If you’ve been over to the House of St Barnabas members’ club in Soho you may have seen Patrick Murphy’s fabulous flock of pigeons, but if not, you’ve got the chance to catch them in a new art installation that’s launching today.
Murphy’s bright, eye-catching birds were originally as part of the Art Social ’14 festival and now they’re taking flight on to the lampposts of Soho for passers by to gawk at. Confused? Allows us to explain.
As we all know, pigeons have a bit of a bad rep and tend to be regarded as pests that we don’t want hanging around. According to Murphy, the installation aims to raise questions surrounding the struggle for acceptance, feelings of marginalisation and homelessness in urban environments. Oh and it looks cool, too.
So for the next three months, when you’re walking through Greek Street and Soho Square, look up and check out these feathery fellas without the fear of being pooed on in the process.
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.
For decades, the empty lot at the northeast corner of Bowery and Delancey had housed four unique buildings. Including 185 Bowery, a century-old townhouse that the Landmarks Preservation Commission deemed unworthy of preservation; developers decapitated the roof to ensure no landmarking. The row of buildings was demolished in the summer of 2012 so that CitizenM can place a 19-story hotel on the spot.
Bowery neighbors are pissed about the upkeep of this lot, though.
There are two particular concerns with this perimeter of the unbuilt CitiznM hotel. First, shovel the fuckin’ sidewalk outside your plot of land. We understand that you don’t care about the surrounding community, but this is law. According to city ordinance, building and/or business owners are responsible for snow removal in front of their establishments. Failure to do so within four hours after the accumulation ends could result in fines of up to $150 or ten days in jail.
Also, the persistent problem of pigeon feed at this corner.
This issue actually pre-dates the arrival of CitizenM on the Bowery. An old-timer on the block – who is apparently nicknamed Red (naturally) – has been littering this area with bread crusts for years, which has obviously attracted a feeding frenzy of pigeons and seagulls. We caught him unloading a full garbage bag of bread on Sunday, then discarding the remnants (presumably for the rats). Fed-up residents have called 311 to end the avian nightmare, but to no avail.
In sum, CitizenM really needs to do its part in keeping this area from become a full-on health hazard. Will it step up to the plate?
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 father who took his two young sons to McDonald’s was shocked to find a group of pigeons eating off the indoor tables as staff allegedly stood by and did nothing.
Josh Fry Snr, from Davoren Park north of Adelaide, visited the fast food outlet at Rundle Mall with his sons Josh, eight, and Charlie, six, on Saturday.
But when the family saw six pigeons they were turned off ordering food, so instead Mr Fry Snr, 28, took footage on his phone which he then posted to Facebook.
In the video the camera focuses in on five pigeons on a table eating from customers’ abandoned meals.
The camera then pans to show another pigeon on the ground and a line of customers waiting at the counter.
Mr Fry then focusses the video on the McDonald’s signage out the front of the restaurant.
‘I just posted a video because they wouldn’t have done anything,’ he said.
‘I did complain to McDonald’s but I still haven’t heard anything.’
A McDonald’s spokesman said: McDonald’s has high standards when it comes to cleanliness – our crew and managers clean dining areas at least every 20 minutes.
‘The restaurant has also implemented a number of deterrents, including the installation of an air-curtain.’
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.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — An alarming number of band-tailed pigeons have been found dead along the California coast in the last few months, apparent victims of a parasite.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that at least 1,000 of the pigeons, which winter in Central and Southern California, have been found dead in Santa Clara and Santa Barbara counties since December.
Band-tailed pigeons are the West Coast version of the passenger pigeon, which was once the most abundant bird in North America until it was hunted to extinction.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Environmental Scientist Krysta Rogers says the deadly parasite is spread by the common rock pigeon. The sudden increase in mortality is disturbing because the closest living relative to the extinct passenger pigeon has been struggling for decades to recover from rampant hunting, habitat loss and other environmental problems.
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.
SALEM — Legislation that would expand the use of fireworks to repel birds in Oregon will be voted on by the state House after key lawmakers recommended passing the bill.
House Bill 2432, which would broaden the use of fireworks beyond protecting crops and forest products, moved to the House floor with a unanimous “do pass” recommendation from the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on Feb. 3.
The bill would allow the state fire marshal to issue permits for using fireworks at golf courses, landfills, airports, seafood facilities and other properties, in addition to farms and forests.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal stopped issuing fireworks permits for golf courses and landfills to scare off geese and other birds in 2010, after it was brought to the agency’s attention that such uses were limited by law to farms and forests, said Anita Phillips, license and permits manager for the agency.
The bill would clarify the law and allow the state agency to again issue such permits, she said.
The agency doesn’t expect more than 50 additional applications as a result of the change, Phillips said.
Representatives of the Oregon Farm Bureau, the Humane Society of the United States and the Oregon Humane Society all urged committee members to support the legislation, though they mentioned some concerns.
