by johnnymarin | Feb 7, 2018 | Pigeon Spikes
Every day, at sun rise, A. Prasanna heads to the terrace to feed a flock of pigeons. He scatters millets from a bowl, held in his left hand. “Every week, I spend nearly 50 kilos of millets for feeding the pigeons.” Prasanna, a resident of Sathasivam Nagar in Madipakkam, says, “Every day, around 6.30 a.m., I feed the pigeons. If I am unwell or out of station, my wife and son and daughter — A. P. Priyadarshini, P. Anirudh and P. Harini — feed the pigeons.” On an average, more than 200 pigeons gather every day at our terrace. He began feeding the pigeons two years ago. Besides pigeons, a good number of squirrels have also started visiting Prasanna’s terrace.
“I started this practice after I watched a video that was circulated on WhatApp. It showed a resident of Royapettah feeding parakeets on his terrace every day,” he says, adding, “ I also feed cows and stray dogs with bananas, sesbania grandiflora (Agathi Keerai) and biscuits and help poor people by buying them food.”
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 johnnymarin | Dec 6, 2017 | Pigeon Spikes
A MAN rang police to report intruders on his roof – only to discover the unwanted guests were in fact pigeons.
Police were called to Egerton Court on Barrow Island this morning after a 20-year-old male resident reported that someone was attempting to gain access to his flat.
When police arrived, it turned out the noise he was hearing from his roof was in fact caused by pigeons.
However, police then realised the man was wanted and subject to a warrant for allegedly breaching a community order, and so he was arrested and taken to Barrow Police Station.
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 johnnymarin | Sep 5, 2017 | Pigeon Spikes
Nearly a quarter (23%) of solar panel owners have had a problem with their system, exclusive Which? research reveals. Inverter problems are the most common, but pigeons, panel problems and electrical faults have also plagued other owners. Some of the problems were most likely to be spotted by owners in the first year, but others occur over time, with wear and tear. In June 2017, we surveyed 1,265 Which? members who own solar panels to find out about their experiences with solar panels. Read on to find out which other problems your solar panels are most likely to experience and what to expect with an inverter. Our in-depth factory audit reveals which solar panel brands are built to last. Solar panel problems: inverters and birds Besides problems with the inverter, the next most-common problems that solar panel owners experience are electrical system issues and loose or damaged roof tiles, as you can see in the chart below. Other problems experienced by fewer than 4% of owners were accidental damage to panels (3%), problems with other parts (2%) and isolator problems (1%). But 25% of you told us that you’d experienced another type of problem. One of the most commonly reported was birds nesting or fouling your panels. Several owners told us about pigeons nesting under panels, for instance. One owner is bothered by crows: ‘They get under the panels so I have put rolled up chicken wire round the outside.’ Another noted they get ‘bird droppings on the panels’. How soon do solar panel problems show up? Problems with the electrics in the solar panel system are most likely to occur less than a year after installation, our research reveals. The same is true for loose or damaged roof tiles; potentially occurring at the time of installation. But inverter problems are most likely to happen several years after purchase. To make sure your solar panel installation goes smoothly, make sure you hire a reputable solar panel company, and get at least three quotes. Use Which? Trusted Traders directory to find trustworthy local solar panel installers, recommended by other customers. Watch our video of a solar panel installation so you know what to expect on the day. Solar panel inverter problems An inverter converts the direct current (DC) electricity produced by solar panels to alternating current (AC) which can be used in your home. It’s a box which is often installed in the loft. Solar panels are expected to have at least a 20-year lifespan. But inverters aren’t so long-lasting, so you should bear in mind you’ll probably have to replace it during the lifetime of your solar PV system. One in ten owners have replaced their inverter One in ten (9%) owners told us they’ve had to replace their inverter since they’ve had their solar panel system installed. Most commonly, they replaced the inverter four years after they bought their solar PV system – almost a quarter (23%) told us this. Some 16% said they’d replaced their inverter more than five years after purchase. But the same percentage said they’d had to replace it less than a year after buying their system. A new inverter can cost at least £1,000. If you’re considering buying solar panels, factor this cost into your calculations. Find out more about solar panel prices and savings.
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 Ryan Ponto | Mar 19, 2017 | Pigeon Spikes
Fifteen years ago, the center of London was densely populated — not just with people, but also with birds. Particularly pigeons.
Huge flocks of them would fill the capital’s parks and squares. But something has changed. The pigeons are gone. One reason for the pigeon decline can be seen in Trafalgar Square at 7 a.m. every weekday.
Not far from Big Ben, the square is the very center of the city. Even early in the day it bustles with commuters, tourists and school parties. But among all that activity there is a hunter on the loose. A silent killer. One who watches over every movement — from the National Gallery on the north side to Charing Cross Station on the south. Up close to him, you notice powerful shoulders, a penetrating gaze — and also a tendency to twist his head around to the back looking for prey.
That hunter’s name is Lemmy, and he is a Harris’s hawk.
Lemmy is employed by the Greater London Authority to ensure that places like Trafalgar Square remain free of pigeons, and therefore free of their waste. He works in a team: his handler, Paul Picknell, is employed by Hawkforce, one of London’s leading avian security firms.
