%) owners told us they’ve had to replace their inverter since they’ve had their solar panel system installed. Most commonly, they replaced the inverter four years after they bought their solar PV system – almost a quarter (23%) told us this. Some 16% said they’d replaced their inverter more than five years after purchase. But the same percentage said they’d had to replace it less than a year after buying their system. A new inverter can cost at least £1,000. If you’re considering buying solar panels, factor this cost into your calculations. Find out more about solar panel prices and savings.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A SCHOOL’S pigeon-racing team has hit the heights to win a 120-mile race.
Longshaw Junior School, from Park Lee Road in Blackburn raced against 15 other competitors from the Oswaldwistle Homing Society in the Tewkesbury race and flew past all of their competitors to take first place.
Before the race pigeons are taken to be marked and prepared for the race and then taken to a liberation point.
They are then liberated together and then fly back to their home lofts and the one with the highest velocity, speed at yards per minute, wins the race.
The winning pigeon travelled the fastest of the other 266 pigeons sent out, flying at 50mph, and obtained the highest velocity.
Seven-year-old Lawson Berry and father Jonathan Berry, who is the deputy headmaster at the school, were two members of the team.
The 40-year-old deputy head said: “Our pigeon had the fastest time and the highest velocity.
“Some competitors have 40 years’ experience in pigeon racing so it’s quite an achievement.
“My son is going to start pigeon racing next year. He said to me he wants his own cabin now. He is absolutely addicted.
“When you ask some people about pigeon racing they will say they’ve never even heard of it as a sport.
“This animal race is unique because these birds are not pets. They are doing a job for you. It’s a sport.
“They are very hard to control and the only way you can at the start is with food.”
Pigeon Fancying is now part of the Park Lee Road school’s curriculum.
The school has committed itself to promoting the sport of racing pigeons to other schools and has been supported by the local authority who are keen to promote the educational benefits associated with the sport.
Mr Berry added: “The first thing to do is to make people aware. Our school is one of the only ones in the country involved in pigeon racing.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A Horncastle pensioner is calling for a cull of the town’s booming pigeon population – claiming the birds are a major threat to health. Robert Poole, 80, says pigeon lung disease is a menace to anyone already suffering from breathing problems. He claims the NHS is spending millions of pounds treating people as a direct result of the disease. Mr Poole says the disease is transmitted through bird’s feathers and faeces. He says he has regularly counted 150-strong flocks of pigeons on buildings in Horncastle, but stresses it is an worldwide issue. He said: “Over the years, we have become inundated with pigeons. They have taken over our cites and towns. In fact, they have taken over the world. “This humble bird – like other birds – has a disease of the lung. Unlike other birds, pigeons gather together as a flight. The bigger the flight, the more the risk to a certain percentage of the population. “For example, those people who suffer from emphysema, chronic bronchitis or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) which is an umbrella term for both conditions are particularly vulnerable. That is not forgetting asthma and other chest related diseases.” Robert, who himself suffers from breathing problems, says walking near to pigeons can aggravate any health issues. He added: “Pigeon lung disease is transmitted through the bird’s feathers and bodily discharge. “You only have to walk through Horncastle to see the mess they leave. “They fly in close proximity to trees, roofs, gutters, and, of course, people. “This disease the pigeons have is scattered into the atmosphere and it is highly likely anyone with breathing problems will be affected. “Temperature also has a marked effect. The higher the temperature and humidity, the more serious the consequences.” Robert said his claims are backed by health experts. He added: “Statistics show one in eight hospital admissions are due to COPD and asthma. “This makes COPD the second largest cause of emergency admissions and one of the most expensive in-patient conditions treated by the NHS. “A lot of this could be avoided if we culled the number of pigeons. “The effect it has on patient health is a severe shortness of breath. This may eventually become very distressing and become more serious with complications. “I know. I have been there. I was diagnosed with COPD in 2012. Eighteen months ago, I was interviewed by a medical company from London and a lot of the information I have is supported by Public Health England and the Health Protection Team.” Is it time to put pigeons on the pill or use a hawk to reduce numbers? Mr Poole says he has tried to highlight the consequences of pigeon lung disease but adds many people don’t believe him – despite ‘the mountain’ of medical evidence backing his claims. He is calling for medical organisations – and individuals who could suffer from the effects of the disease – to come together and discuss the problem. He adds: “It affects so mAny people – young and old – yet the vast majority aren’t aware of it.” Town councillors have previously discussed ways of reducing the pigeon population in Horncastle after complaints about the mess they cause. Ideas have included a cull, bringing in a hawk, or even putting pigeons on ‘the pill’. The council says it has not received any recent complaints.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Dove season opens hunting in the state beginning Sept. 2 and runs through three splits in our South Zone — Sept. 2-10, Oct. 7-Nov. 26 and Dec. 17-Jan. 15.
