by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 1, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
AROUND New Year some Yorkshire farmers and landowners hold the first of what have become traditional shoots at woodpigeon roosts.
The bird is the most common found on UK farmland, and the huge resident population is boosted each autumn by migrants from the Continent. In some areas the shoots are a necessity owing to the woodpigeon’s destructive effect on crops. For example, one large flock – some are as many as 2,000-strong – can take out a field of sprouts or cabbages in a day. They also hammer crops like corn and rape.
A few years back I was invited to describe a shoot on one estate, which must remain nameless for fear of attracting animal rights campaigners. By tradition, the first shoot of the winter took place on the final Saturday of December, and after issuing an invite to friends and neighbours the farmer never knew how many guns to expect. Sometimes as many as 25 to 30 turned up.
It helped if there wasn’t much beechmast left, apparently, because when the birds are still finding plenty to eat in beechwoods there are fewer on farmland.
The woodpigeons started flying back to their evening roost in mature conifers about two in the afternoon, by which time everyone was in place beneath trees the birds were known to use year after year. There was no real need for stealth at that point since the pigeons were still out in the fields.
Every corner of the plantations had to be staked out, because once the first shot is heard the birds quickly try to find sanctuary. The guns positioned themselves in any woodland gaps which the birds would fly over on arrival or departure. Others went 50 yards or so outside the wood and tucked themselves behind a hedge.
That particular day there was a stiff northerly blowing and a bit of sleet, which the farmer said was good. Without wind, the pigeons would fly in very high and eventually drop down to their roost almost vertically. If the guns weren’t directly underneath them, they wouldn’t have much chance of a shot.
To begin with there seemed to be a lull, a calm before the storm, when there was no movement in either sky or trees, then suddenly there came lots of banging, pop-pop-pop-pop in the distance, and the sky was full of wings.
Sometimes, as a shot was fired, the bird disappeared behind branches and the gun stood listening carefully to hear the noise of it clattering down through branches and thumping onto the ground. There was usually some visual evidence of a hit, since woodpigeons have quick-release feathers which are thought to be an anti-predator device.
On that particular day the total birds shot reached three figures. Yet the farmer who had organised the shoot said ruefully: “It’s supposed to be all about pest control, but you would scarcely notice any reduction. The very next day these woods are usually blue with pigeons again.”
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 31, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
PIGEONS in Poundbury beware.
This falcon is sweeping the skies to keep them clear from marauding birds.
Amateur photographer Sheila Hunn captured this stunning shot of the bird on a visit to Poundbury Garden Centre recently.
Sheila, 63, of Portland, said she was ‘thrilled to bits’ when she saw the photo.
“I was lucky enough to see the falcon with her handler. He told me she is flown regularly to keep the pigeons away and was kind enough to let me take a few photos.
“She is well trained and raised her wings on command from him.”
The bird is a cross between a peregrine falcon and a lanner falcon.
Sheila, a retired midwife, added: “She was a beautiful bird, standing there very proudly. I think she’s there most days. I’ve usually got my camera with me but I was lucky to get such nice shots.”
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 30, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, UltraSonic Bird Control
Council orders staff to investigate ways to eliminate pigeon roosting at the Canada Summit Centre entrance.
HUNTSVILLE – Pigeons have been steadfastly opposing the municipality.
Pigeon control program in…
Despite the concerted effort of staff, pigeons have been roosting in large numbers at the entrance to Huntsville’s Canada Summit Centre. At the Dec. 21 council meeting, a motion was passed to escalate the town’s efforts in deterring the fowl.
Kari Lambe, executive director of community services and economic development, explained to council that there have been numerous attempts made to keep the birds from the Summit Centre and they have all been thwarted.
“We have tried a number of things in the past. We’ve tried the fake owls. We currently have the spikes. We even have the spikes serviced on a regular basis because the pigeons actually try to bump the spikes off and try to build nests on top of the spikes,” said Lambe.
“Pigeons actually try to bump the spikes off.”
– Kari Lambe
The pigeon issue has had serious consequences for the municipality. According to Lambe, staff members are routinely at the Summit Centre entrance dealing with it, which takes away from time they could be spending else where.
Scott Aitchison, mayor of Huntsville, said the whole problem has been exasperated by people within the municipality.
“I believe there are a number of well-meaning citizens feeding the pigeons at the Summit Centre. That’s probably not helping the situation,” said Aitchison.
Council voted to direct staff to investigate further options for keeping the pigeons away from the entrance.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 29, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting
Pigeons that congregate outside Masjid Haji Muhammad Salleh mosque have been getting an extra ingredient in their breakfast.
Every day, pigeons that flock to the area are served a corn-based feed containing a drug called nicarbazin, which stops the female birds from producing eggs or causes them to lay eggs that do not hatch.
This new “birth control” method to limit pigeon numbers is being tested by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) at a field outside the mosque in Palmer Road, near Shenton Way.
The trial, which started on Oct 13 and will last a year, comes on the back of soaring complaints about the nuisance caused by pigeons.
The AVA has already received about 3,400 pigeon-related feedback from January to October this year, more than the 2,500 received for the whole of last year and the 2,100 in 2013.
It has also seen a growth in feedback about all kinds of birds, including pigeons, from some 4,400 messages in 2013 to 6,100 in the first 10 months of this year alone.
Mr Mohamed Idris, secretary of the management board of Masjid Haji Muhammad Salleh, said pigeons have always been around, but the problem has worsened over the last 10 years.
The field outside the mosque has an estimated 400 pigeons, twice as many as two years ago.
The birds would fly into the mosque compounds, making them a nuisance to the staff and those who go to the mosque to pray.
