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Hospitals across Central Belt checked for pigeon threat

NHS Lanarkshire confirmed that additional checks will be carried out at Hairmyres, Monklands and Wishaw General with “remedial actions” taken if necessary.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran said all hospital plant rooms were regularly checked for “potential threats.”

John Paterson, NHS Lanarkshire director of property and support services, said: “Planned preventative maintenance programmes are being reviewed and refreshed in light of emerging details from the recent incident at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

“We are currently carrying out additional checks for the presence of pigeons and taking any necessary remedial actions if found or reported.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, which runs hospitals including Crosshouse in Kilmarnock, said: “NHS Ayrshire & Arran Estates Department regularly monitors the safety of the plant rooms at all of our major sites against all potential threats or defects, including access by vermin.

“ Should any infection control issues occur, we work closely with our Infection Control department to deal with them immediately.”

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TransLink trying to ward off pigeon problem ahead of new SkyTrain platform opening

TransLink is trying to deal with a bird poop problem around the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station.

Pigeons have been nesting at a new platform that’s set to open early next month.

The noise of the SkyTrain — and the hustle and bustle of the commuters — isn’t enough to scare off the birds. So, Jill Drews with TransLink tells us a falcon has been brought in.

“The falcon kind of goes in from time to time and scares them away. Hopefully, they remember this is not a safe place to be.”

Drews says they’ll also be setting up electric strips, “The shock is very, very minor, it won’t harm the birds. But it’s just irritating so it will hopefully deter them from nesting.”

TransLink will also be installing spikes and netting to stop the birds from landing.

The new platform at the Commercial-Broadway station is set to open on Feb. 2. It will allow commuters to enter the westbound SkyTrains from both sides.

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Pigeon poo on windshield gets driver $200 fine

A driver has been hit with a £158 ($200) parking fine after his valid permit was covered by pigeon poo.

Southend, U.K., man, Scott Coltart, was slapped with the fine outside his house as parking officers allegedly couldn’t see the permit.

Despite immediately showing the parking inspector the mistake, he was told it was too late and would be forced to appeal the ticket with Southend Council.

Mr Coltart told Southend Standard: “If you just moved your head slightly, you could clearly see the permit was in date.

“Regardless, I immediately wiped the poo away but the man said it was too late and gave us the ticket.

“He was very rude as he slapped it on the windscreen and just said to take it up on appeal.”

But even after lodging their appeal, the 30-year-old and his wife Lisa were told by the council that, although the incident was “unfortunate”, they would still have to pay the fine.

The couple then challenged the ticket a second time and assumed the charge had been dropped, but later received an enforcement letter saying bailiffs would visit their home if it wasn’t paid in full.

Lisa said: “The only thing I can see we can do is pay it but we shouldn’t have to. We have two young children and we’re both self-employed.

“We work so hard for our kids – we can’t have bailiffs coming to our home. Bird poo is not something we can control.

“The fine says we had an invalid permit but that just isn’t true and our street is checked several times a day.”

A Southend Council spokesman said: “We are currently discussing this claim with our contractor and will be in touch with the residents directly.”

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Driver fined £158 when pigeon poo covered his parking permit

pigeon droppings Scott Coltart, 30, and his wife Lisa received a £158 fine despite Scott running out into the street in his boxers to show him the valid permit. He said: ‘If you just moved your head slightly, you could clearly see the permit was in date. ‘Regardless, I immediately wiped the poo away but the man said it was too late and gave us the ticket. ‘He was very rude as he slapped it on the windscreen and just said to take it up on appeal.’ The couple, who have two young children, immediately appealed the ticket with the appropriate evidence – showing their permit was valid. Blind veteran, 97, begs to be allowed to die at home They claimed they received a response which acknowledged the ‘unfortunate’ situation but the fine was upheld by Southend Council, Essex. Scott added: ‘Again, we thought this was ludicrous and vowed to fight it all the way to court. We appealed a second time even though we knew if we lost, the fine would increase.’ The couple, from Southend, claim they heard nothing and assumed they had won until an enforcement notice arrived demanding they pay £158. The letter warned that bailiffs would visit their home if the amount was not paid in full. Lisa added: ‘I immediately got in touch with a solicitor to sort it out but there’s no way that can be done before the sum has to be paid on January 22. ‘The only thing I can see we can do is pay it but we shouldn’t have to. We have two young children and we’re both self-employed. ‘We work so hard for our kids – we can’t have bailiffs coming to our home. Bird poo is not something we can control. ‘The fine says we had an invalid permit but that just isn’t true and our street is checked several times a day.’ A spokesman for Southend Council said: ‘We are currently discussing this claim with our contractor and will be in touch with the residents directly.’

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When pigeons pitched in for the cause

A chronic problem for spies operating in enemy territory is transmitting their findings to their home base. The problem was especially acute in World War II Europe, where German signal-detection technology, based on triangulation skills, took a deadly toll on agents.

The British spy services delved into history for their solution: The use of carrier pigeons to speed information from agent to headquarters. The story is told in a splendidly readable account by Gordon Corera, veteran national security correspondent for the BBC.

For reasons mysterious to us Yanks, the harboring of vast flocks of carrier pigeons is a national pastime for uncountable Brits, whose flocks number into the hundreds.

During the first months of the war, Britain’s chief intelligence arm, MI6, frantically sought information of whether — or when — German forces would sweep out of Europe and invade. Spymasters delved into antiquity for the answer. Noah had pigeons on his famed ark to send reports on flood waters; Julius Caesar used birds during his conquest of Gaul. Pigeons were widely used in World War I. Why not give birds a try?