There are seven dove species in Louisiana, five of them legal to bag — mourning dove, Eurasian collared-dove, ringed-turtle dove, white-winged dove and the rock dove (pigeon).
The two that are protected are the common ground dove and the Inca dove.
Most abundant is the mourning dove which likes the open fields. We see more white-winged doves in neighborhoods. I live behind the McNeese State football stadium and have about two dozen that greet me every morning when I go out to feed birds.
Most of the white-wings are seen Southwest and Southeast of Central Louisiana.
The collared doves are statewide and the turtle doves are statewide but spotty.
This year the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has put a restriction on hunters using the Wildlife Management Areas and the departments leased fields.
They will only be allowed to use a non-toxic shot, size 6 and smaller for hunting.
The official news release from the LDWA reads: “The change is intended to reduce the deposition of lead shot and potential effects of lead on wildlife. Current research has demonstrated that in dove fields and areas surrounding dove fields, deposition of lead is high and concentration of lead is elevated in the soil.
“The regulation was proposed and adopted in order to mitigate the potential exposure of lead to wildlife in areas impacted by this activity.”
As for WMAs, there are none in the immediate area but Kori Legleu, a biologist with the local LDWA office, said the department will have several area dove field leases for the season.
“We probably won’t know for sure until about a week before the season begins,” she said.
Legleu noted that the leased fields will be in the DeRidder and Ragley areas.
She said hunters will be charged $10 each to hunt the leased fields per day and will have to check in at the site, noting that this is an opportunity for those who don’t have a place to hunt.
Hunters can go on the LDWF website to find out more on the leased fields.
Maps of these fields will also be available at the local LDWA headquarters.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
They waddle on the yellow line next to the BART tracks. They scavenge for food scraps left by residents and tourists alike. They nest in the rafters and other nooks around the Powell Street BART station. And they splatter the station with guano.
The presence of rock pigeons throughout SF is nothing new, but there has been an especially high concentration of them at SF’s Powell Street BART station – the third busiest in the transit system with 33,273 commuters using the station on an average weekday – for years.
BART has taken steps to make the station a less attractive dwelling for pigeons, including using high-frequency and predatory bird sounds to annoy or scare the pigeons away. But it hasn’t been enough.
Two months ago, BART spent $25,000 to install fabric nets to block access to spots around the station, like rafters and overhangs, that pigeons have used for resting and nesting in the past. Still, there are other perches, like the signs showing commuters which exit is which, that can’t be covered up.
A pigeon rests on a sign directing commuters to one of the Powell Street BART station’s exits. The small white spots splattered on the sign are pigeon guano.
But despite BART’s attempts at pigeon abatement, signs of pigeons at the station are all over the place – their fights over food scraps, mating rituals and, yes, guano. Opinions of Bay Area commuters and residents on the pigeons vary, too.
“I absolutely hate pigeons. They’re a menace,” said Jesse Reyes, 27, of San Francisco. He’s a student at nearby Hack Reactor and he was walking through the Powell Street BART station from the Starbucks in Westfield Mall when he spoke to SFGATE. “It’s like we’re living in Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’.”
Reyes, with an incredulous look on his face, said the pigeons act like they aren’t even scared of the masses of people bustling by them. That’s likely because, according to local pigeon and wildlife experts, they’ve become acclimated to urban environments over the decades.
Some commuters, like Jessica Guevarra, 18, of SF, have become as acclimated to the pigeons at the station as the pigeons have become to living there. “Honestly since I’ve lived here all my life it doesn’t bother me,” she said.
Alison Hermance, director of communications for wildlife rescue hospital WildCare in San Rafael, said the often-adaptable pigeons have figured out how to live among humans.
“They benefit from the easy access to food that humans provide, as well as many protected spots for nesting in our buildings and eaves and easy-to-access water sources like fountains and water features,” Hermance said.
The exact number of pigeons at the station is unknown to local pigeon and wildlife experts as well as BART and Muni representatives. “We’re busy with other things. We’re not doing too much birdwatching,” said Jim Allison, media relations manager for BART.
Jodie Foreman, the founder of a SF group that rescues string-foot pigeons (pigeons whose feet are injured after getting tangled in human hair and string), estimated that each city block has a flock and each flock could have several hundred birds.
“As with any wildlife population, the number of animals present is exactly the number that the environment can support,” Hermance said.
Foreman suggested other methods for curbing the pigeon population like feeding the pigeons contraceptive food, replacing their eggs with replicas and installing breeding boxes. Some of these methods have been tried in other major metropolitan areas where there are large pigeon populations.
Allison did not say that whether BART would try any of those methods, but he did point out a couple long term pigeon abatement efforts. He said part of the ceiling replacement project at Powell Street BART will involve the installation of metal screens to permanently cover up the pigeons’ hang outs. Installation of the screens will cost $240,000 and the project will be complete in the winter of 2017 or early 2018.