“They leave their droppings on the floor and you walk on it… They congregate at the food areas as well,” said Mr Mohamed.
This has led the AVA to choose the mosque as the first area to try out the new method.
During a demonstration yesterday, Ms Janet Chia, executive manager of the Operations (Wild Animals) section at AVA, said it will take about a year to see a drop in the pigeon population there.
Around five mosque volunteers will be in charge of feeding the laced feed to the pigeons. The method could be rolled out to other areas in Singapore if the trial succeeds.
When tested in Italy, the method was found to reduce the pigeon population in the test area by 30 per cent to 40 per cent over four years.
The drug does not harm the birds and is not toxic to animals or humans if taken in small amounts. It would take 40kg of the feed to see toxic effects in dogs and cats, and 60kg for a child, said Ms Chia.
She also urged the public not to feed birds, as this “would encourage their population size to grow and encourage them to congregate and cause nuisance”.
Feeding pigeons is illegal and those found to have flouted the rules face a fine of up to $500. The AVA has caught 113 bird feeders so far this year, including 13 who did so outside the mosque.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 28, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting
A concerned gran is crying fowl, claiming flying visitors are making a South Tyneside rail bridge a ‘health hazard’.
Joan Marsh says roosting pigeons are still a problem at the Hill Street bridge, in Jarrow, every day on her route to work despite a major revamp by transport bosses.
Pigeon problem at Hill Street Metro bridge. Joan Marsh
Pigeon problem at Hill Street Metro bridge. Joan Marsh
The 53-year-old, from Pine Street, in Jarrow, says flocks of pigeons congregated under the bridge – with their droppings on the pavement and railings an ongoing issue.
Metro owner Nexus, which manages the bridge along with Network rail, says it has installed netting above all the walkways, but Mrs Marsh says the work didn’t go far enough.
Network Rail says it was unaware of Mrs Marsh’s concerns but is happy to meet with her to discuss the issue.
Mrs Marsh, a mum-of-four and gran-of-one, said; “There are still droppings on the walkway and on the railings. The netting that is attached to the underside of bridges to stop birds from nesting hasn’t been fitted properly.
Pigeon problem at Hill Street Metro bridge. Joan Marsh
Pigeon problem at Hill Street Metro bridge. Joan Marsh
“It has only been fitted on the outside edges of the underside of the bridge. The middle has been missed.
“I counted 38 pigeons sitting on the ledges under the bridge. It will soon be back to a smelly, pigeon roosting health hazard if someone doesn’t step in and finish the work properly.
Nexus and Network rail have completed a major overhaul of the bridge, with new crash barriers installed to prevent the bridges from sustaining structural damage if any are hit by a car or a lorry.
Nexus says it has installed netting on 20% of the bridge that it manages and also put the netting above all the parts of the bridge that are above the walkways as a goodwill gesture.
A Network Rail spokesman said; “We haven’t been made aware of any concerns over netting on the bridge, but if Mrs Marsh contacts us we will send someone out and see what work is needed.
A Nexus spokesman added: “As part of our modernisation programme on the Hill Street bridge, we have installed pigeon netting above all of the walkways. We have also installed pigeon spikes to stop them from landing and have cleaned up both of the footpaths.
“The netting and the spikes have been put in place to prevent pigeons from roosting on the structure.
“All the work was carried out following feedback from local councillors and residents.
“We share the ownership of the Hill Street bridge with Network Rail. Nexus looks after about a fifth of the bridge structure, but the netting above the footpaths has been erected all the way along the bridge as part of the upgrades.
“We would encourage Mrs Marsh to get in direct contact with us so we can discuss this issue with her in more detail.”
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 27, 2016 | Bird Netting, UltraSonic Bird Control
The North Platte City Council may close the coop on North Platte’s pigeon problem.
The council will discuss authorizing an agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to “reduce the numbers of pigeons roosting and loafing in the city,” according to a copy of the agreement included in the agenda for the Jan. 5 meeting.
The agreement would create a wildlife damage management program to control the populations of pigeons, European starlings and English house sparrows within the city. The agreement states that use of a pellet rifle is effective in population control for all three bird species, as is trapping and euthanization, use of pesticides and nest removal.
The program would run in partnership with private businesses and entities agreeable to sharing the cost of the agreement. The private entities are not determined at this time.
Cost of the service is estimated at $7,499.
n The council will consider an extension request for Community Development Block Grants used for improvements in three areas of northwest North Platte. A letter from Tom Werblow, city engineer, to Judy Clark, city grants administrator, recommends an extension to Oct. 15. The city contracted with Cement Products on paving projects on 18th Street from Sheridan to Jackson avenues, 13th Street from Carr to Madison avenues and 15th Street from Custer to Sheridan avenues.
“We recommend caution in allowing Cement Products to bid on the next Block Grant project,” Werblow wrote in the letter.
His warning was because of Cement Products’ performance with the CDBG and NDOR projects, according to the letter.
n A vendor for Verizon Wireless, Unite Private Networks, has requested the city authorize them to use city utility poles. The company wants to attach “small cells” to the poles, which are intended to enhance cell phone networks and reduce the need for traditional cell phone towers.
An overview of the service from the company explains that small cells are used in an area already covered by a cell tower to assist in high bandwidth areas such as schools, shopping centers, airports and special events.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 26, 2016 | Bird Netting, UltraSonic Bird Control
It’s 10 minutes before noon and Ustad Anil Sood is ready. Dressed in a crisp white shirt and trousers, he puts on a black sleeveless jacket, a golden bracelet and watch, and rushes all the way up a spiral, dingy flight of stairs in his five-storey building. He is headed to the roof — his playground, like that of over a thousand other “kabootarbaaz” in this part of Old Delhi.