Britain had two societies of pigeon fanciers that happily supplied the needed birds. For reasons that baffle botanists, homing pigeons have the knack of flying back to their home roosts, whatever the distance.

But could they manage the 100+ miles from Europe back to England? Test flights were successful.

Thus the procedure. Six birds were gently packed into a crate that was tied to a three-and-a-half-foot parachute. Attached to each crate was an envelope with a questionnaire about German installations (and, thoughtfully, a pencil and half-a-pound of pigeon food, to be doled out a cup daily). Return messages were inserted into a small cylinder attached to each bird’s leg.

Thus was hatched Operation Columba (“columba” being the Latin scientific term for pigeon), which despite occasional glitches proved valuable for British intelligence.

The immediate concern was a possible cross-channel invasion. So the first queries dealt with concentrations of German troops and equipment depots in Belgium that could be targeted for bombing.

Two days after the initial drop in April 1940, the first pigeon returned to its roost in Kent with exactly the information sought: The location of a munitions dump, a report on a German artillery movement and a note that enemy morale “is not too good.”

The swift return, followed by many others, answered a key question: Would persons in occupied areas risk their lives to answer the pigeon-borne queries? The response was overwhelming: Many citizens of both Belgium and France were disgusted with their leaders’ swift capitulation to the Germans, and wished to demonstrate their personal bravery.

In many instances, the pigeon messages were dispatched by a single individual — for instance, a farmer who found a parachute while making his morning rounds and scrawled what he knew before tossing the bird into the air.

There were notable examples of how Operation Columba inspired the formation of ad hoc resistance groups. Mr. Corera tells of a farmer who found a pigeon and decided to take it (hidden in a sack of potatoes) to a family he knew were patriots.

The three brothers and two sisters of the Debaillies family, although they hated the Germans, were divided. Two men felt the “risk was too great.” But they decided to contact a priest, Father Joseph Raskin, who had worked underground against the Germans in World War I, (being jailed twice) and was ready to resist again.

Raskin and friends went to work surveying German military activities in their area. A key item of information was that coastal defenses were being strengthened — a signal to British intelligence that the Germans were now preparing to defend against an invasion, rather than launch one of their own.

Raskin used a magnifying glass to ensure he crammed as much detail as possible onto two thin sheets of rice paper. His product is reproduced in the book. Once can only speculate the excitement with which intel analysts pored over the pages.

One page bore a symbol, a circle with a curley L sitting on a V, with “Our Shield!” scrawled alongside, a signal to watch for subsequent messages. The cell took the name “Leopold Vindictive” and send back uncountable messages.

The Germans, unsurprisingly, found enough pigeons to deduce what was going on and launched counter-measures: Falcons, a pigeon’s worst enemy. They also scattered their own pigeons, hoping to entrap resistance fighters.

Nonetheless, Operation Columba continued through D-Day and beyond, with pigeon-borne serving as messengers. There was a deadly price, of course: Of the 16,000 pigeons sent out, only 1 of 10 made it back alive. Perhaps a memorial statue is in order?

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Pigeon problems at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital first reported more than two years ago

pigeon show On Saturday, two patients died after contracting a fungal infection linked to pigeon droppings.

While one death was reportedly not a result of contracting Cryptococcus, health chiefs are now looking into the passing of another patient, believed to be a child, as the factors leading to the death are currently unclear.

It was reported on Sunday that the Scottish Government had been aware of the issue since December.

However, a freedom of information request which has been shared with the Evening Times shows complaints relating to pigeons in the ceiling of the super hospital were made as early as January 2017.

Throughout 2017 a total of 12 issues were flagged up relating to the birds in just one department of the building.

In August and September 2017 the problem of pigeon dropping being in close-proximity to patients was shared with environmental staff at NHSGreater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), with one reporting pigeons roosting and fouling at an ambulance entrance.

NHSGGC declined to comment on the series of 2017 complaints relating to the birds. A spokesman for the health board said: “Like many very large buildings the hospital can at times attract birds.

“We have a number of control measures in place to prevent them gathering and are exploring further options to add to the existing measures.”

According to the freedom of information document, written in 2018, pigeon excrement is “periodically brushed away” and areas are power washed as required.

Netting and spikes were also installed at the hospital to prevent pigeons roosting.

However, this is limited in periods when temperatures are low to avoid ice forming.

The document adds: “NHSGGC endeavours always to provide the best experience possible for patients, their relatives, our staff, and other members of the public, in premises which are pleasant, and conducive to good health and recovery.

“The situation with the pigeons is continually monitored by NHSGGC and we are proactive in our efforts to reduce the problem.

“However, we have sought comments from our consultant in public health with special responsibility for environmental concerns who advised us that, in general, the risk for health posed by exposure to these pests is considered to be relatively minor.

“We are aware that this particular issue concerns a hospital and a population of potentially vulnerable patients rather than a residential or commercial premises, but an infestation of this kind would normally be considered as an environmental nuisance rather than a major risk for human health.”

In a statement following the deaths an NHSGGC spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with the families at this distressing time.

“These two cases of infection were identified in December and an Incident Management Team was formed. A likely source was identified and dealt with immediately.

“We are unable to comment further on the two cases due to patient confidentiality.”

On Friday some patients with compromised immunity, both children and adults, were transferred to other areas of the hospital away from the source of the infection.

The health board have since confirmed that the affected area is “non-public” and the droppings had been removed.