He acknowledged that the ceiling replacement project will not completely solve the problem of the pigeons entering the station. He said that BART is also working to cover the entrances of the BART stations with canopies to help deter pigeons from getting down to the station entrances and platforms. The latest that project will be completed, he said, is fall 2019.
Hallidae Plaza poses another challenge when it comes to limiting the pigeons’ access to the Powell Street station. The open space near the station entrance provides ample space for pigeons to perch or enter one of BART’s busiest stations.
Another way to limit the number of Powell station pigeons would be for BART and Muni passengers to obey rules prohibiting food in the stations and trains. There are several food vendors on Powell Street right outside of the entrances to the BART station and people feed birds at nearby Union Square.
“Certainly with the number of people in the area, there is also a lot of human food being consumed and dropped or improperly disposed of,” Hermance said. “Pigeons are flock birds, so they like to hang out together, and they’ll gravitate to a place with lots of easy-to-access food.”
Elizabeth Young, founder and executive director of the SF-based Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions, said although many commuters think of pigeons as a nuisance, they attract them by being sloppy with their food and drink.
“We drop things all over the place, lots of food and lots of crumbs, so there’s a lot of food for them,” she said. “So they live [where there’s food] and they reproduce and people don’t like that…[but] until we stop dropping food…you can’t blame the birds, it’s our fault.”
Allison recalled recently witnessing a litterbug in action at the station. “I was there yesterday and I saw a guy eating an energy bar,” he said. “I guess he didn’t like the taste of it and he just threw it right on the floor of the station. You know, all that does it attract vermin.
“If people could just be mindful of the fact that we’re surrounded by pigeons, by rats…they’ve thrived in our ecosystem and that just gives them encouragement to come into the BART station if they know they can find food there.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A Dirty Dancing theme night had to be scrapped – after customers claimed the event was invaded by pigeons.
Organisers of The Dirty Dancing Movie Experience, held at the Govan Shed in Glasgow, pulled the plug on an evening show after they were hit by a deluge of complaints over the afternoon session.
Customers said the sound quality was poor, prosecco was overpriced and warm and a cinema screening of the movie was hampered by pigeons inside the venue.
Fans of the 1988 movie, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray, were promised the time of their lives and paid £15 a ticket to enjoy the big-screen show, cocktails, street food and live dancers. But last night the event’s Facebook page was inundated with unhappy customers looking for refunds.
One social media user, Yvonne Watson, said: “We were there today and it was the worst thing ever. Freezing cold warehouse, birds flying around your head and five portaloos.
“We left after half an hour. A disgrace.” Andrea Toner said that the show was nothing like the advertisements and added: “I’m disgusted and disappointed and feel I’ve been conned.”
Sarah Brady wrote: “Portable toilets and £26 for a bottle of Prosecco and you can’t even hear the film. The toilets blocked and do not flush, no water to wash your hands.”
Customers were told to contact Twinkle Cinemas for a refund but complained that their emails bounced back.
Casey Williams, from the company, said: “A licensing officer from Glasgow City
Council came out to the venue at our request this evening and was completely happy with everything.
“We don’t think we have sound problems and we have refunded everybody for the cancelled show.
“A small number of people had an issue and everyone else had a fantastic time.”
The event had its first show on Friday and is due to run shows today.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
New Delhi: Agrasen Ki Baoli, the famous monument located on Hailey Road near Connaught Place in New Delhi, is in need of restoration. The architectural building has turned into a residing place for bats and pigeons. One is only able to hear the gurgling sound of pigeons, and the squeaky chatter of bats echoing. Presently, Agrasen Ki Baoli has become a hub for couples who wish to spend some quality time together.
The Baoli used to have water earlier that has dried up in recent times. One can still see the bed of the reservoir that is filled with the feathers of birds and droppings. The silence deepens as one moves to the bottom of the stairs as the light of the day fades, making visitors feel as though they are in a place that is haunted.
Agrasen Ki Baoli is one of the popular tourist sites among the visitors in Delhi. The architectural building was originally built by Maharaja Agrasen, in the Mahabharat era, and later rebuilt by the Agrawal community in the 14th century, probably during the Tughlaq period.
The architectural monument is currently protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and has a mammoth board indicating it’s national importance. The monument is divided into four levels with a flight of 108 steep steps leading down to the well. The steps are flanked by thick walls on both the sides with two series of arched niches at the first top and second levels.
The withering condition of the walls and the stinky water shed area calls for immediate restoration of the monument. The condition of the monument is getting worst with each passing day. However, this lofty monument that is considered haunted manages to attract tourists in the capital. The filthy black water is said to have an evil charm, has hypnotising people to their death by alluring them to jump in the reservoir.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
RATS scurrying around Church Green in Redditch town centre are proving to be an ongoing issue – and traders and shoppers are blaming locals feeding the pigeons for the problem, writes Ramla Soni.