He has been on this roof, flanked by the historic Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Jama Masjid, “jab se maine hosh sambhala hai (since I gained consciousness)”, says the 45-year-old. The family has a construction business, which takes care of their “khaana-peena”, but kabootarbaazi is what gives them their “josh (zeal)”, Sood says.
In Agra last week, a six-day contest of kabootarbaazi was stopped following objections from the Animal Welfare Board of India, on grounds of cruelty to pigeons.
Over here in Old Delhi, in the midst of the peak December-March season, Sood is unflappable as he prepares his pigeons for their contests of the day. Kabootarbaazi was popularised in India by the Mughals, and Sood’s family, as per his estimation, has been participating in it “for over hundred years”. “It’s a passion,” he repeats, “a part of purani Delhi tradition.”
There are eight enclosures in all on the roof, holding about 100-150 pigeons each, from Hyderabad, Lucknow, Patiala and Delhi. Sood walks up to the enclosures and, for the next few minutes, talks to his pigeons — some “baat-cheet”, he says, to prep them.
A ‘shagird’ stands at the gate of the enclosure holding the Hyderabadi pigeons. Around 12.30 pm, Sood raises his left arm, the shagird flings open the gate, and the batch of 150 Hyderabadi pigeons — ivory-coloured with a few specks of grey, each with a name, and with tiny, special ghungroo (anklets) on their feet — are off, in a not-so-pretty rush.
At the same moment, from the roof of another building, two lanes away, an ustad releases his batch of “Lakhnawi” pigeons. The first kabootarbaazi game of the day is on.
This is a race, with the ustad whose pigeons fly the farthest from his roof to be declared the victor.
Sood isn’t worried. “In Kinari Bazaar, there are 12 ustads. My pigeons win most contests,” he smiles.
There is no money involved in these daily competitions, he clarifies. “But many ustads organise professional contests from time to time where the winner gets anything between Rs 1,000-50,000.”
One is crowned an ustad at an elaborate ceremony, involving the tying of a pagdi (turban). Sood’s brother, 42-year-old Arjun, is still a khalifa, a rank between a shagird and an ustad. Shagirds train under an ustad, and Sood has six with him today.
Sood points out the single black pigeon in his flock, now already some distance away. “That is my trademark. By it, people know these are my birds.”
All eyes now on the two rival flocks, Sood picks up his tool — a “chapka (wooden stick with a net)” — while the shagirds and khalifas get their sticks with red cloth tied to them. Then they begin the shouting. “The idea is to ensure that the pigeons don’t return to the roof and fly further away. Also, they must fly opposite to the wind, otherwise they are disqualified,” says Sood, making loud, throaty cries.
There are broad smiles as Sood takes another look at the sky and tells you which part of the city his pigeons are in — Sadar Bazaar. That is 2 km away.
On the other roof there is growing anger, as the Lakhnawi pigeons have started returning. The aggression palpable now, Sood and his team start shouting expletives to keep the pigeons away. “They (the pigeons) are like children, they need to be trained. It’s like accelerating a vehicle,” says a 14-year-old shagird.
Around 1.30 pm, Sood’s father Ram Kishan (75) comes to the roof. As he takes out his more robust tools — a big steel plank and an iron rod — one of Sood’s pigeons suddenly appears on the railing of the roof.
Kishan begins thumping the plank. Alarmed, the pigeon zooms off. Kishan says that was Chandna. “Usko badhazmi ho gai hai, thodi sust bhi hai (Her stomach’s upset, she is lazy too), but this is a strict sport.”
Few know pigeons better than Kishan, who makes two trips a year to markets across India to purchase the birds for his “team”. “The jungli (wild) pigeons come for as little as Rs 100, but each of my pigeons cost me nothing less than Rs 1,000.”
Elaborating what they look for, he adds, “The beak must be of one colour, even the body shouldn’t have mixed colours. We like the Hyderabadi and Irani breeds, all white and beautiful.”
The “training” begins when the pigeons are around three years old. “The pigeons are at their fittest and fastest then,” says Sood.
Later, after the game, Kishan holds Chandna’s feet and shakes them, and puts a net on top of her for a few minutes. “This is how we punish them. It’s like pulling a child’s ear,” he explains.
By now, the sky is full of pigeons. “Those near Jama Masjid belong to Muslim kabootarbaaz. We have competitions with them too, there is no religious rivalry,” says Sood.
His contest won, Sood raises his right arm and shrieks “Aaaoooo” — a cue for the pigeons to get back. In a twinkling of ghungroos, the birds fly in, and go straight for the mix of almonds and walnuts, grains and ghee that Arjun has sprinkled on the floor.
“They need a special diet, they are racers. This diet ensures they fly far and fight the winds,” he says watching with pride.
Explaining the anklets, Sood says, “They are just to enhance beauty. They come in many varieties too. The ones from Delhi have pearls, the Hyderabadi ones have metallic beads…”
The pigeons are still eating when, minutes later, Sood signals to one of the khalifas to fling a shoe in their middle. The stunned pigeons fly up again. “This is real training, so that they know I am the master,” says Sood.
His pigeons take on rival flocks two more times in the next one hour, winning each time. Satisfied, Sood finally calls the racers back.
At 3 pm, the tired pigeons get their “energy drink”. Sood grinds raw turmeric, dry ginger and other “jadi bootis (medicinal herbs)” together on a stone platform, and mixes their juice into a pot of lukewarm water for the birds. “Every ustad has a secret recipe,” he says. “We go to a hakim (unani doctor) to get the mix.”
After they have had their fill, the Hyderabadi pigeons are led into their enclosures — and they go in unprotesting.