Alongside this, air quality tests have been carried, with filters being installed to monitor this and are said to be working effectively. No other cases have yet been detected.

The infection is caused by inhaling spores of the fungus Cryptococcus, carried in the air, found in the bird’s droppings. Most infections are mild and produce either no symptoms or a minor influenza – like illness.

However the disease can cause meningitis, high fever, blood abnormalities, pneumonia and even death.

Those experiencing issues with their immune system are the most susceptible to complications, with the infection remaining rare amongst healthy individuals.

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Pigeon problems persist at town hall

Further efforts are being made to overcome problems being caused by pigeons at Berwick town hall. Berwick Corporation (Freemen) Trustees has already carried out works on the Grade 1 listed building to prevent the birds nesting and roosting. Now, it has submitted an application for listed building consent for the installation of UV stabilised polycarbonate anti-pigeon roosting spikes on two blocked up windows openings. A report with the application states: ‘There has been a significant problem around the northern and eastern elevations with pigeons on the second floor and first floor windows. This is causing damage to the masonry of the building and creating a public health hazard below. There are two infilled window openings which are now being used by pigeons.’ Berwick Town Council planning committee has made no objection.

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‘They were my whole life’ – 110 beloved racing pigeons burned alive as loft goes up in flames

pigeon patrol A heartbroken owner’s prized racing pigeons were burned alive when the cage they were kept in went up in flames.

The turn of the new year brought devastation for Liam Hope when his beloved birds were incinerated in a blaze at his loft on Benton Road, West Allotment.

The 28-year-old car valet from North Shields was immensely fond of his pigeons – keeping some as pets – and described them as his “whole life”.

He told ChronicleLive: “I’m absolutely gutted, these pigeons were my whole life and I would visit them most days after work.

“I’ve been around them since I was born, my dad, granddad and great-granddad all raced pigeons too.

“I also got really attached to them and kept one retired bird, George, as a pet.”

The fire broke out in the early hours of New Year’s Day and neighbours in West Allotment alerted Liam to the blaze.

But by the time emergency services arrived it was too late and the 110 pigeons inside the cage were dead.

Liam raced the birds with his partners 81-year-old Brian Morris, who has owned the same loft for 50 years, and 65-year-old Colin Spillard.

The trio recently spent £2,500 on some new birds, which can cost up to £500 each.

“It’s going to cost a fortune to replace”, Liam said.

“The cage’s shell alone is worth around £4,000 and then there’s the cost of the birds.”

Despite the grief and weighty financial damage, Liam is confident that his pigeon racing career is not over and said that he will rebuild his successful team from scratch.

He has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for the costs of building a new loft which has already gathered £585 in donations.

Liam’s specialist racing birds won five events last year and were kept on a protein-heavy diet but loaded with carbohydrates before they set off on the 800-mile round trip to France and back for competitions.

After extinguishing the blaze, the fire department’s investigation found there had been “no malicious ignition” and the flames must have started internally.

But Liam contests this and claims to have CCTV footage, that has not yet been seen by police, which shows a man torching the loft.

He said: “The camera’s not great but you can see a kid walk up to it and try to set it on fire.

“He doesn’t manage to at first, but then he comes back.”

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “Police received a report from two officers of a fire at an allotment on Benton Road, West Allotment on New Year’s Day.

“The report was made at about 1.20am when officers reported a fire in a pigeon loft.

“The fire service attended to extinguish the fire and it is believed all the pigeons died in the blaze.

“The fire investigators found that there was no malicious ignition.”

They said that a trawl of nearby CCTV had been carried out in the aftermath of the fire but nothing suspicious was found.

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Birds found dead in Tokyo park; poison suspected

Police are investigating the discovery of several dead birds in a park in Tokyo’s Kita Ward. At around noon on Jan 13, four pigeons and five sparrows were found dead in Kamiya Park, Fuji TV reported.

The birds had no external injuries and there were remnants of rice grain scattered nearby, leading police to suspect that the birds may have been poisoned.

In October last year, 18 pigeons that had eaten corn dipped in agricultural chemicals were found dead in Akabane Park. Similar incidents of other birds and feral cats being poisoned have also been reported in the area.

Police said whoever is responsible faces charges for violation of the Wildlife Protection Law.

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Buffaloes, pigeons take over closed north Bengal school

Gyanoday Primary School had shut in 2012 and is now home to two buffaloes.

One can also find pigeons fluttering to a pigeonhole but not students, teachers, desk and blackboards.

Who let the buffaloes in?

The answer is clear in Gopaldhara-Rangbhang valley: successive politicians who ruled the hills but dragged their feet to put in place a proper education system.

The school, 7km from here, was established in 1995 by the Subash Ghisingh-headed Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC).

The school started with no permanent teachers. Four volunteers used to teach the 45-odd students.

“I have a family to support. How long can one carry without salaries?” asked Aswain Thami, a former volunteer teacher.

One of his colleagues joined Gopaldhura tea garden office, while two lady volunteers preferred to be permanent homemakers.

Thami landed a civic police job in 2014.

Local people made submissions to not only Ghisingh but also Bimal Gurung when he was heading the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

They have recently taken up the matter with local Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders who are now with Binay Tamang, the GTA head. “We have been told that our grievances will be redressed soon,” said Suman Yolmo, a managing committee member.

“If at least one permanent teacher is appointed, the school would still be functional,” rued Thami.

Primary school teacher’s examination was last held in 2001 and the appointment letters were released the following year.