Hazel Whiston of fast food stall Bob & Hazels in Market Square said: “The issue of rats is so frustrating as its people themselves who are causing this. If people didn’t come with huge bags of bread and seeds to feed the pigeons, rats would not come around this area for food.
“We have told them not to feed the pigeons but they keep on doing so. There is a small sign on the lamppost opposite us prohibiting the feeding of pigeons but no one can see that. Several should be placed around in places more visible to the public.”
Another market trader said: “It’s not a nice sight for people coming into town. You can see several running across the church pathway and on the grass where when it’s a nice day children play and have family picnics.
“People need to stop feeding the pigeons as when the birds don’t eat the food rats do.”
Shelly Wootton who works at Andrew Grant Sales and Lettings on Church Green East added: “Of course rats are going to be around in a natural environment just like foxes and other outdoor creatures, but I do see a lot of people feeding pigeons which needs to stop as it is attracting more rats day by day.”
County environmental health officer Toby Hardman-Dodd said action would be taken: “We will be putting some more ‘do not feed pigeons’ signs up around the affected area and also targeting rats by using pest treatment and placing bait boxes.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Extra help has been brought in to bolster Carlisle United’s defence – against troublesome mess-making birds.
While Keith Curle battles to bring in new faces for his match day squad, the club has swooped to get a new member of the backroom team – a hawk named Buzz.
The new addition has been brought in to solve a big problem the club has with menace birds causing mess at Brunton Park.
Seagulls, pigeons, sparrows and other feathered friends have been roosting in the stadium and leaving behind an unpleasant mess with grounds staff and cleaning contractors spending countless hours each week removing it.
In the search for a more permanent cost-effective solution Matt Bond, from Carlisle-based CITO Cleaning Ltd, who are the club’s cleaning contractors, put forward the idea after his bird-watcher son suggested it.
“Everybody in the city knows there’s a bird problem here,” he told the News & Star.
“At the football club it’s been there for about three seasons, especially in the first few months of the season. Birds nesting is a massive problem. This year there seems to be a lot more.”
With the plans approved by the club Gary Swainson, from the Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre, was brought on board and Buzz started circling the ground last week.
“It’s one of those jobs that can be very successful or the species targeted can be very resilient to it,” he said.
“It has to be an ongoing process. If you scare them once they will go away but they will come back again.
“We’ve been out at the ground most evenings for the last week. The idea is that pest species don’t get a regular time, they just know that the area is patrolled by a predator.
“They then know it becomes an unsafe place to be.
“The idea is that by flying the hawk they will go and roost somewhere else because they feel uncomfortable.”
Mr Swainson says that birds will naturally try and return to places where the conditions are good for roosting, as Brunton Park appears to be.
Mr Bond added: “It’s been very effective so far but it’s not a 100 per cent guarantee.”
While the problem is affecting all sides of the ground the problem is most apparent in the east and west stands.
The scheme at Brunton Park has sparked interest from other areas of the city where there have been high-profile bird problems.
“People have been saying to us why hasn’t this been done before,” Mr Bond added.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
This week’s Second Captains Sunday (RTÉ R1) begins with Eoin McDevitt confessing he’d never really been a fan of swimming. One can almost taste the iodine chill in the seaside air as co-host, and noted swimpresario, Ken Early reacts to this startling admission.
Even he, however, wouldn’t have found a more eloquent champion for the practice than this episode’s guest, Dorothy Cross. Before she became one of Ireland’s foremost visual artists, Cross was a committed and talented young swimmer on the fringes of Ireland’s Olympic team. She’d also gone for some slightly more perilous dips.
“They won’t attack you if they know they’re human,” she says, of her time swimming with sharks, “because we’re not good food. We’re bony old things.”
The bulk of the conversation concerns her work, and is studded throughout with eminently quotable lines from an artist unafraid to tackle large, weighty themes.
Or, indeed, large, weighty objects, such as her 1998 work Ghost Ship, an entire marine vessel off Dún Laoghaire harbour in Dublin, that was coated with phosphorous paint, giving it a gently luminous glow: “It was at times beautiful, although there were lots of technical problems.”
Then there is a recent quixotic attempt to mount a project that has so far met with failure due to her inability to procure a human heart.
“You everywhere encounter this fear and bureaucracy of anything related to the heart,” she says. “We wouldn’t have nearly so much trouble procuring a lung. People imbue hearts with so much value, probably correctly.”
“Art is about discovery” she later says, “Maybe we need a bit of psychic torment to do anything. Of course it’s about enjoyment, but it’s also about unsettling things. It shouldn’t be comforting, it should be about looking at something like you’ve not seen it before. It’s a funny, weird animal that can help us see things in a new way.”
Some much more dramatic, and practical impediments to ocean travel are evident as Cormac Ó hEadhra covers for Today with Sean O’Rourke (RTÉ One, Monday to Friday) and tells the inspiring story of Almuthana, or “Al” as he is known to friends.