However, for Sood, the second part of the day is only just beginning. For this, he takes out his “Patialas”— brown and grey pigeons, bigger and tougher, and “not as beautiful” as the Hyderabadis. As the birds are released with special sounds again, the rules are different. This flock’s aim is to take on the one from the neighbouring roof. The mission: to ensure your birds are not scared on to the opponent’s roof.
Arjun believes what happened in Agra stemmed from this. “An ustad lost 400 pigeons in fighting and complained to the police.”
The other side has pitted Hyderabadi pigeons against his Patialas. After a 10-minute bout, Sood shouts out “Ho!”, a signal for the birds to return. Suddenly an eagle appears in the mix, and his team’s fears come alive. One of Sood’s team members shouts “lagiya” — signalling that one of their pigeons was moving towards the other roof. Quickly, the screams get hoarser and Kishan begins beating the steel plank even more frantically. The contingency plan works, the pigeon flies back.
“Izzat ka sawal tha (It was a question of honour),” Sood smiles relieved. There are two more such 10-minute bouts in a game.
Arjun says it’s not the eagles that are the biggest threat. “It is the Chinese manjha (the string used for kite-flying that injures birds). This is the season of patangbaazi (kite-flying) too.”
The rounds of kabutarbaazi continue till pigeons in all their eight enclosures have had their time in the sky.
As they begin to pack up, Kishan dismisses suggestions that the sport may be dying. “My father, grandfather, each one was a kabootarbaaz. In Old Delhi, the excitement around the sport is growing.”
He can also tell you why. “After school, I know where my children will be — on the roof, playing with pigeons. It is better than smoking or drinking.” Sood smiles sheepishly and says his children are at tuitions.
As he looks down below, at the cacophony and rush that mark the narrow lanes of Kinari Bazaar in Chandni Chowk, where time has long stood still and down which his children will soon be returning, Sood tells you what he and his pigeons find on the roof on such sunny winter afternoons: “freedom”.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 25, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting
COPEVILLE, Texas — The pigeons returned soon after the tornado swept through and destroyed their home.
Willard Hill of Copeville took us to the back of the property where three pigeons sat in the field.
Sadly, there are fewer pigeons than before. Hill told News 8 that they come and go, but he can tell you a lot more about the man behind them: Jerry Brazeal.
WFAA
Victims of the North Texas tornadoes
“They’re waiting on him to feed them. They think he’s supposed to be here,” said Hill.
Alice McKinnon of Garland is Brazeal’s sister. They were only three years apart.
She learned Jerry died the night the tornado tore through Copeville. She first got calls from another brother and Jerry’s long-time girlfriend about her brother’s passing. She would later get confirmation from a detective at 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
Alice said she talked with the first responders who saw his final moments.
“The last words that he heard was ‘God’ and that makes me kind of have more peace,” she said.
A new disaster center opened in Collin County as Copeville mourns those lost in Saturday’s tornado. Jobin Panicker has the story.
Alice said her brother always moved around, but the longest place he’s stayed was in Copeville. She said he loved to be in the outdoors and loved his chickens and pigeons.
“I grew up with him sitting in a pigeon coop,” said McKinnon.
The cleanup continues in Collin County. Farming cities like Copeville, Farmersville, and Blue Ridge are still reeling. But if compassion could fill a room, it would look like what is happening at the First Baptist Church of Farmersville.
At the Collin County Disaster Resource Center, there are rows and rows of every imaginable clothing in every size.
A new disaster center opened in Collin County
A new disaster center opened in Collin County (Photo: WFAA)
Neighbors in Copeville tell News 8 that Jerry did odd jobs. He liked the country and lived out of a pop-up camper. It’s where his pigeons have returned.
“He’s watching over them,” Hill said, looking at the pigeons.
The Resource Center will be staged at the First Baptist Church of Farmersville (124 South Washington Street, Farmersville, TX 75442). Before delivering supplies to the Resource Center please contact the Collin County Emergency Management Department at 972-548-4383.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 24, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting
Schlueterville has an unwelcome visitor that roosts in our covered back porch. Its calling card is a horrifying pool of guano splattered under the iron chandelier — a gift we discover each morning as we pass by the window on the way to the coffee pot.
“Haha!” the guano taunts. “Here I am again! You’ll never catch Mystery Marauder!”
Whatever is leaving the mess must be sizable, stealthy, nocturnal and at least partially feathered.
“It’s either goose, pigeon or a freaking gargoyle,” Hunka grumps said before dragging out the hose. “From the size of that mess, it could be a moose with digestive problems.”
Maybe it’s a moose wearing a feather boa. (This is the kind of junk we think about since ditching cable.)
Attempts to catch the culprit have proven futile. All is clear when we head to bed, and the Schlueterville setters promise to keep an eye out for anything amiss. (News flash: Schlueterville setters fib.) The next morning, voila! The patio is festooned with scattered feathers and colossal heaps of goo.
Word, chirp, hoot or honk seems to be spreading throughout the animal kingdom about our cozy, sheltered refuge.
Last summer, we returned from vacation to find a big-eared, pug-nosed bat nestled in the crook of our patio roof. We named him Hector. He pooped a lot, too.
Hector was allowed to hang around as long as he ate mosquitoes and stayed out of my hair.
He wasn’t the Brad Pitt of bats, but we grew rather fond of the little bugger. He did his thing. We did ours. Mosquitoes were terrified. All was well with the world.
We even installed a bona fide bat house, but he wasn’t interested in making a move. Then one day he flew off to find warmer climates and a meatier buffet. So long, Hector.
Squirrels are a different sort of cat. Hunka hates them with a passion, engineering elaborate gizmos to keep them from wrecking backyard bird feeders and gorging on seeds.