Amar Singh Rai, GTA (education in-charge), admitted that primary and secondary education system was in “a mess” in the hills. “There has to be a proper recruitment system,” said Rai.

The School Service Commission has been defunct in the hills since 2003. Ghisingh opposed the commission demanding that its power be transferred to the DGHC.

“There are vacancies of 652 primary teachers now. For some reason, the earlier GTA did not pursue this issue but the state government has asked us to submit rules for appointing the teachers,” said Rai.

“The rules have been submitted. Once the matter related to the 652 teachers is taken care of, we will have to put in place a proper system,” said Rai.

“The school building has developed cracks and needs repaired,” said Yolmo.

Less than 50ft away stands a glittering three-storied “guest house” that was patronised both by Ghisingh and Gurung. The buzz is that Rs 74 lakh was spent on the “guest house”.

Till date, no guests have arrived.

It’s a solace for the school which has no students.

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British Homing World Show returns to Blackpool this weekend at the Winter Gardens

feeding Around 25,000 pigeon fanciers will be flocking to the Winter Gardens this weekend when the annual British Homing World Show returns to the town. The event, now in its 47th year, has been coming to the resort for 41 years and is worth an estimated £2.5 million to the Blackpool economy. Over the two-day event, there will be over 100 trade stands, charity pigeon auctions, raffles for new lofts and the showing and judging of over 2,000 of the top homing pigeons in the country. It all takes place on Saturday and Sunday. Ian Evans, CEO of organisers the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA), said: “Pigeon racing is not simply just a hobby for the fancying community. “For many, the past time helps people to stay active and social. “The population of pigeon fanciers is made up of those from all different backgrounds and the event is a great chance for our members to catch up.” READ MORE: Pigeon fanatics migrated to Blackpool’s Empress Ballroom for The British Homing World Show of the Year He said the event in Blackpool was also an opportunity for the RPRA to launch its junior membership scheme to encourage the younger generation to keep our pastime thriving. The BBC’s national security correspondent Gordon Corera will also be signing his book, ‘The Secret Pigeon Service’ at the event. The book is based on a story about the 16,000 homing pigeons which were dropped in an arc from Bordeaux to Copenhagen as part of ‘Columba’ – a secret British operation to bring back intelligence from those living under Nazi occupation. The event’s £2.5m injection into the Blackpool economy is based on the trade it brings in for hotels, restaurants, taxis and other businesses at a time of year when the town would otherwise be quiet.

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IN THE ERA OF ELECTRONIC WARFARE, BRING BACK PIGEONS

On April 16, 1919, the troop transport Ohioan docked at Hoboken, New Jersey. Among the various disembarking members of the American Expeditionary Forces was a small detachment of 21 men of the U.S. Army Signal Corp’s Pigeon Service Company No. 1. Pier-side newspaper reporters flocked around the officer in charge, Capt. John L. Carney, to ask about the exploits of the distinguished hero pigeons the Army chose to bring home. Foremost among the latter was an English-bred black check hen named Cher Ami. As Carney told the story, it was Cher Ami who on October 4, 1918 braved shot and shell to deliver a message from the besieged men of a composite force surrounded in the Charlevaux Ravine of the Argonne Forest, forever known as “The Lost Battalion.” Cher Ami arrived at her loft with the intact message from the force’s commander, Maj. Charles W. Whittlesey, albeit minus a right leg and with a wound clear across the chest cutting through the breast bone. Cher Ami survived her injuries and Whittlesey’s message provided the exact position of his force back to the regimental and divisional headquarters, information which contributed to the eventual relief of the men.

Cher Ami’s story remains legendary to this day, a testament to the bravery of animals in war. The story, although the records are uncertain if Cher Ami or another pigeon delivered Whittlesey’s message, often obscures the purposes underlying the use of homing pigeons by the U.S. Army. From 1917 to 1957, the Signal Corps maintained pigeon breeding and training facilities, and birds saw service in World War II and Korea. When the pigeon service disbanded in 1957, the Army contended that advances in electronic communications rendered the peacetime maintenance of pigeon breeding and training facilities unnecessary. The remaining pigeons were sold at auction, with a select few being donated to zoos around the nation. Today the use of homing pigeons is viewed as novelty, a quirky vignette of the early 20th century battlefield.

Over 60 years later, the military homing pigeon warrants reexamination. The electromagnetic spectrum’s influence extends throughout the systems and operations of the battlespace into the fabric of civil society. Offensive and defensive operations in the cyber space realm, combined with kinetic strikes on air, land, sea, or space-based infrastructure, could potentially disable or severely damage entire communication or power grids. Adversaries with electronic warfare dominance would then be positioned to control the battlespace and restrict the options presented to American or allied commanders. Reflecting on electronic warfare’s potential, some communications between the front lines of the battlefield and rear echelon command and control elements may need to rest on the legs or back of a feathered messenger when a human runner or more visible vehicle or aircraft may prove too vulnerable to interception or destruction.

In an era where military innovation may conjure up thoughts about futuristic weapons and high-dollar research, development, and acquisition, perhaps consider an innovation redux: the homing pigeon. A brief examination of the American military experience with homing pigeons offers insights into both the utility of the birds and their advantages in the modern electronic warfare battlespace.