Animal advocates said that fireworks must be used responsibly because they can frighten pets, while the Oregon Farm Bureau noted there are only two wholesale fireworks dealers who can sell to farmers and other property owners in the state.
During the Feb. 3 hearing, the committee also moved House Bill 2475, which would authorize penalties of up to $100 for veterinarians who commit minor infractions, to the floor with a “do pass” recommendation.
Fines would be the equivalent of a “traffic ticket” for minor violations, such as failing to notify regulators of an address change, that would not reflect negatively on a veterinarian’s disciplinary record, said Lori Makinen, director of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board.
The committee held a hearing on another bill — House Bill 2474 — that would require the registration and regulation of veterinary facilities to ensure they meet state standards.
State regulators only have authority over veterinarians, not facilities, which could create problems if substandard conditions were found at a clinic owned by a corporation or non-veterinarian, said Makinen.
However, the committee held off on referring the bill to the House floor pending further discussion and possible amendments.
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 latest annual report released by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) shows a marked increase in the number of asthma patients in the city. The civic body has blamed pigeons for the increase in cases.
According to the health report, more than 10 lakh individuals are suffering from asthma caused by pigeons. The report suggested that birds and their droppings can lead to several diseases, one of them being asthma. A number of asthma cases were reported in Lower Parel, Dadar, Mahim, Kala Chowkie and Worli.
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.
Millom council chambers, offices and kitchen have been closed since Friday while pest control workers investigate the site in St George’s Road.
Councillors vacating the office after a meeting on Friday afternoon were told the kitchen and the upstairs rooms would be locked, after pest control uncovered a significant amount of faeces in the loft space.
Cumbria county councillor for Millom, Brian Crawford, was one of the councillors instructed to take a different exit.
He has warned exposure to dried pigeon droppings can be fatal.
Cllr Crawford said: “There’s a danger of the droppings drying and become airborne. My question is, how long have the pigeons been up there?
“People have said they had been hearing noises up there and there are staff who use the office very often. It’s quite alarming as they may have been exposed to it for some time.
“There can be some quite serious diseases from pigeon droppings. You could be dead in two weeks from inhaling dried droppings.
“It’s a quite serious, major issue and from my memory it’s never happened before. I’ve been on the town council for seven years and it’s the first time I’ve heard about pigeons being in the loft space.”
A clean-up crew was due to be dispatched today to make the offices safe as Cumbria County Council said the mess poses a human health hazard.
A Cumbria County Council spokesman said yesterday: “There is an issue which has been flagged up. They have had pest control look at it at the end of last week.
“Pest control can see where the pigeons are getting in via a missing slate. The droppings are being cleared out tomorrow.
“As a precaution staff have been told not to use parts of the upstairs of the building, including the kitchen.
“The pigeon droppings are in the loft, which is being done this week because there is the potential for it to be a health hazard.”
Building work to prevent further vermin infesting the loft is due to take place this week.
Tomorrow’s town council meeting will take place in the Pensioners’ Hall, Mainsgate Road, Millom, as a result.
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 skeletal remains of pigeons seen hanging above a parade of shops are a “disgusting eyesore” which is causing children distress, residents say.
Netting installed to deter birds above shops in The Broadway, Woodford Green, has resulted in pigeons becoming trapped and dying from injury or starvation.
At least two decomposed pigeons can be seen caught up in the netting, and previously birds have been seen dangling just above the shop front signs, shoppers have said.
The netting is the responsibility of several leaseholders and maintenance contractors including Dendale Construction Ltd, based in Highams Park, and Ilford-based letting agency B Bailey & Co.
Louise Woodcock of charity Animal SOS in Snakes Lane East blames poor maintenance.
The Knighton Drive resident, said: “Environmental Health has been down on several occasions.
“Sadly, by the time the RSPCA arrives, the bird is dead.
“Our beautiful Broadway is becoming a dirty, degrading area ruined by the sight of decomposing pigeons above our cafes and eateries.
“I walked past recently with my niece who looked up and started screaming. It was the same dead bird that had been hanging down since before Christmas.”
Resident June Brook of King’s Avenue in Woodford Green, said it was concerning to see such a “disgusting eyesore” in a conservation area.
“The dead birds are just hanging upside down for all to e child walking past with her mother could not stop screaming. It is ruining the aesthetic of the buildings.”
London Wildlife Protection officer and founder of Waltham Forest Animal Protection, Rachel Barrat, is calling for immediate action from the property owners and intervention from Redbridge Council.
“Netting used to deter birds often traps them and causes cruel and lingering deaths.
“We are asking the owners to install it correctly and maintain it regularly, or remove it altogether and use more humane deterrents.”
Vince Cooper of Dendale Construction said the netting above She She She, a clothing store, was necessary.
“It was installed professionally by an independant netting company a year ago to protect the public and the fabric of the building.