Hunka moves the pole this way. Squirrels jump from the fence. He moves it that way, they sail from the roof. He installs baffles on the feeders. They shinny up anyway, like acrobatic circus performers. He sics the setters on them, only to watch the prey charge up a maple and sarcastically shake their tails.
Squirrels back stroke in the dog dish. Squirrels eat fist-sized holes in window screens and the garage door.
Squirrels drive Hunka batty.
In a fit of rage, Hunka yanked up every pole and stored every feeder. Take that, you little (insert salty language here).
The birds are out of luck, which brings me back to our current intruder.
Perhaps Mystery Marauder is protesting the removal of bird feeders from the Schlueterville backyard.
This is the year of the protest, it seems, and piles of dung make a definite statement.
Maybe Hector the bat landed in a Texas barn loft somewhere, and told resident pigeons they should check out a particular bed and breakfast in Hastings, Nebraska.
“It’s comfortable and free of charge,” he’d say. “Plus, the humans and dogs are too busy chasing squirrels to pose a threat.”
Perhaps a featherbrained goose took a wrong turn while migrating, and needed a place to rest.
Heck, maybe there really is a gastro-challenged moose on the loose, taking a tour of the best places to squat in Hastings.
Then there’s the gargoyle theory, which is creepy and costing me sleep.
We are fully aware that this dirty dilemma is a first world problem. There are far more pressing issues at hand.
But we’ll be happy when Mystery Marauder packs up his crap and moves on down the line.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 23, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
PIGEONS that congregate outside Masjid Haji Muhammad Salleh mosque have been getting an extra ingredient in their breakfast.
Every day, pigeons that flock to the area are served a corn-based feed containing a drug called nicarbazin, which stops the female birds from developing eggs or causes them to lay eggs that do not hatch.
This is a new “birth control” method to limit pigeon numbers tested by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), at a field outside the mosque at Palmer Road near Shenton Way.
The trial, which started on Oct 13 and will last a year, comes on the back of soaring complaints about the nuisance caused by pigeons.
AVA has already received about 3,400 pieces of pigeon-related feedback from Jan to Oct this year, more than the 2,500 they received in the whole of last year and the 2,100 in 2013.
It has also seen a growth in feedback about all kinds of birds, including pigeons, from some 4,400 messages in 2013 to 6,100 in the first 10 months of this year alone.
Mohamed Idris, secretary of the management board of the mosque at Palmer Road, said pigeons have always been around, but the problem worsened over the last 10 years.
The field outside the mosque has an estimated 400 pigeons, twice as many as two years ago. The birds would fly into the mosque compounds, making them a nuisance to staff and people who go to the mosque to pray.
“They leave their droppings on the floor and you walk on it… They congregate at the food areas as well,” he said.
This has led AVA to choose the mosque as the first area to try out the new method.
During a demonstration yesterday, Janet Chia, executive manager of the Operations (Wild Animals) section at AVA, said it will take about a year to see a drop in the pigeon population there.
Around five mosque volunteers will be in charge of feeding the laced feed to the pigeons. The method could be rolled out to other areas in Singapore if the trial succeeds.
When tested in Italy, the method was found to reduce the pigeon population there by 30 to 40 per cent over four years.
The drug does not harm the birds and is not toxic to animals or humans if taken in small amounts. It would take 40kg of the feed to see toxic effects in dogs and cats, and 60kg for a child, said Ms Chia.
She also urged the public not to feed birds, as this “would encourage their population size to grow and encourage them to congregate and cause nuisance”.
Feeding pigeons is illegal and those found to flout the rules face a fine of up to $500. AVA has caught 113 bird feeders so far this year, including 13 who did so outside the mosque.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 22, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
Residents of a road plagued by pigeons are calling for people who feed them to be fined.
Court Road in Sparkhill regularly features hordes of pigeons making a mess on the houses and park, according to those who live there.
Signs tell people not to feed the pigeons – but the advice is ignored on a daily basis, say residents.
Aisha Khan, of Court Road, said the pigeons were “making a mess all around” and were “totally annoying”.
Neighbours are calling on Birmingham City Council to introduce a by-law so people who feed the birds can be fined.
The council said there were no plans to introduce by-laws but it was working with the community to promote cleaner streets.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 21, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
An innovative attempt to deter pigeons from a popular beach using thousands of scented yellow stickers was deemed a success after it avoided being blacklisted under new EU water bathing regulations.
Teignmouth beach in Devon was among 13 beaches which had been expected to fail tough new tests for cleanliness but which managed to make dramatic improvements in order to make the grade.
Twelve beaches failed to meet the new standards, meaning that they must put up signs before the swimming season begins next May advising tourists to stay out of the water.
The move could have serious ramifications for local business and tourism in those much-loved spots, which include Clacton in Essex, East Looe in Cornwall, Walpole Bay in Margate, Kent and Wildersmouth in Ilfracombe, North Devon.
The new EU bathing water regulations raise the “pass mark” for beaches around Europe.
They judge water quality on a four-year average, meaning that 25 beaches identified as ‘at risk’ earlier this year due to poor results in previous years were given the chance to make last-ditch improvements to turn things around.
Among them was Teignmouth, where guano from hundreds of pigeons roosting beneath its pier had become one of the major sources of pollution.
Previous attempts to scare away the pigeons had failed so the council this year resorted to deploying thousands of yellow stickers scented with citronella and garlic at pigeon-width intervals under the pier to try to deter them from roosting.
The project, undertaken with a £15,000 grant from the Environment Agency, significantly reduced the number of pigeon and seagull guano getting into the water.
Blackpool North and Blackpool Central had also faced blacklist, in part due to droppings from donkeys doing tourist rides.
