by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 9, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
A suite of four canvases filled with nothing but pigeon droppings by Dan Colen, another popular American artist, also brought a strong price. David Mugrabi, a New York art dealer, bought the work for $545,000, in the middle of its $400,000 to $600,000 estimate.
A screenshot of the auction results for Dan Colen’s Untitled, 2006-07I didn’t come across this bit of news while actually reading the New York Times. It was shared on Facebook by a painter friend who posted it along with only the briefest commentary: “The art market, jesus.”
I feel for Carol Vogel who has to report auction results like this one with a straight face. By the way Carol, there were five pigeon shit covered canvases in the lot, not four, so maybe editorial oversight at the New York Times isn’t what it used to be. Is a correction forthcoming?
The real commentary these days happens on blogs and social media sites — Facebook and Twitter — where there are no editors to vet content for accuracy and no advertisers (i.e. auction houses or art dealers) who might be offended. I certainly enjoy being able to say what I think about art here on The Huffington Post where the advertisers for laser eye-bag removal haven’t yet objected to anything I have said.
At any rate, the news of this $545k birddoggle got 49 shares just on my friend’s page and when I re-posted it there were some pretty good quips. “Well…it’s not bullshit” was one.
The way I understand Colen’s “success” is that it is a social phenomenon, not an aesthetic one. For decades now one of the most common accolades given to artists has been that he or she is “pushing boundaries.” Never mind that there are almost no boundaries left: if you can find one — for example, the idea that art shouldn’t just be pigeon poop — then you have a created a binary situation. There are going to be those who are appalled and who shake their head at how awful your art is and there are going to be those that say “Hey, this is amazing.” In a 2010 interview Colen spelled this situation out quite clearly:
“It’s such a paradox. You come from this place where you want fame; you don’t want to be bourgeois, but you want to be successful. You want to be accepted, but you also want to be going against the grain. You want to be on the outside, but you want to be on the inside.”
Exactly. if your reaction to Colen’s “Untitled” is “Ewww… I wonder if his canvases could transmit ocular histoplasmosis?” you are bourgeois. Well, or you are an art restorer worried that you may be called to the Hamptons to re-glue some wayward shit onto one of these next season…
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 9, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
RATS, mice and pigeons are becoming a “growing problem” in Chester, the council has warned.
Signs are now being put up urging people not to feed birds, as bread, seeds and other treats have been attracting vermin.
Cheshire West and Chester Council says it has received numerous complaints about rats, mice and bird droppings around homes, parks and paths, mainly in the canalside area.
As well as the signs, community safety wardens will also patrol certain areas and could even hand out £75 littering fines to people feeding birds.
Councillor Bob Rudd said: “We are certainly not proposing to take action against people who feed small amounts of seed or bread to ducks or wild birds. The problem is with a minority of people who leave excessive amounts of food. We hope these signs will be an effective deterrent and there will be no need to issue any fines.
“Our aim is to encourage people to think about the impact of their actions on residents, as well as the impression it gives visitors to our city.”
The signs will be installed at points along Whipcord Lane, Seller Street and the canal side of Leadworks Lane.
Garden Quarter resident Maureen Crook, who raised the issue at a recent local councillor’s surgery, said: “Since we moved here 12 years ago we’ve seen much improvement to the area around the canal and Water Tower Gardens. But it only takes one individual leaving food out for birds to ruin these public areas, as the food was attracting rats and excessive amounts of pigeons.
“After reporting the issue I’m pleased to say that the feeding stopped and I can enjoy taking my grandchildren to play on the park in the area again.”
As well as being unsightly, bird droppings corrode stonework and damage buildings.
Droppings on pavements can become slippery when wet, posing a safety hazard, while droppings, nest material and dead birds can block guttering and drains.
Councillor Lynn Riley, executive member for localities, said: “The local community have worked with the council to come up with some practical and pragmatic solutions to a long-standing problem with pigeons.
“There are ways and places to feed birds that don’t encourage rats and vermin in residential areas and we would encourage people to look at advice from some of the many wildlife charities and organisations.
“To avoid attracting unwanted pests, any leftover food waste should be cleaned up, bagged and placed in a suitable waste container.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 9, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
First, I would think the city has more important things to worry about than banning pigeon feeding. I personally enjoy feeding pigeons, but I can see where having too many would be a problem. There have been pigeons in America’s cities since our ancestors brought them from Europe, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing if you keep the population in check.