“Before, pigeons were ruining our building, blocking out drains with nests and causing floods.
“Unlike next door (above Waite & Sons newsagents) our is maintained regularly and no birds have become trapped.”
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.
PIGEONS roosting under a railway bridge have got residents in a flap after depositing droppings all over pavements.
The winged offenders have been causing trouble from the railway bridge which crosses Gorgie Road near Tynecastle Stadium and Gorgie City Farm.
Calls have now been made for anti-bird netting to be installed to prevent the birds from roosting – following a successful similar method of defence in Abbeyhill.
Regular passers-by have written to Marco Biagi about the pesky pigeons and the Edinburgh Central MSP has taken up the case.
He said: “Unwanted deposits have been developing underneath the bridge which residents are unhappy about.
“I heard about it first when I was out during the referendum from a resident in the area.
“I decided to send round some surveys between Christmas and New Year on the subject and people got back to us saying it was a real problem.”
He pointed to the success of netting under the Abbeyhill rail bridge, near the Scottish Parliament.
Mr Biagi said: “I just thought if it is good enough for the Scottish Parliament then it should work for my constituency too.”
The threat of pigeon droppings has been raised with Gorgie Dalry Community Council a number of times in the last year, said chairwoman Fiona McLean.
She said: “We had a walkabout with the environmental wardens and this was one of the things that was raised.
“Under the railway bridge there are pigeons roosting and there is clearly a mess on the pavement.”
Concerns have been raised in the past over the state of bridges at Newcraighall park and ride, and Bingham.
A spokesman for Network Rail said: “The management of pigeons is the responsibility of local authorities and we regularly work with councils to facilitate access to structures to allow preventative measures such as netting to be installed.”
A city council spokesman said the authority would get in touch with Network Rail to discuss the matter.
In March 2013, dozens of dead pigeons were found rotting under North Bridge after becoming trapped in a net designed to stop them roosting.
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.
When someone mentions pigeons, the reaction of most within earshot is more likely to be “rats with wings” than “true marvels of the natural world.”
Filmmaker Scott Harper wants to change people’s minds with his new documentary The Secret Life of Pigeons, which rejects the prevailing avian-rodent notion and seeks to re-install the lowly pigeon on the much-loftier perches it enjoyed in centuries past.
The Secret Life of Pigeons, which airs Thursday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. on CBC’s The Nature of Things, is a rather fascinating examination of a creature that was once considered noble and even heroic, but is now more likely to be regarded as a nuisance or simply ignored completely.
Consider the history: it was the pigeon, not the dog or cat, that was the first animal to be domesticated, and this highly intelligent bird has served many important roles in human history. Pigeons were used as messengers in the military campaigns of Julius Caesar and Genghis Khan; they delivered the results of the first Olympic games in Greece; during the 20th century, their keen homing instincts were exploited to transport military intelligence across battlefields, medicines to distant clinics and financial information to Wall Street traders.
These days, however, the urban-pigeon population mostly just takes up space while struggling daily to survive — a tricky proposition that depends almost exclusively on handouts from humans.
Harper interviews several scientists who have become staunch defenders of pigeons, and their input provides some intriguing revelations about the intelligence and natural gifts of the birds.
Among the information offered is a new understanding of what gives pigeons their unique homing ability, along with first-ever footage of a pigeon’s in-flight perspective, thanks to a tiny harness-mounted camera that allows viewers to take to the skies with the bird.
The Secret Life of Pigeons takes its exploration beyond the “lowly” feral-pigeon population, reaching out into realms in which these creatures are beloved rather than detested. Harper visits with several pigeon “fanciers,” who raise showbirds with such exotic breed designations as African Owl, Short Faced Helmet, Voorburg Shield, English Trumpeter and German Beauty Homer.
“We’ve taken it to a whole other level,” says Manitoba cattle rancher Clint Robertson, president of the Canadian Pigeon Fanciers Association, “We’ve developed birds that aren’t even close to what the feral pigeon is anymore. This is an intense hobby of selectively bred birds that have evolved over thousands of years into something that has suited the taste of each individual breeder.”
Equally passionate about pigeons are the folks who breed them for racing — a relatively small-scale pastime in Canada, but a huge industry in other parts of the world, where purses can reach the million-dollar mark (in South Africa) and prize birds can sell for hundreds of thousands.
Most impressive, however, are the segments of the film that outline how intelligent and adaptable pigeons are — Harper includes re-enactments of a couple of scientific studies that show how the birds communicate over vast distances to ensure that available food supplies are distributed equally among the greater pigeon population.
The theory of “ideal free distribution” suggests — and is backed by solid evidence — that pigeons will disperse in a manner that guarantees equal access to food sources.
“You can never feed pigeons more,” says Luc-Alain Giraldeau, dean of science at the University of Quebec at Montreal. “You can just attract more pigeons.”
Rats with wings? Hardly.
