Don Hickman lives on Sauvie Island, but hunts ducks at a friend’s farm.
…Which is where he was pleasantly surprised to take three banded mallards Wednesday. A single banded mallard – bands are used on relatively few ducks to monitor their movements during migration – is unusual, but three in one day is rare.
And they weren’t his only reward for hunting in the rain.
Hiking back to his rig, he recognized two forms sitting in the branches of the only tall tree along a fenceline. A couple of no. 7 steel shotshells later, he added a pair of doves to his duck strap.
But not native mourning doves.
Mourning dove season lasts through October, but Hickman’s similar quarry can be taken all year – no season; no limit.
Nor are they common rock pigeons, also subject to year-round hunting.
Rather, these were Eurasian collared doves; larger and lighter than mourning doves and marked by a distinctive band around the back of the neck.
Collared doves reproduce naturally, but aren’t native to Oregon or even the western Hemisphere.
First seen in the Caribbean in the 1970s, collared doves showed up in Florida in the 1980s and quickly spread across the continent. Most states consider them invasive. They’re popular among hunters across Texas and the southeast.
“They’re pretty well-established,” said Brandon Reishus, migratory bird biologist for theOregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Kind of like feral poultry.”
Oregon biologists began noticing collared doves in 2000. They were common across most of Eastern Oregon within four or five years and by the end of the decade were seen statewide, from desert to sea.
Reishus said the department didn’t initially allow hunting, but then relented and allowed hunters to take collared doves during the mourning dove season.
While other states opened hunting with no limits, the agency remained concerned for awhile hunters might mistake mourning doves for collared, but hunters in other states were easily able to discriminate so a few years ago, Oregon removed collared doves from its protected bird list.
That means they can be taken any time, along with house sparrows and starlings. A hunting license is required on public land.
The same is true in Washington, which also requires a hunting license.
It does not, by the way, eliminate city or local laws prohibiting shooting or trespass laws on private property.
Which is where most collared doves are found, although they’re probably still spreading into available habitat.
“They seem to be associated with humans,” Reishus said. “They’re not real common away from structures.”
That includes farms and rural communities, where permission to hunt big game or game birds might be problematic, but easier to obtain for rock pigeons and collared doves.
Reishus said many believe collared doves compete with mourning doves for food and nests, but there hasn’t been much research and biologists don’t believe it’s a problem, although “people still don’t buy it,” he said.
Collared doves are “seed generalists,” Reishus said. “They’ll eat any seed they can get down their throat.
They’re also opportunistic nesters, i.e, just about anywhere they can pull a few twigs together and most likely don’t migrate nearly as much as mourning doves.
“They probably move with the snow to find food,” Reishus said, “but they won’t take off like migrating birds.”
Hickman breasted his doves and put them in a crockpot with some teal and cream of mushroom soup.
“They taste like a migratory bird,” he said. “But not as strong. It’s a milder dark meat.”
Speaking of invasives: The Oregon Bass and Panfish Club held its annual all-species fish-in Sept. 30 in Multnomah Channel.
Anglers caught 10 non-natives: Yellow perch; black and white crappie; largemouth and smallmouth bass; pumpkinseed; bluegill; bullhead and channel catfish, and walleye.
On cue, this coming week’s meeting Thursday, from 7-9 p.m. in the East Portland Community Center, 740 SE 106th Ave., will be about which color lures to use for fall walleye and smallmouth bass.
(Last year, by the way, large smallmouth were caught nearly all winter in the Columbia River Gorge.)
Washington may ease angling regs: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is simplifying fishing rules for the state Fish and Wildlife Commission to consider.
Among the proposals are standardized seasons in streams and rivers, the end of most mandatory steelhead retention rules and lifting all bag and size limits for bass, walleye and catfish in rivers and streams.
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.