Al is a Syrian refugee who, after “making the perilous journey to Greece in a little plastic boat”, eventually wound up in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, where he’s flourished due to the enormous generosity of the local community, and his determination to fulfil an improbable dream.
A lecturer in agricultural engineering back home, Al’s dream is to be a violinmaker, and in a story told jointly by himself and Debbie Beirne of the Friends of Ballaghaderreen, we hear his progress, step by step. Though not a common instrument in his native Syria, Al speaks movingly about the effect the instrument had on him.
“When I was a child, I saw something strange when players used their bow. When I moved to Ireland I knew I wanted to make violins.”
All this is not to say he was able to convince everyone.
“We did put him in touch with one elderly gentleman, who didn’t believe he had ever made a violin. I don’t want to say where he was from, he was a lovely gentleman, but he didn’t believe him. I think it was the language barrier.”
Eventually, Al gets some remarkable news when local violinmaker Dave Teehan has to abandon his business when he develops an allergy due to the chemicals used in wood resin. While inarguably not good news for Dave’s respiratory system, the upshot is an incredible bit of fortune for Al, who now has a workshop, tools, and all the materials he needs to get off the ground. Now, just a few months later, he has not only crafted his first violin, but is poised to present it to Michael D Higgins in a special ceremony later this year.
Indeed, Al’s story is so damnably uplifting that it borders on the unbelievable, and one fears the eventual sturdy, well-made little Irish film that’s begging to be made of this narrative, may need to tone the whole thing down a little.
Elsewhere, In the Shower with Taz Kelleher (Monday, Headstuff podcast network) is a brand new show with an admirably specific premise; it’s a 15-minute factual blast you listen to in the shower. As such, its presenters are sure it’s the first podcast in Ireland “aimed to be listened to while you’re naked”.
For the inaugural show, Taz and guest Marcus O’Laoire ask why we never see baby pigeons, in the process covering more about pigeons than the average listener likely thought there was to learn.
We discover that pigeons are basically a type of dove, a fact that amuses O’Laoire, who finds it pleasing that doves are universally symbolic of all things love and beauty, and their closest cousins considered little more than “rats with hang gliders”.
Pigeons are themselves, however, the very image of settled monogamy, romantic types who mate once and for life, all while exercising refreshingly untraditional gender roles, with the daddy pigeon tending to the nest, and the mother being the figurative, and one presumes literal, breadwinner. Oh, and we don’t see baby pigeons because they don’t leave their nests for 35-40 days after hatching, at which point they look like regular adult pigeons.
At 15 minutes, In The Shower is a bit long for anything but the most luxuriant shower, but luckily time is allotted each episode to do some admin, supplying reminders as to when you should be soaping up, towelling down and even going for a controversial, pre-spritz teeth brushing. Short, sweet, and silly without being irksome, the show hits just the right note of baffled inconsequentiality.
If, however, the episodes start piling up in future, do consider transitioning to a bath. Moment of the Week
Sean Moncrieff’s (Wednesday, Newstalk) intrepid beat reporter Henry McKean is a master of working the humble ranks of ordinary folk and getting great, even alarming quotes from them. Discussing Tinder with people on the street, in response to the news that Ann Robinson had joined the online dating app in her seventies, McKean gets a number of amusing responses but none more curt or beautifully timed than the caustic aul Dubliner who, when asked if he’d swipe right for Robinson, immediately replies “I’d swipe my phone right out the window” before swiftly walking off.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Most would agree that animals are not generally fans of surfing. Yeah, there’s the occasional one that seems to actually enjoy it, but for the most part, the animals that people put on surfboards look terrified. It’s no different for pigeons, at least judging by the images that Steve Young, a photographer from Jacksonville, snapped on Tuesday.
A guy named Cody Leutgens, who runs Surf City Surf School in North Carolina (follow them here!), was reaping the rewards of Hurricane Gert’s fury when he spotted a pigeon that was in a bit over his head. We’ll let him explain, because it’s much better that way. Here’s what he told WECT6:
“Paddling out near the pier, I spotted him struggling in the water, assuming a fishing line wrapped his wing. While paddling alongside the poles, an old, since-passed friend who had an affinity for wildlife and a knack for making the area a better place came to mind, so I felt compelled to inspect on his behalf. When I neared him, no lines were in sight and it seemed the bird was exhausted or maybe injured. He climbed aboard and rested a minute. I asked him if he was alright to go about his flight, but he didn’t respond. A wave loomed, and Pidge perched on the nose of my vessel. We stroked into the swell with ease and he held his composure for the drop. At max speed, he performed a little cheater feather hang five, then settled back until we went through the pier towards the beach. I carried him on our board to a piling bearing a mini tide pool and he scooted into the little salty bath for more rest. Seemed to like it, so I went back in the ocean. When I ended my session, he’d since left his zone. Halfway back, there was a cluster of pigeons, all but one of which fled as myself and a fellow surfer passed. I noticed his flustered feathers and knew it was Pidge, the wave carrier pigeon. As I kneeled and set my board on the sand, he came over and gave a little nod of retirement from his surf career, greeting his board one last time. All in all, a good sesh with a new homie. Me, the TI surf community, and the fella we lost some time ago would’ve all done the same for our surfing, flying comrade.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A lost pink pigeon has landed on its feet after it arrived in a Somerset street.