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.
Concerns about a pigeon problem in Warminster town centre are growing with the population of the birds multiplying alarmingly.
And the burgeoning bird flock is said to be caused by people feeding them.
Town councillor Paul Batchelor says the pigeon population has doubled in the last 18 months and birds are not just gathering on the Old Town Hall but on other town centre buildings as well.
Cllr Batchelor, who runs Batchelors Cycles in Market Place, believes people are still not heeding the advice to not feed the pigeons and said he has been approached by several businesses and residents concerned about the issue.
Warminster Town Council has previously looked at drastic solutions to the long-running pigeon problem, including using a Harris Hawk or a contraceptive feed, but the ideas were dismissed by a feral pigeon expert.
Cllr Batchelor said: “It is noticeable that the pigeon population has doubled in the last 18 months and they only multiply according to the food supply they get.
“If the population is doubling then there must be people out there doing a good job of feeding them. I understand that people just think they are harmless creatures, but they carry disease and create a mess on our pavements.
“We do need to make sure the town centre is a safe environment for people, but I can see an increasing number of pigeons on roofs of buildings other than the Old Town Hall.
“It can be someone having a bit of crust leftover and throwing it to pigeons, which may seem harmless, but only makes the situation worse. Traders and people in the town are noticing and have raised the issue with me.”
Warminster Town Council discussed the issue at a meeting earlier this month, where councillors agreed that the pavements are a disgrace, especially outside eating establishments.
Because of concerns that droppings are creating a health hazard, Cllr Batchelor is going to ask the finance and assets committee on November 3 to put forward money for warning signs.
Cllr Batchelor added: “I have asked for an item to be put on the agenda about having signs put around the town to warn people about feeding pigeons.
“We need to educate people about the issue before taking more radical measures.”
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.
BLYTHE, California — Authorities say safety netting could have prevented the death of 64 birds at a Southern California solar energy plant.
The Riverside Press-Enterprise says the birds died this month at the Genesis solar plant near Blythe after getting mired in wastewater evaporation ponds that contained an oily toxic chemical.
The California Energy Commission says safety netting designed to keep birds away from the plant was destroyed by high winds in August and never replaced.
Roger Johnson, who oversees environmental compliance for the commission, says new netting’s been ordered but won’t be installed before year’s end.
However, authorities say the 10 acres of ponds are being drained and people stationed around them to keep the birds away.
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.
HAMILTON HEIGHTS — A domesticated pigeon owner captured a red-tailed hawk who tried to make a meal of his trained pigeons on Monday, delivering the hawk to officials.
Rene Leclerc, 56, who keeps about 15 pigeons in two air-conditioner units he converted into pigeon shelters in the window of his third-floor 138th Street apartment said he saw the hawk divebomb his birds about 10:30 a.m.
The hawk managed to get inside one of Leclerc’s handmade shelters, tearing up the birds inside. When Leclerc saw the “carnage,” he said he opened his living room window to allow his birds a place to flee.
What followed was a chaotic scene when half a dozen birds, followed by the hawk, started flying around his apartment living room, he said.
“He had already killed two pigeons and injured at least four more when I got ahold of him,” said Leclerc, who once held a falconry license.
He used a towel to capture the hawk.
“He flew right into it,” Leclerc said.
After catching the hawk, who weighed a little more than a pound and had a 4-foot wingspan, Leclerc brought the raptor to The Bird Wildlife Fund, a nonprofit that provides medical care and rehabilitation to injured wild birds in the city.
“He seems perfect,” Wild Bird Fund Director Rita McMahon said after examining the raptor. “We found blood in his mouth but we think it was probably coming from when he attacked the pigeons because he was not injured,” she said, adding that the juvenile hawk would be released in Central Park Tuesday morning at the latest.
Leclerc, who used to be in the military, said he has had birds for more than 25 years.
“I’ve always gotten along with animals better than with people,” Leclerc said. “ I like training pigeons. It’s all based on faith and loyalty. I open their cage in the morning and I don’t know if they’re going to come back. I hope they come back but I have no guarantee. It’s all based on trust,” he said.
Most of Leclerc’s pigeons are Portuguese Tumblers and Budapest High Flyers, Leclerc said.
“They’re easier to care for because they’re small,” the bird owner 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.
EDMONTON – Alberta’s energy regulator is investigating after waterfowl landed – or tried to land – on three Athabasca oilsands sites Tuesday.
An oilsands facility seen from a helicopter near Fort McMurray, Alta., on July 10, 2012. Environmental groups are giving Alberta’s energy regulator a rare pat on the back over its decision to delay approvals for certain types of oilsands projects over concerns about the intensity of development. Oilpatch critics say Alberta energy regulator is denying them right to speak
“The companies that have reported the incidents are Syncrude Canada at that Mildred Lake facility, the CNRL Horizon facility – their tailings pond – as well as Suncor Energy’s tailings pond,” said Ryan Bartlett.