Pigeon Primer

Homing pigeons are relatives of the rock dove, Columba livia, which frequently conduct seize and hold or tactical air strikes on urban residents and residences worldwide. Homing pigeons, however, are more akin to race horses, carefully bred and nursed to maximize speed, endurance, and navigational prowess. As with race horses, loft owners do not shy from spending $1,000s to 100s of $1,000s for champion pigeons in hopes of breeding future generations of race success. The exact science is unclear, but theories postulate as to how the pigeons navigate, returning to their home lofts either through visual, magnetorepton, or olfactory means. The distances flown by homing pigeons can vary from 10s to over a 1,000 miles over unfamiliar terrain or open water, at speeds from 60 to over 90 miles per hour. A pigeon can sustain grievous injury in flight and continue on its journey home, as was the case with Cher Ami and other military pigeons in both world wars.

The use of pigeons for military purposes extends back centuries, but World War I introduced widespread battlefield use of the birds by both the Central and Entente powers Previously, pigeons saw use in the 1800s primarily in journalism, with military use only rekindled in the Franco-Prussian War during the Siege of Paris. Following American entry into World War I, French and British officials championed the value of homing pigeons after the experiences at Verdun and the Somme. In trench warfare, where artillery bombardments turned carefully laid telephone lines into confetti, pigeons proved the only reliable means of communication between the front trenches and the artillery and command elements in the rear. Neither bombardment, dust, smoke, poison gas, or fog grounded the feathered messengers. For the British at the Somme, pigeon liaison was “always . . . able to operate regularly. In many cases it was the only one which was able to resist the weather and the means of destruction of the enemy.” Thereafter, the Army Signal Corps wasted little time in establishing a pigeon service in July 1917, utilizing Allied experience with a proven technology to address communication issues. Work continued to refine and improve wired and wireless communication systems for the battlefield, but off-the-shelf pigeon technology ensured the men of the American Expeditionary Forces would not be caught ill-prepared in a communication blackout when electronic means or runners fell to enemy fire.

Pigeons demonstrated reliability as messengers and the ability for usage with a variety of forces. In World War I, the Signal Corps reported an overall message delivery rate of 95 percent. In 1944, the Army reported pigeon-delivered tactical message rates at 99 percent. After success with combat operations in Europe in World War I, the U.S. military employed pigeons in the Pacific, Europe, and North Africa in the second war. Messages evolved from small pieces of rice paper to sections of map grids to eventual exposed photographic film. In World War I, pigeons served in the Tank Corps, Air Service, and with naval aviation. In World War II, pigeons served everywhere with everyone. They took part in Operation Overlord with paratroopers in the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, and were carried up the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc with the Rangers in special containers. Other birds parachuted into Burma with members of the Office of Strategic Services, carrying messages behind enemy lines, while others found a home inside the confines of Sherman tanks. Thousands of birds found work aboard the heavy bombers of the Army Air Forces in raids over Europe. In the Italian campaign, pigeons proved invaluable in transmitting messages over rugged terrain to coordinate fire missions for aircraft or artillery. Much as pigeons can adapt and thrive in practically every environ on the planet, the same held true for military employment of the birds.

Beginning in 1917 and continuing with World War II, the Army’s pigeon force drew from the civilian racing pigeon community. In 1917, the American Expeditionary Forces’ Pigeon Service tapped two founding members of the American Racing Pigeon Union — John L. Carney and David C. Buscall — to receive direct commissions as first lieutenants to build up the pigeon force from scratch. Both men, coincidentally current or former non-commissioned officers in the Army and Marine Corps, respectively, brought with them the highly specialized knowledge and background required to acquire, train, breed, and distribute pigeons to forces in the field. Through their civilian contacts, the men acquired via purchase or donation large numbers of quality racing pigeons and helped recruit the non-commissioned officers necessary to staff and train pigeon handlers in Northern France. The necessity to build and field pigeons for the American Expeditionary Forces further demonstrated how the specialized nature of pigeon work put a premium on civilian pigeon knowledge within the ranks.

Postwar, the Army continued the pattern of working closely with civilian organizations, such as the American Racing Pigeon Union, in recruiting men from the pigeon racing community. When the Army needed to rapidly expand the pigeon force in World War II, the civilian community responded with donations of tens of thousands of birds and even World War I “retread” volunteers for the officer and enlisted ranks to tend and train the pigeons. Never a large or overly expensive force, Army “pigeoneers” ensured communication continuity for the fighting men at the front, albeit always as a secondary or emergency method of transmission. Regardless of its size or lack of panache, the men of the Pigeon Service represent a solid example of a civil-military partnership able to respond to a wartime necessity in an orderly, efficient fashion.

Pigeons Presently?

For the contemporary challenges of cyberwarfare and electronic warfare, Army Futures Command should examine the record of the Army’s disbanded Pigeon Service. From the experience of the two world wars, the pigeon effort took off through partnership with civilian organizations. Akin to the Cyber Direct Commissioning Program, by recruiting and providing advanced grade to pigeon specialists for their civilian training, the Army staffed the officer and non-commissioned ranks with knowledge and skills essential for rapid expansion at minimum cost in training and the associated infrastructure therein. Furthermore, the connections of these citizen-soldiers further provided entre into acquiring quality homing pigeon stock from the civilian community for the Army with minimal delay. The ability to then “surge” a pigeon force became possible, in part to the small peacetime Pigeon Service then in existence.

In the arena of technology, pigeons are decidedly mundane messengers yet proven and reliable. The use of off-the-shelf technology at a time of need in 1917 served the Army faithfully for half a century. A similar acquisition success is found in the Army’s “Big Five” acquisition. Col. David C. Trybula concludes that by incorporating mature or maturing technologies into the systems, the results proved “extraordinary and perhaps revolutionary” when compared to the systems being replaced. While not arguing that homing pigeon technology can replace the advanced communications technologies of today, there are advantages to contemplate in the electronic warfare environment.