The bird turned up in Blackbird Close, Midsomer Norton, having flown all the way from Glasgow.
Tiffany Bailey spotted the unusually-coloured bird in her street in Midsomer Norton and was concerned that it was hanging around for a few days.
She said: “I was worried my two cats might catch it as it was on the floor quite a lot, so I asked around – it came back but was unable to catch it. The lady at the top of my road caught it and someone came and rescued it.”
The bright pink bird was taken to Paulton by Becky Chivers, who keeps pigeons.
The 27-year-old mother said: “I got tagged in a Facebook post and asked if I could take it as the people that caught it didn’t have any experience.
Pink pigeon with Becky’s children – Chai and Tayla Moyle(Image: Becky Chivers)
“I picked it up and put it in my loft on its own for 24hrs and have now just put it in another one of my lofts with more pigeons it is under-weight which is understandable seeing as it has flew from Glasgow.
“Hopefully it will put weight on and I will keep it in with my other pigeons that don’t race.”
She said the bird’s pink colour was probably deliberate to prevent the bird being preyed upon.
Becky added: “You can get pink spray and you spray it under each wing to stop birds of prey catching them.
“I don’t know if it works or not but this poor pigeon definitely didn’t just get sprayed under its wing!”
As the pigeon is so far from her original home she is being rehomed with Becky’s birds – all being well.
Becky said that she started keeping pigeons in February 2016, and was following in the footsteps of her grandfather who kept the birds for more than 50 years.
She said: “I started helping him as his health got bad in February 2016 and he sadly passed away in December 2016. His wishes were for me to continue racing pigeons so that’s what I do.
“At the minute I’ve got about 60 pigeons.”
The oldest pigeon she has is Scar – an aptly named 17-year-old-bird.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
The key to finding out who poisoned a bird of prey could lie within a “rogue minority” in the racing pigeon community, police said.
A peregrine falcon was found poisoned at Glendinning Quarry in Ashburton, Devon, on Tuesday and died a day later.
Police have described the area as a “hot spot” for suspected poisonings.
The RSPB has offered a £1,000 reward for information which directly leads to the prosecution of the offender.
PC Josh Marshall, Devon and Cornwall Police’s wildlife crime officer said: “The answer to solving and preventing these poisonings could lie somewhere within a rogue minority of the racing pigeon community.”
Peregrine falcons sometimes eat racing pigeons, which “causes conflict”, he said.
The falcon will be forensically examined to establish the cause of death and a police investigation has been launched.
Other incidents in the Ashburton area:
2011: One poisoned peregrine falcon at White Cleaves Quarry, Buckfastleigh
2005: Racing pigeon used as poisoned bait at Glendinning Quarry, Asburton
2005: One poisoned peregrine and one pigeon used as poisoned bait
2003: Two men with a pigeon on a length of string appeared to try and lure peregrines from the top of White Cleaves Quarry
2000: One poisoned Peregrine at Glendinning Quarry
2000: One shot sparrowhawk near Buckfastleigh, which survived
1992: Two dead peregrines at White Cleaves Quarry, with pigeon flesh in crop
PC Marshall said: “Generally the method used will be to smear the bait with a Vaseline-type substance containing the poison onto either a live or dead bird.”
He warned the poison was also toxic to humans and pets and that people should not touch dead or injured birds.
South West Peregrines, a volunteer group which monitors the birds, has described the incident as “abhorrent”.
Tony Whitehead, from the RSPB, said: “Once again, it appears the peregrines at this site have been deliberately targeted and, it is suspected, poisoned.
“Should this prove to be the case, this is outrageous and the criminals must be brought to justice.”
The Royal Pigeon Racers Association has been contacted for comment.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
The life, adventures, and professional transitions of Mohamed (Christian name “Mike”) Agha could fill a book that would entertain readers while educating with history lessons.
“I like to say I’m a jack of all trades and a master of some,” said a smiling Agha, who believes keeping a sense of humor is key to life. “I immerse myself in anything I do that’s interesting.”
During his seven decades, the Lebanese-born Ramona resident has operated several different kinds of businesses, been a horse owner/trainer, bounced back from a brain injury suffered in a car accident, and as a teenager was instrumental in starting a championship volleyball team in his home country. He is multilingual, an accomplished cook, and raises pigeons.
“The way Mohamed grew up is so fascinating to me,” said his partner, Candace Regel. The two own The Blinds Spot and Regal Floors in Ramona.
Agha grew up in Tripoli, Lebanon, with three brothers and three sisters.