The Public Affairs officer for Alberta Energy Regulator said the AER began hearing reports from companies around noon Tuesday and they continued until nightfall.
Syncrude told Global News 30 birds were recovered from one of its tailings ponds. The company claims all deterrents were operational.
CNRL said about 60 birds landed on its tailings pond. The company is still determining exactly how many died. It said its deterrence systems were working, but that there was extreme fog in the area.
Suncor said about 120 birds tried to land on one of its tailings ponds Tuesday, but deterrents were operational. However, six birds landed.
“We observed increased bird activity in the region,” said Will Gibson with Syncrude. “As a result of these observations, our bird deterrent system went into heightened alert.”
“The deterrent system was already deployed with noise-makers on every pond and our radar system was operational,” he said, adding more staff were sent out to monitor the birds around the operations.
“We can confirm that we’ve recovered 30 oiled waterfowl from our ponds in the past 24 hours,” said Gibson.
“We don’t want our operations to harm wildlife so we’re going to be reviewing our systems to see if there’s additional areas to improve on what we’ve already implemented.”
Syncrude, which operates one of the biggest oilsands sites north of Fort McMurray, was fined $3 million for the deaths of more than 1,600 ducks when they landed on its tailings pond in 2008.
Greenpeace Canada’s Mike Hudema says the province needs to get rid of tailings ponds altogether.
“The systems that they put in place to try to keep birds off are not working.”
“Industry has known for quite some time that these systems aren’t working, so birds continue to die in these tailings ponds, animals continue to die.”
“The only way to keep birds and animals safe – in, really, what is a toxic brew of chemicals – is to get these tailings ponds off the Alberta landscape.
“That’s something Premier Stelmach promised to do and of course, we’ve seen absolutely no movement on it.”
“Albertans are getting very frustrated,” said NDP leader Rachel Notley. “They want to be proud of their province, but instead they’re frustrated with the government that – through their neglect – watches the problem grow.”
Hudema says the government needs to regulate the move to dry tailings.
“The government put a directive in place to try to slowly eliminate them from our landscape and not a single company is meeting that directive at all. We’ve seen no enforcement from the government.”
The regulator stresses it is investigating the incidents.
“We’re there to ensure the companies are responding appropriately to the issue,” said Bartlett, “and to investigate what may have caused the incident, to make sure that their waterfowl deterrent systems were in place and were operational at the time.”
In a statement to Global News, CNRL said “multiple factors” led to the birds landing.
“During the early morning hours of Nov. 4, 2014, an unforeseen weather event of extreme fog conditions resulted in migratory waterfowl to land on the tailings pond despite the full operation of our waterfowl deterrent system.
Multiple factors contributed to the waterfowl landings that included the severe weather event, the timing of the waterfowl migration late in the season, and poor visibility.
Our waterfowl deterrents, including radar units, Long Range Acoustic Devices along with an array of propane cannons and effigies, were functional and effective, deterring many waterfowl from landing.
Unfortunately, we are saddened that approximately 60 waterfowl were not deterred and we are currently in the process of confirming the final affected number. The event was reported to Alberta Environment and Sustainable Development and the Alberta Energy Regulator on Nov. 4.”
“It does seem odd that it’s occurring all at the same time,” said Bartlett. “We’re investigating what the causes may have been.”
Depending on the type of AER investigation, the process could take several months.
Environment Canada, Fish and Wildlife, and Environment and Sustainable Resources have all been notified.
Neither Alberta’s environment minister nor the energy minister would comment, saying the AER would take the lead. Premier Jim Prentice said he was disappointed, but said he’ll withhold judgement until the results of the AER investigation are released.
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.
BEIJING — A thousand new facial-recognition cameras are watching for potential troublemakers. Kite-flying has become a jailable offense in some areas. Factories have been ordered to cut back or suspend production. And those are just part of China’s efforts to clear Beijing of dangers, dissent and smog during an international summit deemed the capital’s biggest event since the 2008 Olympics.
Ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum that opened Wednesday, city crews also have replaced 450,000 flower pots, swept newsstands and breakfast kiosks from some neighborhoods and encouraged — or warned — many residents, and especially dissidents, to leave town.
Government workers get a long holiday, and authorities eager to ease congestion are taking the unusual measure of deploying cargo trains to carry the cars of holidaymakers out of the capital.
Though there will be far fewer visitors to the city than there were during the Olympics, APEC will again throw an international spotlight on China with the arrival of top leaders from the Pacific Rim along with their countries’ media.
The forum culminates in a Nov. 10-11 summit of leaders of the 21 member economies, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and authorities are wary of anything that could draw media attention away from the meetings.
The organizer of a Beijing film festival that authorities shut down in August said police have asked him several times to leave Beijing during APEC.