Speaking to Picknell, there is no mistaking his love for his work buddy. “He’s a work colleague, he’s a friend. [But he is] essentially a wild animal. Never tame. In amongst all these people — he’ll totally ignore everybody apart from me,” he says. “It’s almost a telepathetic communication.”
Until the early 2000s, pigeons ruled Trafalgar Square and other open spaces in the center of London. You could buy food to feed them. Even Mary Poppins had a song advising Londoners to feed the birds.
Things changed in 2003, when the mayor of London declared war on the birds. So many pigeons produced a lot of … waste. And that’s not hygienic.
The pigeon feed stall was closed. If Mary Poppins tried to feed the birds now, she would be hit with a fine. But a humane and natural way to move the pigeons on was needed. And that’s where Picknell and Lemmy come in.
As Picknell is talking, Lemmy suddenly gags and vomits up a small oily lump of yellowish paste onto the sidewalk. Picknell is relieved. “Oh. That’s what we’re waiting for,” he says. “That’s the cast. It’s basically beaks, the feathers, the claws of the food he had yesterday that he can’t digest.”
He picks it up and rubs it carefully between his fingers for a diagnosis. It crumbles under his thumbnail. “That one’s quite normal looking. Nothing wrong with this bird. He’s ready to go now.”
Although Harris’s hawks do hunt birds like pigeons, the idea is not for Lemmy to kill while on duty. He is fed exclusively from a small plastic box of raw chicken scraps. Picknell takes a large handful and fills his pocket with these snacks at the start of every shift.
Instead, the idea is to use Lemmy’s presence to deter and intimidate pigeons. “It’s a visual thing. It’s a presence,” says Picknell. “The pigeons are aware there’s a bird of prey — there’s predator around, therefore they stay away.”
There’s an air of “The Sopranos” when Picknell describes the effect Lemmy’s presence has on pigeons. “I suppose he does intimidate them,” he says. “The big kid’s around. Keep yourself to yourself. Stay out the way.”
Unlike other forms of pest control, such as poisoning or shooting, the use of hawks is environmentally friendly and ultimately humane. It is also popular: Picknell and Limmy are constantly pestered for selfies. Some hawks like the attention more than others, Picknell says. Lemmy is not too keen on having his feathers ruffled.
There was some backlash at first — a renegade pro-pigeon activist group is still rumored to carry out vigilante bread distributions somewhere nearby — but the square today is much cleaner. And almost completely free of 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)
by Ryan Ponto | Mar 10, 2017 | Pigeon Spikes
BEIJING: Guarding against avian flu, which has forced a mass cull of birds in China, pigeon fancier Wang Jincang paid out nearly US$400 (RM1,760) to get his 200 racing pigeons vaccinated and fortified for the onset of the spring racing season.
“I normally choose imported medicine, which is several times more expensive than some local brands,” Wang said 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 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 (RM1.48mil) for a Belgian-bred racing pigeon, whereas local birds can be bought for less than US$100 (RM440).
Wang does not want to say how much he has invested in his birds, though he spends almost US$1,500 (RM6,600) 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 kilometres, fall under the grey category of social sports.
Prize money has been rising. A club in Beijing is set to award 70 million yuan (RM44mil) in total prize money at its autumn championship. — Reuters
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 18, 2017 | Pigeon Spikes
High above Cambridge’s Trinity College, a hawk has swooped on the hapless bird as it perches on the college clock.
But the bird of prey got stuck behind the giant minute hand as it ticked towards 4.30pm – halting the century-old timepiece for more than three minutes.
Cambridge University engineering expert Dr Hugh Hunt, a fellow at Trinity, spotted the attack and posted pictures of it on Facebook.
He said: “Hawk eating pigeon on my clock dial, oblivious of looming minute hand. Will probably stop the clock.”
It did. College members who look after the pendulum-driven machinery later said on the Trinity website: “Quinn the Harris Hawk ate a pigeon and got stuck behind the minute hand, causing a 186-second stoppage.”
Several members were deployed to reset the clock and do “a top-up wind.”
Later Dr Hunt posted a diagram showing how the clock’s pendulum was affected, captioning it: “The amplitude of swing of the pendulum from yesterday afternoon. Definitely disturbed by the carnage.”
The clock is housed in one of the oldest buildings in Trinity, King Edward’s Gate, originally the entrance to King’s Hall, which joined with Michaelhouse in the 16th century to become Trinity, then called the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity.
The current clock was installed in 1910, and is unusual in that it chimes the hour twice.
The first chime is a low note, and is called the Trinity Chime, and the second is a higher one, the St John’s Chime. William Wordsworth, a St John’s alumnus, mentioned it in his 1850 poem The Prelude:
“Near me hung Trinity’s loquacious clock,
Who never let the quarters, night or day,
Slip by him unproclaimed, and told the hours
Twice over with a male and female voice.”
Birds of prey have been visiting Cambridge’s high towers and spires regularly. In the past few years, peregrine falcons have been seen nesting on top of the University Library and other tall buildings.
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)