“My dad was an open-minded person,” he said. “It was a Muslim home but never strict. My dad sent us to the best school in Tripoli, Lebanon, ’cause it was a Christian school, because he wanted us to be aware of everything.” About 40 percent of the population in Lebanon is Christian, he noted.
Mike Agha sits on his Arabian horse, Candy, ready to ride in a parade. (Courtesy photo)
Agha attended a French Catholic school and said most of his friends were Christians and everyone got along. He can speak French, English, Spanish, and Arabic.
“The French education — they taught us all about Western civilization from the Greeks all the way to today.”
Agha’s neighborhood did not have running water.
“We had all the old traditions of keeping food and saving for the winter,” he said.
Their home changed thanks to Agha’s father who only had a third-grade education but taught himself accounting. He became an accountant for one of the richest families in Tripoli and their household was the first in the neighborhood to have running water, a radio, refrigerator, television, telephone, and car.
Agha took his first trip to the United States in 1969.
What brought him here?
“All the movies that I saw,” he responded, laughing. “I didn’t miss a show.” Listing such actors as Roy Rogers, John Wayne, Rock Hudson, and Doris Day, Agha said, “I was a movie buff. And that kind of made learning English a lot easier for me.”
Over the next 25 years he traveled back and forth. His last time in Lebanon was in 1994, a year after he became a U.S. citizen.
In 1983, he managed a woman’s apparel store in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Women would come in wearing their hijabs and buy up the apparel that Agha’s brother sent from Los Angeles.
It was strange, Agha said. “They couldn’t drive, they couldn’t do this, this, and that. They had to have an escort, however, once they are in the shop, they can do whatever they want.
“One time I had two princesses come in with their entourage. Young princesses, like 16, 17.” They picked out clothing and had Agha deliver it to the back door of their palace. He found out they were the granddaughters of the then future King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
Agha’s past includes operating an Italian restaurant on Miramar Road and a Middle Eastern restaurant called Caravan in Escondido.
He and his brothers opened Carpet Country on Miramar Road in 1984 and later moved it to Poway. In 2011, he and Regel opened The Blinds Spot. They met while he was an owner/horse trainer at San Luis Rey Downs in Bonsall.
They own Arabian horses and also have a menagerie of birds: a rescue Amazon parrot, a rooster and hens, and Egyptian and Pakistani pigeons. Raising pigeons is a Middle Eastern tradition, Agha noted.
“It stems from really old times from when Arabs used them for messenger pigeons,” he explained. Aghastarted with five pairs, not realizing how quickly they reproduce. In two years he had 150 pigeons. His flock that he lets out every day has since dwindled to 40, and he and Regel are entertained by watching their habits.
“The males always, always show off,” he said.
Agha finds life good in Ramona. With the mountains, ocean, and desert close by, it reminds him of his homeland.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
As the Community Council members are on a summer break until September, our news this month is mainly ongoing issues but progress is happening!
The Pipe Band Championships at the end of July certainly brought another successful day to our town with the usual influx of visitors and the amazing talent from all ages in the pipe bands including some local young talent which is always an extra reason to experience the feel good factor.
Work on Dumbarton East Railway Station has finally been completed . The work started last year and was an on/off project for months when problems were experienced with the bridge crossing. However, the station has been resurfaced and new concrete slabs have been laid. We will see if the shelter builds up water or not when it rains.
Unfortunately, although the station has had a makeover, the area under the bridge is still a haven for the pigeons so the pigeon mess is still as disgusting within a day or two after being cleaned. No word has been heard on whether the Council has been able to obtain a stream of funding to address this problem but an effort is being made to obtain finance to deal with this. The wheels of time etc etc!!
If you are passing the new Council Offices, you will notice the progress being made and the building is certainly taking shape. The old Academy Building is getting the makeover which is bringing it back to life and when it is finished will be an asset to the town centre.
The next meeting of Dumbarton East & Central Community Council will be held on Tuesday 12 September 2017 in St Augustine’s Hall at 7pm. The AGM will be held that evening and members of the public are welcome to come along and meet their Community Councillors and if there any issues you wish to raise, this is the meeting to come to and make your views heard. If it is in our remit, we will be happy to take any issues up with the appropriate personnel. Also, we are always looking for news members – but that is certainly not obligatory.
Enjoy what is left of the summer. Could be an indian summer yet!
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Police have launched an investigation after the death of a peregrine falcon in a quarry at Ashburton. Officers believe the young bird had been poisoned, and issued a warning that the poison could also be deadly to humans.
There are also suspicions that rogue members of the pigeon racing fraternity could be to blame for the poisoning. A £1,000 reward has been put up in an effort to find the poisoners,
PC Josh Marshall, who is Devon and Cornwall Police’s Wildlife Crime Officer, posted an emotional Tweet after the falcon was discovered.
He wrote: “Look into the eyes of a juvenile Devon peregrine falcon moments before its death.”