“The police are at my home every day,” Li Xianting of the Beijing Independent Film Festival said in a telephone interview. He said he didn’t plan to leave on principle, and also because he didn’t want to bring trouble to anyone he might stay with.
Qi Zhiyong, a rights activist who lost his leg after soldiers fired on him during the Tiananmen protests in 1989, said he was asked to leave Beijing and told not to give media interviews.
A friend of Zhou Li, who helps ordinary citizens submit complaints to the central government about corruption and other grievances, said Zhou was detained around Oct. 21 so she would not organize any protests during APEC. The friend spoke on condition of anonymity because she had been told by police not to talk to the media.
Newspaper stands and street breakfast vendors have disappeared from some areas of the city, including Chang’an Avenue, the long road that passes Tiananmen Square, the main government offices and hotels where some delegates are staying.
Taxi drivers have been told to be wary of passengers sitting in the back seat to make sure they don’t open the windows and throw out fliers, especially when driving along Chang’an Avenue, said a man in the main office of the Minhanganle taxi company who only gave his surname, Liu.
Chinese counterterrorism expert Li Wei said the gravest threats to Beijing’s APEC meetings are extremists aiming to establish an independent state in the restive western region of Xinjiang.
Several deadly attacks targeting civilians have been blamed on extremists from Xinjiang’s native Turkic Uighur population. Most were in western China, but in October of last year, three assailants drove an SUV through crowds in the heart of Beijing, killing themselves and two tourists.
Hotels have been asked to report to police any guests from Xinjiang as well as Tibet and its neighboring Qinghai province during APEC, said a manager at a Home Inns hotel in Beijing’s Changping district. Tibetans have protested Chinese rule for decades, and since 2009, about 130 have died by setting themselves on fire in protest.
In an anti-terrorism drill Oct. 27, police dealt with simulated terror incidents at two meeting venues involving terrorists driving a car carrying explosives into a crowd of people, hostage-taking and “a gathering of troublemakers,” the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
About 1,000 monitoring cameras with facial recognition functions were being installed in suburban Huairou district, the venue of the leaders’ meetings, according to state media reports. The cameras were to cover business areas, gas stations, schools and other densely populated areas.
People will face detention if they fly their pet pigeons or kites in the vicinity of Beijing Capital International Airport to ensure flight safety, according to notices from the Beijing city government and the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The rule had been in place before APEC but was initially punishable by only a fine.
Authorities don’t want to be embarrassed by Beijing’s notoriously polluted air, so they have ordered some factories to shut down temporarily, demolitions to be halted and cars off the road.Authorities say the discharge of pollutants in Beijing and its surrounding areas is expected to be cut by a third during APEC.
Highly polluting factories were told to cut emissions starting Oct. 1 and some of them are to be shut down altogether for APEC, said He Ruirui, of the environmental protection bureau of Langfang city in Hebei province, from which pollution wafts into Beijing.
The turning on of the winter heating, powered by burning coal, has been postponed until after APEC in an economic and development zone of Tianjin, a half-hour train ride from Beijing, following a notice from the Tianjin government, according to a woman surnamed Zhang from the service line of the Tianjin Taida Junlian Heating Company. Beijing’s heating is due to come on after APEC.
Half the capital’s cars are banned from the roads at any one time for a 10-day period that began Monday and ends Nov. 12. Driving privileges are alternating between vehicles with odd and even license plates. Beijing imposed the same restrictions during the 2008 Olympics, which helped herald blue skies.
Government workers get a six-day holiday from Nov. 7-12, but will be required to work an additional Saturday and Sunday to partly compensate. Schools and kindergartens will close, and people will be unable to register marriages.
People are also being encouraged to leave town.
Beijing’s railway bureau is deploying cargo trains that can carry passenger cars, so that travelers can take their vehicles with them on holiday without clogging up highways out of the capital. The fees will be roughly the same as fuel and tolls for the trip, the bureau said.
Chen Caiyin, of the public relations department of Ctrip, China’s biggest travel agency, said that Beijing’s tourism authorities asked them to tempt more tourists to travel during APEC.
She said the company is offering half-price discounts on 15 percent of their routes.
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.
DERELICT shops in one of the most unattractive parts of the town centre have fallen even further into disrepair nearly 18 months after permission was granted to revamp them.
In June last year Crawley Borough Council approved plans to replace 15-29 The Broadway with dozens of flats and new retail units.
But 17 months on there has been no visible work carried out at the site, which has also become a home for a horde of pigeons, who are covering the inside of the building with excrement.
Appalled by the state of shops, Crawley resident Jeff Herbert has called on the council to put pressure on the building owner to clean up the mess caused by the winged squatters.
The 69-year-old, who lives in Wolstonbury Close, Southgate, said: “These shops have been empty for so long and I think it’s a disgrace that they are being left in this state.
“Crawley Borough Council doesn’t seem to have picked it up, and they are usually very hot on the cleanliness of shops.