Donkey owners were urged to clean up after the animals to avoid the faeces being left on the sand and washed out to sea.
But the local council said that the main issues, involving sewage, had been eradicated because United Utilities had invested £160million worth of infrastructure improvements.
Agriculture was cited as the main pollutant at several beaches often due to effluent from livestock grazing near streams that feed into the sea, and new cattle fencing was installed to tackle the problem.
Many other beaches had problems from sewage treatment works or sewage overflows.
Although far more beaches managed to avoid blacklist than had been expected, the new regulations mean that only 97 per cent of England’s bathing waters are deemed clean enough to swim in, as opposed to 99.5 per cent last year, when just two spots failed to reach the mandatory grade: Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach, Dorset, and Staithes, North Yorkshire. Both remain on the blacklist.
In total, 63.6 per cent of bathing waters meet the new “excellent” standard.
Rory Stewart, the Environment Minister, said: “We continue working to further improve the quality of our water, and last year our coast was the cleanest it has ever been.
“Swimming is allowed and all beaches remain open; new EU standards are simply there to advise and inform the public on water quality.
“I want Britain’s beaches, seas and lakes to have the cleanest water in the world. We need everyone to help us achieve this – from Government, water companies and councils to local communities.”
Dr Pete Fox, director of land & water at the Environment Agency added: “Water quality at beaches is better than any time in living memory, with dramatic improvements having been made over the last few decades.
“The Environment Agency has led successful work to monitor, investigate and reduce pollution, which has benefited the environment and people with nearly all of England’s beaches meeting the new stringent water quality standards.”
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 20, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
Ajay Sood is one amongst many professional Kabootarbaaz, whose family has lived in the gullies of the Dhobi Bada, Kinari Bazar in Old Delhi. Everyday, he spends hours training his flock of pigeons in kabootarbaazi. Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal New Delhi 291215
A quiet British street has been turned into a real-life version of Alfred Hitchcock’s horror film The Birds after being plagued by thousands of pigeons.
Residents in Court Road in Sparkhill, Birmingham, are calling on the council to start fining people who feed the birds.
Thousands of pigeons flock to the street, which overlooks a local park, every day – covering the pavement, cars and residents, with droppings.
The pigeons are flocking in their thousands to Court Road, Sparkhill, despite Birmingham City Council warning residents not to feed them
Pictures show the birds completely covering the roofs of rows of terraced houses as they wait for people to come and feed them.
Birmingham City Council have placed signs in the area urging residents to ‘Stop feeding pigeons!’.
Residents said the street is plagued by the birds, which even fly down chimneys to get inside people’s houses.
The road overlooks a nearby park, where the pigeons can be seen amassing in a feeding frenzy and ignoring the council’s signs on display
Some residents have complained that the pigeons have managed to get into their houses through their chimneys
Samuel Okello, 25, said: ‘Sometimes in the night, some of them go in the chimney.
‘When you sleep you feel as if they are flying inside.
‘The smell as well, it’s terrible and it must put people off coming to the area.
One residents said the park has become a ‘no-go area’ and that parents no longer take their children to play
‘They have basically made the park a no-go area and nobody would play there with their children.’
Resident Saif Khan said: ‘There are too many rats and mice coming because of this.
‘They are getting in the houses.
‘It looks like something from the Alfred Hitchcock horror film and can be quite intimidating when you see thousands of them up there.’
Despite the thousands of pigeons (pictured above) in the street, the council insists it is not planning to introduce a by-law to fine those caught feeding the birds
Council chiefs have put signs in the park which read: ‘Stop feeding pigeons! Due to the ever increasing number of rats and the consistent fouling of the footpath visitors are kindly asked to stop feeding the pigeons in this park.’
Neighbours are now calling on Birmingham City Council to introduce a by-law so people who feed the birds can be fined.
But the authority said there were currently no plans to introduce by-laws and added it was working with the community to promote cleaner streets.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 19, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting
Marlborough Falcon Trust handler, Rob Lawry, is using Tappe the falcon on the campus at University of Canterbury to scare away pigeons as a humane pest control measure.
The University of Canterbury (UC) hopes a native falcon will eradicate hundreds of pigeons plaguing the campus.
In its latest move to reduce the pigeon population, a karearea bird – as pictured on the $20 banknote – has been trained to make territorial flights to scare off flocks of pest birds from buildings and the campus.
Marlborough Falcon Trust handlers Vikki Smith and Rob Lawry have been free-flying the specially bred one-year-old karearea, called Tappe, in what is believed to be the first programme of its kind in New Zealand.
Hundreds of pigeons are plaguing the University of Canterbury campus.
UC engineering services manager Rob Oudshoorn said the pigeon problem had “escalated dramatically” since the quakes when central city roosting spots were pulled down.
Combined with an abundance of food from the ruined city and the campus’ proximity to town, the university’s pigeon population has ballooned into the hundreds and affects more than 20 buildings.
The falcon is the university’s latest innovation to solve the problem after unsuccessful attempts using electric fencing, spikes and controlled culling with slug guns, Oudshoorn said.
Marlborough Falcon Trust handler Rob Lawry hopes Tappe, a karearea bird, will stop University of Canterbury’s pigeon problem.
Excrement is the biggest problem the birds bring as it piles around doors, windows, footpaths, and roofs, he said. Where pigeon numbers are high, buildings deteriorate more rapidly and the spread of disease increases.
“And depending on the scale of it, it can become quite an issue. In the extreme if it’s left there for a long period of time, those piles of excrement bring in maggots, and the excrement itself is pretty toxic too really.”
With a population of around 6000, karearea are rare. They are a natural predator to pigeons, which use avoidance and escape as a natural defence.