Police were contacted by staff at Glendinning Quarry in Ashburton, on Tuesday following reports of an injured peregrine falcon on the floor of the quarry which is home to a breeding pair of the birds.
PC Marshall made sure the bird received immediate care, but it died the following day.
He said: “The initial inspection and condition of the bird strongly suggests that this bird had been poisoned. The bird has now been placed into the Wildlife Investigation scheme administered by Natural England where it will be forensically examined to establish the cause of death and a police investigation has now begun into the incident.
“Members of the public are warned that poisons commonly used to commit a crime like this are incredibly toxic to humans and pets. Should any person locate any dead or injured birds they are strongly advised not to touch them or let pets come into contact with them.
“Ingestion of these poisons can lead to death. It is incredibly concerning that individuals are using these types of chemicals within public areas that not only kill our wildlife but could also place members of the public, children and their animals into harm’s way.”
The area around Ashburton and Buckfastleigh is a hot spot for the poisoning of these birds of prey.
In 1992 two peregrines were found dead at White Cleaves, Buckfastleigh, having eaten a poisoned pigeon.
In 2000 a peregrine was poisoned at the Ashburton quarry.
In 2000 a sparrowhawk was shot near Buckfastleigh but survived.
In 2003 two men with a pigeon on a length of string were spotted trying to lure peregrines at Buckfastleigh.
In 2005 a live racing pigeon with clipped wings was coated in poison and used as bait. Peregrine chicks were rescued but adults were missing, presumed dead.
In 2005 a dead peregrine was found on a dead pigeon which had been baited with poison and had its wings clipped.
In 2011 a peregrine was poisoned at a Buckfastleigh quarry.
PC Marshall added: “As can been seen from this data, the use of illegal banned poisons are evident and put the public at significant risk. In the 2005 incident, a number of children could have been harmed or potentially worse when the poisoned bait (a racing pigeon) was located wandering around near to a childminder’s address.
“Significantly racing pigeons have been used as the bait for a number incidents both here and nationally and the answer to solving and preventing these poisonings could lie somewhere within a rogue minority of the racing pigeon community.
“Peregrine falcons do not differentiate between prey items such as wild pigeons and racing pigeons, and this obviously causes conflict with some prize racing pigeons being taken by these birds of prey.
“Generally the method used will be to smear the bait with a Vaseline type substance containing the poison on to either a live or dead bird. When the peregrine plucks and eats the bait item the poison is then ingested and kills the bird. The bird then endures an excruciating few hours whilst waiting to die.
“South West Peregrines, a volunteer group who monitor these birds and others within the South West, have described the incident as ‘abhorrent’.
“We are urging members of the local community to come forward with any information they may have that can assist in bringing these offenders to justice.”
Information is handled in the strictest of confidence and can be passed directly to PC Marshall at Joshua.marshall2@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk or by email 101@dc.police.uk or calling 101 quoting log number 0223 180817.
Information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers via 0800 555111 or the charity’s website at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Tony Whitehead, speaking for RSPB in the South West said: “Peregrines are magnificent and much-loved birds, whose comeback over the past twenty years is a conservation success. However, once again, it appears the peregrines at this site have been deliberately targeted and, it is suspected, poisoned.
“Should this prove to be the case, this is outrageous and the criminals must be brought to justice. We are also concerned that, should this again prove to be a poisoning, someone is wantonly placing toxic chemicals in the countryside which can be a danger to both humans and pets.
“Someone in the local community must have information about who’s doing this and we urge people to come forward and contact the police. A £1,000 reward has been offered by the RSPB for information that directly leads to the prosecution of the offender.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
There are many ways to offer tips about crimes to Smiths Falls and District Crime Stoppers – social media is not one of them.
In a press release, Crime Stoppers say they appreciate all the help and support from the community especially when the tips help solve crimes.
“So far, 2017 has been a stellar year both in terms of volume/quantity of tips that have been received and the financial support that the community has provided in order to pay our rewards,” the release states.
To remain safe and anonymous, they recommend three ways to provide tips and information:
* Phone: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477);
* Online: https://www.tipssubmit.com; and,
* Text Message: text to CRIMES (274637); in the message field, type “tip252”.
Some of the tips Crime Stoppers has received in 2017 have arrived in some unusual forms, they said, and they want to stress how potentially unsafe this may be to our tipsters.
Here are a few examples of tip methods that should never be used:
* Carrier Pigeon;
* Mail;
* Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.);
* In Person;
* Anything other than the three methods previously mentioned by Crime Stoppers.
This reminder is being provided so that Crime Stoppers can continue to make sure that our tipsters always remain anonymous. Anonymity keeps tipsters safe.
“Crime does not pay, but Crime Stoppers does,” is their motto.
Did you know that Crime Stoppers does not receive government funding from any level? It relies on funds raised by the board members of each individual program and on donations provided by the public.
Crime Stoppers does make a difference in our community.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