“The pigeons have got inside somehow and are pooing all over the place.”
Peter Smith, the council’s cabinet member for planning and economic development, admits the authority cannot do much about the situation.
He said: “The building has got permission for it to be redeveloped so essentially we can do little but wait until the owner decides to go through with that.
“We don’t have the powers that people think we do. It’s all down to the private owner.
“They don’t have to do what the application says and they don’t have to do it straight away.
“Whether we have any powers to force the owner to take action to clear it up, I’m not sure. We would do if there were problems around public health.”
Bob Lanzer, the shadow cabinet member for planning and economic development, was leader of the council for several years and knows only too well the problems pigeons can pose.
He explained: “A few years ago the council hired some sharp shooters (to kill pigeons), which didn’t go down too well with the public.
“Then we started having blocks of wood put in, with pins sticking up to stop the pigeons landing on buildings.
“But I noticed recently when I was walking along with High Street close to The George Hotel, that they had figured out how to remove them and push them onto the ground.
“I was astonished to see them knock one off the building right in front of me, so don’t underestimate them!”
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.
BENGALURU: With concrete jungle robbing them of their habitat, pigeons seem to be making metro stations their home. And this is proving costly for Namma Metro as support staff has to hit the ground almost every hour to clear bird poop from platforms and other areas.
As the winged visitors ensconce themselves in the supporting structures of the stations, bird droppings have contributed to an increase in the operating expenses of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).
An RTI query filed by STOI revealed a near 30% increase in the annual housekeeping charges of Namma Metro’s stations in its second and third years of operation. In a reply to the RTI query on whether bird droppings posed problems to maintenance of its stations, BMRCL said, “Yes, it is posing problems.”
“High-level cleaning (is) being done for maintaining cleanliness,” it added.
House-keeping charges for Reach 1 (Baiyapanahalli-MG Road) was Rs 106.71 lakh in the first year of its operation (Oct 2011 – Sept 2012), which rose to Rs130.7 lakh the next year (October 2012 – September 2013) and Rs 128.16 lakh (October 2013 – September 2014).
In other words, keeping the stations clean in the first year cost Namma Metro Rs 8.89 lakh a month. It shot up by nearly Rs 2.5 lakh to over Rs 10 lakh a month the next two years.
According to work staff, they used to clean the platforms once every two hours; of late they have been constrained to wield their mop-sticks on an hourly basis.
M B Krishna, a veteran ornithologist, says concrete structures such as Namma Metro’s stations aren’t favourable nesting spots to bird associated with the city. “What is the point if hardly a bird species or two reside here?” he says when asked whether such structures could help support their eco-system.
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.
Details of the cruel treatment and illegal trade of animals have been revealed.
Created using data from the Metropolitan Wildlife Crime Unit, an online map features data for all 32 London boroughs.
There were seven cases of cruelty in Redbridge between February and July this year, including cases involving a swan, a fox and a pigeon.
One report was filed of a man shooting at pigeons in Hainault Country Park in Foxburrow Road, Hainault.
The report shows he was warned by police.
There were four cases recorded in Waltham Forest, including an illegal trade of a tortoise and goldfinches being illegally offered for sale on the internet.
The highest number of offences (26) was recorded in Richmond.
The map was compiled jointly by the Wildlife Crime Unit and charity World Animal Protection.
World Animal Protection campaigner, Alyx Elliott, said: “We commend the government for the work it has undertaken so far and welcome further dialogue around the specifics of our recommendations for fighting wildlife crime.
“We feel our report busts some myths about what wildlife crime looks like in the UK and demonstrates the urgent need for more to be done to tackle it here at home.”
If you witness wildlife crime, the Metropolitan Wildlife Crime Unit can be contacted on 02072308898
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.
Commonly seen defacing the structures that facility managers (fms) work so hard to build and maintain, pest birds can cause serious problems. From office buildings to schools and hospitals to food manufacturing facilities and restaurants, birds and their droppings create unsanitary conditions and add expense to facility maintenance.
Birds frequent areas because of two primary reasons: shelter and food. In all situations, cleaning existing bird mess away is essential, including droppings, feathers, nests, and any other territorial markings. This task requires proper safety precautions such as wearing protective equipment, as bird mess notoriously carries toxic fungus and transmissible diseases.
No matter what repellent measures are taken, the area must first be thoroughly cleansed of bird smell and visual markings for an approach to be effective. Using a strong cleaner is highly recommended. Certain species are protected under the United States Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, so fms should be certain these laws are understood prior to clearing away any nests to avoid any unexpected fines.
Food sources also must be removed or blocked off. Dumpsters containing organic waste must be secured with lids, and any workers or customers feeding the birds should be instructed to stop. Posting “Do Not Feed the Birds” signs is beneficial for this purpose. Birds are far more difficult to control if food is available to them.