As the fighting in the Donbass region of Ukraine and in Syria have demonstrated, electromagnetic security can be a matter of life and death, of light and darkness. Through electronic warfare methods, Russian-backed separatist forces have caused an array of difficulties for Ukrainian forces. In the current fighting in Syria, American forces have likewise come face to face with Russian electronic warfare technologies and tactics, an electronic warfare battlefield-turned-proving ground for future conflicts. Monitoring, jamming, or infiltrating electronic-based systems to enable or deny kinetic effects places a premium on protecting signal communication.

Pigeons are certainly no substitute for drones, but they provide a low-visibility option to relay information. Considering the storage capacity of microSD memory cards, a pigeon’s organic characteristics provide front line forces a relatively clandestine mean to transport gigabytes of video, voice, or still imagery and documentation over considerable distance with zero electromagnetic emissions or obvious detectability to radar. These decidedly low-technology options prove difficult to detect and track. Pigeons cannot talk under interrogation, although they are not entirely immune to being held under suspicion of espionage. Within an urban environment, a pigeon has even greater potential to blend into the local avian population, further compounding detection. The latter presumably factored into the use of pigeons to clandestinely smuggle drugs, defeating even the most sophisticated of walls.

Furthermore, pigeons provide an asymmetric tool available for hybrid warfare purposes. The low-cost, low-technology use of pigeons to transport information or potentially small amounts of chemical agents — or even coded cyber weapons — makes them a quick and easy asset to distribute among a civilian population for wider military purposes. During World War II, the British Confidential Pigeon Service of MI14(d) dropped baskets of homing pigeons behind enemy lines for espionage purposes, gathering invaluable military intelligence in the process from a wide array of French, Dutch, and Belgian civilians. Even as a one-way means of communication, the pigeon proved an invaluable military asset.

The ideas herein are not claimed to be unique or refined. Military pigeon forces are all but extinct, but yet the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and French Ground Army maintain small pigeon forces in the event that electronic warfare should disrupt or disable military communications. As for the American military, the only traces of its pigeon force can be found in artifacts or photographs in museums around the country. The use of military homing pigeons in the 21st century in similar or more creative ways is limited only by initiative and imagination — a statement true for most any battlefield innovation and the disrupting potential of electronic warfare.

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Pigeon dropping causing damage to Upshur County Courthouse

You might be used to seeing birds clustered on courthouse domes, but for one area county, they’re becoming a real problem.

Upshur County officials say pigeons gathered on the courthouse windowsills and rooftops are doing significant damage because of their droppings.

That matter is so acidic it could damage the courthouse roof and dome.

Officials are now taking bids for measures to keep the birds off the building, and keep the historic structure intact.

“There’s so much history behind the courthouse. It burned in 1899, I believe it was, and this is the facility that they built, and we’d like to keep it around as long as we can,” said Commissioner Terry Cutright.

Bids for the project will be accepted until February 12, and the commission will open them at its meeting on the 14th.
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Granddad who died in van crash was ‘pillar of the community who never said no to anything’

pigeon racing pill A pensioner who died in an early morning van crash in Maerdy was a “pillar of the community” who loved pigeon racing.

Malcolm Morgan, 73, died when his Ford Transit van collided with a parked van on Oxford Street on Sunday morning.

He was known locally at Popo and his family say his love of pigeons drove “his whole family crazy”.

In a tribute released through South Wales Police, his devastated family said: “Malcolm was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He has always been a pillar of the community and was loved by so, so many.

“Known as Popo to most, he never said no to anything. His love of pigeons drove his whole family crazy – he was the Morgan half of the ‘Newman and Morgan’ pigeon racing partnership, racing for Ynyshir club.

“What has happened has broken us as a family and we will all miss him more than words. We ask for privacy at this difficult time and thank you all for your kind memories you’ve shared of Mal.”

Officers were called to Oxford Street shortly after 8.30am on Sunday after a white Ford Transit van being driven by Malcolm collided with a parked Iveco Daily van.

Malcolm’s family are being supported by specially trained officers.

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Jerry Nelson: Growing up in a barn

I feel sorry for urban children. Most of them seem to lead normal lives, although what passes for “normal” nowadays often means being attached to a video game console immediately after emerging from the womb.

Meanwhile, I’m still trying to figure out how to operate common household appliances. For example, I recently discovered that you cannot cook sliced bologna in a DVD player. This seems like the gross underutilization of a perfectly good laser.

The main reason I pity town kids is that none seem to have access to the one resource that’s essential for a fulfilling and thrilling childhood: a barn.

A barn is commonly thought of as a confinement facility for livestock. But it’s also one of the best places for kids to grow up under free-range conditions. A barn contains a universe of playtime opportunities; the only limit is a child’s imagination.

When I was a mere youngling, our farm had a rickety old barn that was home to a menagerie of animals, ranging from the mighty (cows) to the lowly (pigs) to the clucky (chickens). And that doesn’t count the multitude of freeloaders such as cats and pigeons and sparrows and mice. That old barn sheltered more species than Noah’s ark.

The barn contained its own unique ecosystem. Our cattle and pigs ate the grain that we fed them and we, in turn, dined on pork and beef. Mice and pigeons scavenged leftovers from the livestock and the cats, in turn, operated a booming business that focused on the acquisition of rodent- and avian-based proteins.