The natural bird control technique is used around the world, including Dubai, airports and London’s Trafalgar Square.
Lawry said the birds are trained to fly to a lure held by an instructor, rather than to capture birds.
“As the falcon comes rocketing towards the lure I pass it behind me in the direction I want it to travel, and so he goes up high in that direction. When he goes high the pigeons will go ‘I’m out of here because there’s a falcon here’. But at that point if there’s a really slow pigeon the falcon might get it.”
Lawry said Tappe had responded well to training at UC and would expand the program
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 18, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
JAIPUR: A study coordinated by Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College made a startling revelation that pigeons could cause serious respiratory diseases. They said even air-coolers were harmful for lungs.
Feeding pigeons is fine, but constant exposure to them could invite serious diseases like hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), says a recent national study coordinated by Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College.
“At least 22% of cases of HP had history of bird (pigeon) exposure,” said Dr Sheetu Singh, assistant professor, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, SMS Medical College, and coordinator, ILD India Registry – a perspective database (March 2012-April 2015).
“Another major finding of the study shows that around 48.8% patients with HP in the registry had exposure to air-coolers,” Dr Singh said.
In Jaipur, pigeons have homes in flats and apartments. Pigeons’ droppings and nesting could be found easily in heritage buildings, flats, apartments, government buildings, which forces residents of the city to remain exposed to such environmental conditions. Over the past few years, more pigeons are being spotted everywhere. “Pigeons’ droppings or pigeon-affected environment is not good for lungs,” Dr Singh said, while talking about the findings of the study.
The ILD India registry is a set of data collected for the very first time in the country from 19 cities including Jaipur by 27 investigators. They managed to collect clinical data from 1,090 patients. In Rajasthan, 400 patients were found suffering from ILD, but the figures could be even higher. The findings further say, “A vast majority of ILD patients (47%) enrolled in this registry were diagnosed with HP, an inflammatory-fibrotic lung disease, caused by inhalation of environmental factors and 71% of patients with HP lived in urban areas.”
The details of the breakthrough findings were presented by former SMS superintendent Dr Virendra Singh in a session during NAPCON 2015, on Friday, and discussed by a panel of experts during the session that was moderated by Dr Ganesh Raghu, director, Centre for ILD, sarcoid and pulmonary fibrosis program, Seattle, USA.
The experts discussed that since the disease is usually unrecognised, one can avoid its progression by preventing further exposure to such environment or surroundings either at home or work place. The findings from the results of the analyses of data gathered by the participating site pulmonologists from their consenting patients across India, is an eye-opener and has implications not only for the public and physicians in India but provides useful insights into the field of ILD in general.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 17, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, UltraSonic Bird Control
Researchers Andrew Biewener and David Williams of Harvard University have uncovered the reason for the seemingly impeccable flight abilities of pigeons – they can make choices on what flying technique to follow when faced with an obstacle.
Scientists and engineers have studied the flight patterns of pigeons, which, despite a great presence in the city where major unnatural path blocks are present like buildings and cars, rarely crash compared to other birds like robins.
The duo set up an area with video cameras and pre-planted obstacles made of plastic pipes, which the pigeons have to fly over in order to get their meal. Upon review of the videos, the two researchers observed that the pigeons perform two techniques when passing through an obstacle. The more amazing part is how the pigeons are able to decide on which technique is the better choice, based on the distance of the obstacle they had to pass through, according to Phys.Org.
The pigeons had to scrunch their bodies in order to pass through the obstacles. However, for obstacles with a distance of at least half a wing apart, the pigeons opted to lift their wings as if to flap, but when they approached the obstacle, their wings “paused” so that they didn’t hit the plastic pipes. When the pipes were much closer, the pigeons opted to pull their wings into their body – a technique that presents a higher chance of losing altitude, but greatly protects the birds from wing damage.
Biewener and Williams believe that the ability of the pigeons to choose what technique to follow is a deliberate act. This means the birds are able to intelligently made a decision before passing through the obstacles, which is something rare since birds in general are not known to be an “intelligent” species.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 16, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
FEEDING the birds could cost a lot more than tuppence a bag under new rules to make Northwich a cleaner and safer place to work and visit.
Anyone caught giving food to pigeons in the town centre will be fined £75 in a bid to reduce the number of the birds in the shopping area.
Northwich Business Improvement District (BID) has worked with the regulatory authorities at Cheshire West and Chester Council and Streetscene on the new legislation.
Mark Henshaw, Northwich BID officer, said: “The Northwich BID team is constantly looking at ways to make the town an even better place to visit and after a series of complaints about pigeons we knew we needed to act.
“These posters will hopefully discourage people from feeding the birds; a cleaner, safer and more prosperous Northwich is beneficial to everyone.”
The BID is installing 50 enforceable signs in and around the town centre on bins and shop frontages.
The signs are designed to stop people from feeding the pigeons, outlining that individuals could be fined £75 on the spot if they are found guilty of giving food to the birds.
This will be enforced by community wardens who will be monitoring the situation for two hours a day between Monday and Saturday.
The measures follow numerous complaints from shoppers and traders about the growing number of pigeons in the town centre.
Concerns about the issue have also been raised with Northwich Town Council.
Mark said he hoped the signs would deter people from feeding the pigeons and cause the pigeon population would decrease.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 15, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
COMMUTERS using the Bandar Baru Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal are in a flap over pigeons roosting in the rafters of the vandalised first floor of the bus station that used to be occupied by traders.
Office workers and traders working opposite the bus terminal were worried that the thick covering of dried pigeon droppings on the first floor could be carried by the winds and lead to a number of illnesses.
