Pigeon woes go on despite progress at train station

As the Community Council members are on a summer break until September, our news this month is mainly ongoing issues but progress is happening!

The Pipe Band Championships at the end of July certainly brought another successful day to our town with the usual influx of visitors and the amazing talent from all ages in the pipe bands including some local young talent which is always an extra reason to experience the feel good factor.

Work on Dumbarton East Railway Station has finally been completed . The work started last year and was an on/off project for months when problems were experienced with the bridge crossing. However, the station has been resurfaced and new concrete slabs have been laid. We will see if the shelter builds up water or not when it rains.

Unfortunately, although the station has had a makeover, the area under the bridge is still a haven for the pigeons so the pigeon mess is still as disgusting within a day or two after being cleaned. No word has been heard on whether the Council has been able to obtain a stream of funding to address this problem but an effort is being made to obtain finance to deal with this. The wheels of time etc etc!!

If you are passing the new Council Offices, you will notice the progress being made and the building is certainly taking shape. The old Academy Building is getting the makeover which is bringing it back to life and when it is finished will be an asset to the town centre.

The next meeting of Dumbarton East & Central Community Council will be held on Tuesday 12 September 2017 in St Augustine’s Hall at 7pm. The AGM will be held that evening and members of the public are welcome to come along and meet their Community Councillors and if there any issues you wish to raise, this is the meeting to come to and make your views heard. If it is in our remit, we will be happy to take any issues up with the appropriate personnel. Also, we are always looking for news members – but that is certainly not obligatory.

Enjoy what is left of the summer. Could be an indian summer yet!

 

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Researchers Offer Solution to Puzzle of Sea Snakes With Jet-Black Skin

Dr. Shine observed that most of the sea snakes there were black — as they were in a remote atoll nearby that was used as a bombing range. This was weird, he thought, because in the rest of their range, from northern Australia to Vietnam, about 95 percent of the sea snakes wrapped themselves in skins of blue and black bands or speckles.

There seemed to be no advantage.

But then Claire Goiran, a marine biologist at Labex Corail & Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie in New Caledonia and lead author of the study, told Dr. Shine about black pigeons that dominated the streets of Paris. She had learned that in their black feathers, they collected metals from the city and shed them when they molted. Maybe the sea snakes did something similar.

To find out, the researchers tested the shed skins of black and banded sea snakes for more than a dozen trace minerals, including zinc, arsenic, cobalt and nickel. As expected, the black skin — whether it belonged to a whole black snake or just a black band — contained more of the metals.

Trying to figure out the evolutionary advantage of this correlation, the researchers determined that it wasn’t camouflage. And it didn’t make snakes sexier to other snakes. They reasoned that the minerals accumulated in the water, moved up the food chain and became sequestered in the black skin. The dark skin also attracted an algae, which took residence on the snakes’ bodies, creating a heavy, velvety cloak. To get rid of the algae, which slowed them down in the water, the snakes shed their skin more often, protecting them from levels of metals that are toxic in other animals. Like the urban moths and pigeons, their skin may have adapted to deal with a stressful environment.

“On the one hand it’s encouraging that wildlife can adapt very rapidly to the new challenges we’re imposing on them. On the other hand, there are bound to be limitations to that resilience,” Dr. Shine said. “We can’t keep treating natural ecosystems the way we do without losing some pretty spectacular animals.”

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Spring in the air, China’s pigeon racers give birds their meds

BEIJING (Reuters) – Guarding against avian flu, which has forced a mass cull of birds in China, pigeon fancier Wang Jincang paid out nearly $400 to get his 200 racing pigeons vaccinated and fortified for the onset of the spring racing season.

“I normally choose imported medicines, which are several times more expensive than some local brands,” Wang told Reuters as he lined up to enter birds for contests that begin this month.

The cost of vaccination is small change compared with how much pigeon enthusiasts can pay to buy prized breeds.

An egg can cost a few hundred dollars, while the price for a full-grown bird with a coveted bloodline can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In 2013, a Chinese businessman paid 310,000 euros (nearly $334,000) for a Belgian-bred racing pigeon, whereas local birds can be bought for less than $100.

Wang doesn’t want to say how much he has invested in his birds, though he spends almost $1,500 a month looking after their health, and describes his pastime as wagering time and money.

“Pigeon racing is essentially gambling. We are betting our time and fortune on the birds, similar to horse-betting,” Wang said.

Any form of gambling is banned in China, but pigeon races, which are flown over hundreds of kilometers, fall under the gray category of social sports.

China hosts more than 100,000 pigeon races annually, some of them organized by corporate-backed professional pigeon clubs like Huashunde, supported by Beijing Huashunde Power Engineering Ltd, and Hongjin Pigeon Club, backed by PetroChina Huabei Oil Field Co.

Prize money has been rising. A club in Beijing is set to award 70 million yuan (over $10 million) in total prize money at its autumn championship.

Ge, a 39-year-old pigeon owner in Fujian, has 80 pigeons. So far, they have helped him win 150,000 yuan (nearly $22,000).

“We aim for good scores and big rewards at contests,” said Ge. “Otherwise, why raise pigeons?”