Fms in urban populations are all too familiar with pigeons perching on the sides of buildings and defacing architecture, windows, and sidewalks with droppings. Not only is this aesthetically alarming but large quantities of bird droppings can cause slipping hazards and disease risks—certainly no liability any responsible business takes lightly. In these situations, simple physical barriers are easy to implement—installing bird spikes, bird wire, sticky bird gels, or electrified, low-profile bird track will quickly clear ledges of these pests.
The same methods may be used on the ledges of hospitals, restaurant windows, and schools, as they are humane to pest animals, do not make noise, and do not contain chemicals or poisons.
Fms in food processing facilities know the challenge of birds very well. These situations are even more difficult because not only is there a food source to attract birds, but the FDA and other health organizations have rigid regulations about pest animals and food production. A bird infestation during a health inspection can mean fines, citations, and even business closure.
Pest droppings are obviously unsanitary and can quickly contaminate an area through air conditioning and ventilation ducts or being brought in on workers’ shoes. If birds come in direct contact with the food or processing equipment, finished food products may contain pathogens and feces.
The best success strategy for any food processing plant is to block the food source from pests physically. Securing dumpsters with lids and closing off openings to warehouses and silos will help drastically. If areas are kept semi-enclosed, securing openings with bird netting will not only keep birds out, but will also deter bats, rats, mice, and other pests. In facilities that contain restaurants, bird netting can form an attractive enclosure for patios and open windows.
In semi-enclosed areas such as parking garages, airplane hangars and open warehouses, ultrasonic bird repellent systems are extremely effective with the added benefit of being silent to humans. Ultrasonic soundwaves are above the average human’s hearing range, however the frequencies are disruptive to birds and other pests. Light deterrents such as strobes and laser systems work well in dim warehouse corners, or when pest control is only needed at night.
Large, open outdoor areas such as golf courses with bodies of water, orchards, vineyards, and small lakes can be frustrating for fms due to their attraction for birds, especially when food is available. Taste aversion liquids and physical barriers may not be feasible in these areas, so sonic bird control methods can come into play. Additionally, one of the most effective bird control methods for preventing bird strikes at airports is a sonic control system.The overhangs of all man-made structures, including buildings, overpasses, garages, warehouses, stables, and barns are often prone to problems with barn swallows. These birds exclusively build their mud nests on man-made structures when caves are not available. These birds are protected by federal law (inhabited nests may not be disrupted), so repelling them humanely before nests are occupied is essential. Their nests can cause structural damage, mite infestations, and unsanitary conditions, as well as obvious aesthetic problems. Applying deterrent liquids along the upper walls and eaves of structures, and in certain situations installing physical barriers such as netting, are effective and legal methods to control swallows.
Every facility and bird scenario is different, but no matter the situation or budget an effective solution is available. Avoiding the costs of constant cleaning and maintenance, equipment and property damage, and liability risks make bird control an important part of responsible facility management.
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.
When Anita Grossman saw her dream house for the first time, it was occupied by a family of pigeons. Her builder husband was fond of buying “fixer uppers”, but Grossman quickly realised that this house would need a total transformation before it could be a family home.
“When we found it, the house hadn’t been touched since the 60s,” she says. “Generations of one family had lived in it but it had been left a dilapidated wreck. Birds were flying around in the roof, it was badly wired, there was no central heating and the flooring was unstable.”
Once the initial shock was over, the pair found themselves attracted to the building’s incredible proportions. The five-storey, terraced house in Islington, north London, was filled with light, offered around 4,000sqft of space and was 18ft wide at the front of the house. It still retained some of its Victorian features such as two, large working fireplaces, English oak floorboards and original cornicing. So the pair decided to give the building a chance and moved in in 2008.
After eight months of extensive work, the house was completed and it’s now a paean to contemporary family life. The 27ft-long, L-shaped reception room is the introduction to an open-plan entertaining space, a bespoke fitted kitchen, five bedrooms and a spacious back garden with a gym at the end.
Grossman estimates it has increased in value by 200 per cent since they started work and it has proved to be a nice earner in other ways. Grossman is one half of A&R Photographic which represents photographers and provides photoshoot and filming locations for businesses. As a result, her house has featured in a number of high-profile glossy magazines, including a Vogue cover shoot of Gwyneth Paltrow, shot by world-famous photographer Mario Testino.
“We go out to work and we know that the house is also earning us money,” says Grossman. “It’s paid for itself a few times over.” But now it’s time to say goodbye as Grossman and her partner sell up to concentrate on their next property adventure in Ibiza.
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.
If you’ve been over to the House of St Barnabas members’ club in Soho you may have seen Patrick Murphy’s fabulous flock of pigeons, but if not, you’ve got the chance to catch them in a new art installation that’s launching today.
A father who took his two young sons to McDonald’s was shocked to find a group of pigeons eating off the indoor tables as staff allegedly stood by and did nothing.