We kids knew all about the circle of life long before anyone heard of the movie Lion King.

The main rule of playing in the barn was that there were no rules. My seven siblings and I could do almost anything we liked as long as it didn’t involve getting hurt. “If you fall and break your neck, don’t come running to me!” was the only guidance we received from our parents as we trotted toward the barn.

This lack of regulations was liberating. For instance, we were free to climb the barn’s wall ladder to whatever height we liked. If you were a smaller child, a rung or two might be enough. But if you were a testosterone-addled adolescent, the sky (in this case, the rafters) was the limit.

Driven by juvenile bravado, I once climbed the ladder all the way to the top. Upon reaching the apex, I clambered onto the rafters and glanced earthward. A mistake. I had stared resolutely at the barn’s wall during my ascent. Looking down, I was able to see exactly how high I was. My younger siblings seemed tiny, as if they were little kids. Which they were, but they appeared so much smaller from up there.

I realized that falling and breaking my neck wasn’t an option. Several dozen things would fracture if I fell.

I decided to go for the holy grail. Ignoring years of pigeon residue, I crawled across the diagonal rafter braces until I reached the cupola. I had gazed up at that gothic wooden structure innumerable times. At last I would get to see it from the inside and enjoy a pigeon’s-eye view!

Peering downwards, I could see the entirety of the barn’s yawning interior: the kingdom of cows and cats.

The game Hide and Seek was invented in our barn. As soon as we noticed that a mother cat had transformed from a furry cantaloupe into a four-legged stick figure, the game was afoot. Whoever found the new litter of kittens was awarded naming rights. We were lightyears ahead of modern-day corporations who expend vast sums for the privilege of slapping their names on impersonal, non-purring sporting venues.

Our Leghorns also liked to hide things. It was our mission to find the clutches of eggs that the hens had concealed throughout the barn’s labyrinthine nooks and crannies.

Some hens were surprisingly cunning, and we wouldn’t find their nests for quite a while. In those situations, we learned to be careful when collecting eggs. An egg might feel unusually light, as if it were filled with an extremely stinky gas and was about to explode. A muffled “pop!” would announce the bad news. So it was that we invented the maxim, “Last one out is a rotten egg!”

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to investigate something. Because I’m pretty sure that a guy can cook bacon in a document scanner.

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The Way We Were: Leaders get creative to fight pigeon problems

What do you think?

A reptile-themed magic act? Decoration tips of the 1980s? Snake handling on public display?

Would you believe pest control?

What we are looking at is Warren County Commissioner Bobby Johnson on a clear day in September 1988 demonstrating his community’s effort to frighten pigeons from the county courthouse.

Pigeons have a tendency to use such public buildings as regular roosts and restrooms, and they leave a mess.

This was not a new problem. The archives of The Augusta Chronicle make a consistent case that birds, most often pigeons, had been the plague of many seats of local government over the past century.

As this photo indicates, such problems often inspired remarkable measures. Here, for example, plastic snakes were attached to the building’s columns to scare away the birds.

“Bird shoots” aimed at solving the problem seem to have been regular events around Georgia courthouses even into recent times.

The Chronicle reported such an event in suburban Atlanta’s Gwinnett County in 1974. Its sheriff told The Associated Press that several men firing shotguns over several hours had bagged about 80 birds.

Their effort drew praise from Georgia’s legendary Secretary of State Ben Fortson, who said, “That’s the only way to get rid of pigeons.”

Fortson was something of a bird removal expert because he had spent years trying to rid Georgia’s gold-domed state Capitol of starlings, a smaller but more numerous winged nemesis.

Fortson said they tried to use guns, but state-sanctioned marksmen were overwhelmed. There were too many birds and firepower wasn’t working.

But fireworks did.

Fortson rattled their roosts with Roman candles. The birds departed and did not return, he said.

But pigeons seemed more pervasive.

In 1970, The Chronicle reported on pigeon problems plaguing several county seats – Sparta, Washington, Thomson and Madison. Shotguns were usually reached for to solve the problem.

Warren County’s inflatable plastic snakes were only marginally successful in 1988, according to county officials. The same was reported in Sylvania, where Screven County workers were trying to trap the pigeons but found that working the traps was time-consuming.

Taliaferro County might have had the best solution by letting nature take its course.

Screech owls had taken up housekeeping in the county seat of Crawfordville and kept the pigeons away from the courthouse. The screech owls also weren’t as messy as the pigeons.

“I let ’em come and go,” a county commissioner said.

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Vasai: Fight over pigeons’ theft leads to 70-year-old’s death

pigeon patrol In an appalling incident, a 70-year-old was beaten to death in Maharashtra’s Vasai on Friday night. Police have arrested nine people in this case.

The deceased, Ramachandra Raut, had filed a complaint with the police against some of the accused for allegedly stealing pigeons.

Angry over this action by the septuagenarian, the accused went to his house and beat him.

Here’s what happened.

Raut claimed his pet pigeons were stolen
What happened

On Friday morning, Raut had told Vasai police that two people stole his pet pigeons.

Vasai police station’s Inspector Rajendra Kamble said taking cognizance of the complaint, the police served notices to the accused.

To maintain peace in the locality, they were given warning under Section 149 CrPC, he added.

But the accused didn’t like that Raut went to police.

Accused went to Raut’s house, assaulted him
The abuse

At around 7:30 PM, the accused gathered seven others, including women, and went to Raut’s house.

They started yelling at him and warned him of dire consequences for going to the police. Raut’s son Bandhu, who is 25 years old, was also shouted at.