 

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

The ‘pigeon man’ of Okaloosa Island

OKALOOSA ISLAND — A gray cloud flies low every day over a sun-kissed beachgoer near the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier.

It’s not a cloud filled with sadness or rain, but one made up of a flock of feathery friends flying in to greet “the pigeon man.”

Resting under a deep blue umbrella with a thick coat of sunscreen on his nose, Dayn Lacke of Cinco Bayou, as he’s formally known, spends his days in a lawn chair soaking up the sunshine. Lacke said it was five years ago when he threw a cracker in the sand and began his passion for pigeons.

“I come out here more than the lifeguards,” Lacke said. “I come out here every day. It could be three hours or it could be all day long. Five years ago I saw a pretty white pigeon and started feeding that one crackers. She got friendly with me. We called her Angel.”

Lacke, a semi-retired architectural illustrator, now has up to 120 pigeons he feeds daily. He said you’ll rarely see a seagull among the group because he only buys wild bird seed, which is the healthiest option for the pigeons.

“I go through about 35 pounds of bird seed each week,” Lacke said. “The bird seed is too small for the seagulls to pick up. In the mornings, they (pigeons) will normally meet me on the boardwalk and line up on the handrails. I then walk through a gondola of pigeons.”

MooMoo, LuLu, Powder, Brownie, Baby and Speck are among Lacke’s favorite birds that he has named. He needs only to call their names for the birds to fly and land on this index finger.

“I formed bonds with roughly 30 of the pigeons,” Lacke said. “I named those, but you can’t name them all.”

Lacke said he asks other beachgoers only one thing: “Do not chase my birds.”

“I would say 95 percent of people walk by with a smile on their face,” he said.

Five percent are dumbfounded or grossed out or freaked out. The pigeons are very tame. When people chase them, it can break their feet, he said.

“I see a lot of people ducking and diving when the pigeons are flying,” Lacke added. “It’s not like they’ll run into you. They’re fine navigators. As long as you’re not a window, I think you’re okay.”

Jenna Testa, a wildlife health technician at the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge on Okaloosa Island, said pigeons are a form of rock dove that is not native to the Emerald Coast. Although helping aid non-native species could have a direct impact on the native ones, Testa said Lacke has also helped refuge workers untangle and aid many native birds on the beach.

“He has a big heart for the birds,” Testa said. “He has a good heart for animals in general.”

Lacke said he also is available to people walking by if they need information or a helping hand. As far as the birds, he said they will continue to be fed.

“If someone else can’t handle it, I’ll keep doing it,” he said. “Even if I come out here just to feed them and then leave, they’ll keep getting fed.”

 

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Stoke-on-Trent City Council defends spending thousands on tackling pigeon problem

Council chiefs in Stoke-on-Trent have defended spending £75,000 on tackling the city’s pigeon problem.

Latest figures show that the council spends more than any other authority outside London on ridding the streets of the winged menace.

In the last three years, Stoke-on-Trent City Council has spent £75,000 on a range of measures including pigeon-proofing buildings, clearing up pigeon mess and removing dead pigeons.

A spokesperson from Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: “We have a duty to ensure our city is clean, well maintained and attractive for residents, businesses and visitors.

“More than a third of the money we have spent in the last three years has gone on permanent, long-term solutions to protect our buildings.

“This will create a cleaner and healthier environment for everyone and preserve the heritage of our city.”

Technical officer at the British Pest Control Association Natalie Bungay, said: “Pest control will be carried out against pigeons when complaints from the public come in.

“People don’t like to see them and complain about being swooped on and the mess that they create.

“This is a large problem throughout the country, but councils deal with them in different ways.

“The councils want to protect their buildings from the mess that pigeons make.”

 

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

A purple dove has been flooding Facebook feeds, here is what it means

IF YOU are one who enjoys reading the comments on Facebook posts, chances are you have come across a headbanging purple bird.

The meaning of the purple bird is very confusing with the meme going from innocent sticker to a right-wing symbol used by fascists and Neo-Nazis.

Originating from Florida artist and Adobe creative resident Syd Weller, the “Trash Dove” is part of a sticker set featuring a large-eyed purple pigeon in various situations — most notably the bird vigorously thrashing its head up and down.

The sticker suddenly went viral after being featured alongside a dancing cat on a Facebook page with millions of followers.

After going viral, Trash Dove became the focus of dozens of memes and fan art, which includes porn based on the purple pigeon.

But now the symbol has moved past light trolling and is considered to be an alt-right meme used to spread neo-Nazi propaganda.

A campaign dubbed “Operation Nazi Bird” from 4chan’s /pol/ message board — the epicentre of far-right extremist activity — was responsible for the shift.

The campaign called for the alt-right to use the bird to clog up the comment section of prominent leftist Facebook pages.

Users are also being encouraged to start photoshopping Trash Dove into images of Nazi propaganda, with users quick to comply.

Is the Trash Dove meme a symbol for Neo-Nazis?Source:Supplied

While not everyone associates the meme with Nazi propaganda, it’s apparent some people have been taking the bait.

People are starting to get upset over this meme.Source:Supplied

So in closing, Trash Dove started as a simple Facebook sticker, before far-right trolls on 4chan attempted to make it a neo-Nazi symbol. Where it will go to now is anyone’s guess.

 

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)