If we really want to get the numbers down, there’s a company by the name of Innolytics (ovocontrol.com) that produces a product called OvoControl, which is “Ready-to-use birth control kibbles for pigeons” and has been used successfully in other cities.
However, just outright banning of feeding is cruel to the pigeons; despite the wayward french fry or hamburger bun that they may find, pigeons that rely on feedings will starve a long slow death. In a city as big and diverse as ours, we should be able to find at least a couple of places where pigeons can be fed without causing so much squawking.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 8, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
A MUM has had to keep her two young children away from playing in their back yard because it is being plagued by a flock of pigeons.
Jane Turner, 40, said the pigeons had taken up residence on the roofs of terraced houses in Skipton Road, Colne, after a derelict mill was demolished.
A flock of ‘30 to 40’ birds had been living in Oak Mill, but after it was demolished in December last year they moved across the road to the roofs of the houses.
Mrs Turner said: “The pigeons are on the roofs of around three houses in Skipton Road. It’s a total nightmare. The back yard and windows are covered in pigeon muck — it’s a massive health hazard.
“I have two young children under four but I can’t let them out the back because of this. It’s been like this for about six months and we don’t know what else to do now.
“The council have said it is not their problem, but they gave approval for the demolition of the mill. Now we’ve been left with the pigeons.”
Pendle Council fought an 18-month battle to get the eyesore mill demolished, which ending with the authority taking the Isle of Man company that owns the building to court.
Mrs Turner said: “We have had to get a report on the problem from an environmental company, but it looks like it is going to cost thousands to sort it out. We can’t find that sort of money.”
Philip Mousdale, deputy chief executive, said: “We sympathise with Ms Turner and her neighbours.
“However, the council does not have any responsibility or duty of care for pigeons as part of the planning 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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 12, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
A home in Tucson is being cleaned out by animal control officials after they discovered the two residents living with more than 140 pigeons.
The officers said they found at least 15 to 20 nests inside the house, in addition to rodents, insects and the pigeons themselves.
Neighbors said the residents encouraged the birds to enter the home by feeding them and leaving the door open. One neighbor said there were broken windows that the birds flew in and out of.
The property is long-term mental health housing with multiple units. According to a police report, City Code Enforcement workers checked on the home on May 30, but the residents didn’t let them in. They came back five days later with a search warrant.
One neighbor described the owner of the property as a “slum lord.” A representative of the owner, who cooks for the residents, agreed to let officials inside.
In total, officials said there were 143 pigeons found in the home and more than 100 more living outside. Based on the findings, three more units will need work, which will uproot 6 more residents.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 12, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
It can be pretty hard to be a pigeon anywhere in the world, but it turns out that the charming and iconic city of Vienna just got to be one of the worst locations for the pesky birds. Dog owners, however, are facing even bigger problems.
It seems authorities are trying to clean up the city and they have implemented a couple of new plans to do just that.
Pick up that poop or pay
First it was the dog owners. City authorities organized “Waste Watchers” (cute name, huh?) to keep an eagle eye on dog owners in the streets and parks. Any errant bit of poop then earned the appropriate dog owner a huge fine of up to 470 euros for their crime.
Pigeons attract rats, ergo get rid of pigeons
Now, the city is saying that people must cease and desist from feeding the pigeons. They say that when that elderly gent or lady sitting in the park chucks bread crumbs at the pigeons, they must cough up a 36 euro fine. Not as bad as dog poop I suppose, but still.
What officials are saying is that feeding the birds with bread is “not good for them” plus the left-overs (pigeons leave left-overs?) then apparently attract the rats.
Vienna city councilor Ulrike Sima pronounced that, “whoever feeds pigeons, feeds rats,” adding that feeding the pigeons is “misunderstood animal welfare” as by eating human food “they get sick and suffer.”
Referring to limited green space in the city, Sima also said this should not be “rendered unusable due to the pigeons.”
Pigeon prison camps
So that the birds do not “suffer” and the parks are not “rendered unusable,” city officials have other sinister plans afoot.
Experts in the field have come up with an idea for good old population-reduction. They want to set up a special nesting site for the birds, which will apparently attract them using what they term “pigeon psychology.”
This wonderful pigeon residential estate will house up to 400 of the pesky birds, which will be fed a much more appropriate diet. In return for this life of sheer luxury, their eggs will be removed from their nests and replaced with dummies, thus preventing them from breeding.
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)