When Raut intervened, the people started beating him. They rained kicks and blows on him and one allegedly strangled him.

Hospital declared Raut brought dead
Action

Raut was rushed to the Sir DM Petit Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. He sustained injuries on his head, neck, and back.

A case was registered under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

The people who have been arrested
Fact

The nine who were arrested are Mayur Sachin Raut, Sachin Gharat, Avinash Tandel, Abhishek Raju Kolekar, Sureka Raju Kolekar, Sneha Sachin Gharat, Ranjana Chandrakant Tandel, Raju Tukaram Kolekar, and Reena Sachin Gharat. They were remanded in police custody by a Vasai court on Saturday.

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PIGEON FANCIERS END YEAR ON A HIGH AT ANNUAL AWARDS NIGHT

THE Carlow and District Racing Pigeon Club celebrated its annual awards night and a great year at Carpenter’s bar recently.

Founded in 1965, the clubhouse is still located at Lower Pollerton Road and the club currently has 27 members.
Carlow and District, Barrowvalley, Naas and Newbridge pigeon racing clubs have formed a federation and race every week. Typically, 1,000 birds are raced every week.
Tom Moore is one of the club’s founding members and is still actively involved. He won an old bird race this year from Macroom (107 miles), beating 947 other birds.
PJ Nangle is another long-standing member and did the club proud this year by winning the Old Bird National from Skibereen (133 miles) competing against 3,577 pigeons from every county in Ireland, north and south.

Along with this, he won three old bird races and two young bird races in the club this year.
The club’s annual awards night this year was held in Carpenter’s bar with 16 individual members receiving trophies.
Donal Begley won the young bird and old bird averages, the old bird derby and the Caulfield Cup. And James O’Connor did very well, too, winning the young bird derby along with two young bird races.

All of the club members would like to thank committee members PJ Nangle and Colin Nolan for their hard work and dedication, which is much appreciated. Special thanks also goes to John Dowling for his sterling efforts in keeping the clubhouse running every week.

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This Very Sophisticated Pigeon Use A NYC Water Fountain

New York City’s official bird, the humble pigeon, is ubiquitous, intelligent, nutritious (uh, for hawks) and extremely helpful. But they get really thirsty, especially after eating a bagel. On Thursday, one man decided to give one pigeon a hand by turning on a water fountain.

Steven Pesantez and Mariel Mitkowski were at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George when they saw the pigeon perched on the fountain. “The pigeon was just sitting there and he looked thirsty,” Pesantez recounted. “So I decided to get up and help the little guy.”

Mitkowski filmed the exchange, and Pesantez admitted, “I expected him to stay for a little bit but I didn’t expect him to start drinking!”

“It felt cool to help out the pigeon,” he said. “It was very zen.”

Very zen, and also a much better use of a water fountain than an impromptu doggy bidet.

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Political pigeons

Different people have different hobbies. In my childhood rearing and flying pigeons was one of the common hobbies in the down town area particularly. Four five decades before one could see pigeon towers erected on roof tops called as Kotar Adda after every ten fifteen houses and the pigeon flyers would at times remain on roof tops from morning till evening and have there meals also who where considered to be chronic pigeon flyers known as “Kaini Kotarbaz”

These pigeon flyers were known for the sharp eye sight and patience. They could visiuallise any pigeon whether same is male or female even though pigeon was flying very high because the game or trade was dependent on that. Pigeon had their own names like Zag, Chattur, Tichal etc because some males were considered efficient in enticing female of any other Adda while flying to his own Adda so were some females expert in bringing some male pigeons to there own Adda. Every flyer was trying his best to send his pigeons in the sky to bring the pigeons of others to his own Adda through this process and this exercise at times gave commercials dividends also.

Most unfortunately our political class as seen these days is nothing more that these pigeon towers where we see one political figure be it ex minister, legislator, office bearer or worker running from one adda to another that too so fast keeping the possibility of forth coming assembly elections in view. The way pigeon is not loyal to any adda permanently the same way these political pigeons have no principles, ideology, conviction and dedication for the betterment of the people but only and only goal is to grab power and amass wealth at the cost of human blood and in this process it seems they have all undergone invisible plastic surgery of having shameless faces. The result is obvious because this unfortunate State has tasted all the known parties in power who have proved worse than one another in every respect yet brazenly and facelessly again and again go to the people and ask for their votes. Those who swore on the holy book not to take part in electoral politics are eyeing for contesting all seats. Those who gained public support against communal politics after winning good number of seats aligned with the same for the sake of power and worse sufferers were the people who voted them. Those who enjoyed power with the blessings of Delhi throughout are trying now to raise their voice against powers at the centre only and only to hoodwink the gullible people with the sole purpose of somehow to gain power for their vested interests. We are most unfortunate people for not having a political class who is not wedded to any principles and ideology for the sake of power for which people could vote and trust them that is why none of them are respected by people in the heart of their hearts. Worst kind of human rights violations a decade before were ignored by the party in power and propagated by opposition and when the same opposition came to power they changed the role and did still worse and party in opposition now started beating the drum.

Those who condemned militancy few months before and paid their respects to those soldiers who were killed in operations by laying wreaths on there body is now after losing power condoling the demise of militants which is the reverse gear of the said political party.

This is the peak season of our political pigeons for running from one Adda to another while assessing the prospects of each Adda to gain power without any remotest interest for the betterment and progress of the people and public also is to be made accountable for not assessing the least evil amongst the class of devils we all are caught in.

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