Feral rock pigeons, which are stout-bodied and pale grey birds with black patterns, are often seen scavenging for food in flocks around the bus station before returning to their “homes” on the first floor in the late evenings.
Bandar Baru Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal is sandwiched by Jalan Melati 3/17 and Jalan 3/19 within the commercial quarter but there are also residential units in the surrounding area.
Businessman Chong Hee Fah, 58, said the shops on the first floor of the bus station had closed down in mid-2005 and unscrupulous individuals had stripped the aluminium and metal fittings from the shop lots.
“All the shop lots there have been damaged. I work within walking distance to the bus station and I am worried the pigeon droppings will cause illnesses.
Kuala Selangor Bus Terminals first floor covered in pigeon droppings is a health hazard.
Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal’s first floor covered in pigeon droppings is a health hazard.
“Fine particles of the bird droppings along with feathers sometimes land on our cars after a gust of wind blows through the bus terminal,” he added.
Assistant officer Amira Kadir, 22, who works for Kuala Selangor District Council (MDKS) Zone 3B councillor Nor Azhar Jamil, said the first floor of the bus station had been abandoned for some time and she hoped the local council would revive it.
Klang Consumer Association president Devadass Anjan urged MDKS to conduct an immediate clean up of the pigeon droppings at the bus station as these birds could transmit various diseases.
“Commuters, shoppers, people working around the area and even those living within a short distance from the bus station could suffer from respiratory diseases, rashes and allergies.
“Children would be more at risk and MDKS must clean up the bus station,” he said.
Devadass added that MDKS must install pigeon spikes on the ledges and fence up the openings of the first floor to curb the problem.
The first floor of the Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal off Jalan Melati 3/19 that used to house various trading booths have been abandoned and is now a place for pigeons to roost making it a messy affair and health hazard. —Photos by KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star
The first floor of the Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal off Jalan Melati 3/19 that used to house various trading booths have been abandoned and is now a place for pigeons to roost making it a messy affair and health hazard.
According to a medical practitioner, pigeon droppings could cause histoplasmosis, a fungal disease that develops in the droppings and is carried by the wind.
“Signs of histoplasmosis begin to show about two weeks after initial infection and it causes tiredness, fever and chest pains,” she said.
MDKS secretary Azahari Sairin said the pigeon problem at the bus station was difficult to solve as the first floor had been abandoned for a decade.
“For 10 years, the first floor had been left vacant. For a short time, there were other businesses but most left within a month or two.
“As a result of food remnants available in back lanes and some people feeding the pigeons, the flock has thrived,” he said.
Azahari said MDKS would conduct a thorough clean up of the first floor and use bristling wires or spikes to fence the openings to discourage the birds from getting into the building.
“MDKS has allocated RM50,000 to refurbish the first floor of the bus station and work will begin in the first quarter of 2016.
“Our aim is to encourage the sale of local handicraft and household decorations that could bring tourists and locals to the commercial area,” he said.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 14, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
The Plattsburgh City Council is voting to change a law that would prohibit feeding and harboring certain animals.
According to the proposal, a person, business, association, or firm would not be allowed to intentionally feed or keep pigeons, raccoons, deer, skunk, opossums, coyotes, birds, squirrels, or fox within the city.
The changes to the law would not apply to bird feeders.
Officials say the law is needed due to the “unnatural presence of those animals and is hereby declared a public nuisance.”
Plattsburgh Mayor Jim Calnon will hold a public hearing at 5 p.m. to discuss this proposed law. Read the City Council’s agenda.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | May 13, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Each year, thousands of Arizona residents email or call Rosie Romero’s radio show with questions about everything from preventing fires in their chimneys to getting rid of tree roots invading their sewer system. His goal is to provide answers that suit the specific lifestyle wherever someone lives in Arizona.
Q: I’m interested in having a solar electrical system built on my roof. But I’m wondering what experience the solar industry has had with birds that try to nest under the panels. I have a sloped roof. Would it be harder for nests to be built in that situation?
A: Most of the time when birds try to nest under solar panels, it’s usually in the case of flat roofs. Generally, a frame is put up to deter birds from nesting. In addition, there are wire-mesh devices that can clip onto solar panels to keep doves and pigeons out. Plastic bird netting can be used as well.
Q: I have a foam roof on my home in Tucson and my air conditioner is on top of that roof, along with my ductwork. The ducts that come down into the house have been insulated with foam as well. But recently, my roof has sprung a leak around the air conditioner. Roofers have told me that to fix the leak, I have to take off the entire foam roof. Why can’t I just take off one section of the foam and then patch that area with new foam? The roofer says I can’t because new foam won’t stick to the old.
A: I can understand what you’re trying to say, and actually it does seem as if you should be able to do that. However, if the elastomeric coating that is on top of the foam has been sunburned, it might be impossible to get the foam patch to stick. You should get a second opinion on your situation from a qualified, experienced foam-roofing company.
Q: Does a person who climbs up on your roof to inspect the damage need to have a license or do they have to have some kind of certification? In other words, can my neighbor go up and inspect my flat roof to tell me what is wrong and where my leak is coming from?
A: Obviously, anyone can go up on your roof to check out what’s going on, and that person doesn’t need a license or certification. But I wouldn’t send just anyone up there; you need a licensed contractor who has a significant amount of experience. For one thing, flat roofs are tough to troubleshoot, because water can travel from one spot on a roof to another to leak into your house. Although walking around on a flat roof can be easier, one misstep on a sloped roof can lead to a fall or other injury. And sometimes just walking on a roof can do quite a bit of damage.
Keep in mind that if there is a problem on a roof that needs fixing and that fix requires $1,000 worth of work, then the repair has to be done by a company licensed by the state registrar of contractors.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