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The bird, known locally as Harold, has become a popular part of the community and regular visits people inside their homes. Collared Dove called Harold among other names with postman David Chamberlain age 53. Picture: James Linsell-Clark. But the bird has become something of an irritation to postman Neil Davies, as it regularly swoops down to sit on his head or shoulder while he attempts to do his morning round. Mr Davies’ colleague, Alison Preston, 51, has been called in to cover his round. She said: “I’ve never seen anything like it – he’s very friendly. Some of the neighbours don’t like him, nor does Neil.” Alison, who has worked for Royal Mail for 10 years, added: “I’m used to the dove now. He’ll come right up to you and sit on your head if you let him. He sees me off whenever I’ve posted letters here and then he flies back to numbers six and eight Alison Preston “He’ll come right up to you and sit on your head if you let him. “He sees me off whenever I’ve posted letters here and then he flies back to numbers six and eight.” The dove’s loud coo-coo can be heard all the way down the close. Locals have volunteered to move their letterboxes to the end of their drives to stop the Royal Mail worker having to enter the dove’s territory. Resident Joan Angier, 71, said: “He’s a lovely bird and we all love him around here. “I just think the postman has a phobia of him, or that’s what everyone says anyway. “He’s very friendly, he’ll come and sit on your knee in the garden. “He’s a unique bird, he’s got a very distinctive coo-coo, different to the pigeons.” The wild collared dove first appeared in April, nesting on top of villagers’ homes. But he was taken under the wing of locals, who took pity on his skinny frame and began feeding him scraps. Joan added: “Back then, he was young and skinny. But he got fed by the neighbours and he became so tame. “We volunteered to put the letter boxes outside to make life easier for the postman. “Unfortunately, with him being a wild bird, we have no control over him”. Harold only approaches people when they enter his territory, but is not aggressive. It is thought to be the first time a Royal Mail worker has been pestered by a dove while delivering mail. Henry Perry, from Royal Mail, said: “While this seems light-hearted and fun, Royal Mail does take dog, bird and animal attacks very seriously. “A lot of animals have caused very serious injuries to our staff.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
The news has been hailed as a shot in the arm for the flagging town centre, as well as a means to provide much-needed local housing. Bletchley Labour councillor Mohammed Khan has spent the past 18 months negotiating with the London businessman who owns the dilapidated building. This week he revealed a pre-planning application had been submitted to MK Council, with full details to follow in the New Year. Mr Khan said: “The owner plans to demolish the building as it is in such a bad state after standing empty for so many years. “He intends to build 186 one and two bedroom flats, with some of them allocated for social housing. There will an underground car park and more parking on top of the building.” The ground floor will be mixed retail, mainly cafes and restaurants. Meanwhile pub giants Wetherspoon’s are preparing to move in to the former Bletchley Arms pub at the other end of Queensway. “All this will attract more people and more businesses to the town centre, which is currently dead and deserted in the evenings. It is just what Bletchley needs,” said Mr Khan. The huge 60,000 sq ft building, which sold everying from sofas to socks, closed its doors in 2006, It has been marketed as for sale or to let ever since, but nobody has shown a firm interest i- and the only ‘tenants’ have been pigeons. Councillor Mohammed Khan: “I’ve been inside and it is in a bad state, full of pigeons and their mess. “Eleven years is just too long for a building in the heart of a town to stand empty. It is good that it’s being demolished and brought alive again.” In June this year the Let’s Help Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Facebook group begged for something to be done, describing the town as a mecca of gambling shops.
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.
Bath’s Pigeon Man avoided jail for repeatedly feeding birds in the city centre – and has vowed to continue doing so.
In an explosive court hearing Paul Charlton was given 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 15 months, and told if he committed another offence in that time he will find himself behind bars.
Charlton, of no fixed address, is known throughout the city for regularly feeding the pigeons which flock to and perch on him under the columns off Stall Street and Bath Abbey.
His behaviour led Bath and North East Somerset Council to make a community protection notice banning him from doing so.
It led to the council bringing a prosecution against Charlton which saw him handed a criminal behaviour order (CBO) on January 23 by Bath magistrates.
Despite this Charlton, 42, continued to feed pigeons on a number of occasions throughout the year.
Speaking after his latest hearing today (Wednesday, October 18), Charlton said magistrates were ‘unreasonable’ and that he would not stop.
Standing in the dock, he told magistrates: “Send me to prison and when I come back I’ll have to do the same again.”
Despite this promise, the magistrates chose not to jail him.
Chair of the magistrates Jenny Simmonds said: “These breaches taken together are so serious that we must impose a custodial sentence.
“We’re sentencing you to two weeks in custody for each of these breaches – a total of 12 weeks.
“We’re suspending this on the condition that you don’t commit another offence within the next 15 months.
“If you’re convicted of another offence while on this order you can expect to serve this prison sentence.”
Charlton had admitted six breaches of the order at a hearing last month.
He was first charged with defying the CBO on January 30 – only seven days after it was made – as well as four more times in February and once in March.
A barrister for B&NES Council read out a victim impact statement from the director of Jacob’s Coffee House director, Jake Harris, saying his business is impacted by Charlton’s act.
It read: “Paul Charlton feeds the pigeons directly outside my premises and it impacts on us in several ways.
“He has been threatening to staff, invading their personal space.
“We have a responsibility to make sure tables are clean and hygienic. That experience reflects on the business good or bad. If there are pigeons flying around we get feedback.
“Many members of the public have made comments, some of it refers directly to Paul the pigeon man.
“I cannot move the shop – we pay business rates, rent, employ 40-50 staff members.
“We pay for our environment. He’s not operating a business and not paying taxes.
“I’ve had to pay £1,200 to get pigeon excrement professionally removed.”
Mr Harris said when a pigeon flies into the cake display, he has to throw away up to 30 cakes at once at a cost of £300 to the business.
Charlton, when asked if he had anything to say, told the court: “I feel this man is cooking up a fuss over nothing. The birds fly in all the shops.
“Send me to prison and when I come back I’ll have to do the same again.
“The court has lied about the truth and protected those people of that status.
“You’re not offering justice for all.”
Upon hearing his sentence, Charlton told magistrates: “I don’t believe in your ‘justice’.
“You’re unreasonable.”
His defence solicitor had appealed to the bench to spare Charlton prison and said his client receives benefits.
“I’ve spent quite a bit of time with Mr Charlton and he makes it very clear to me that he was very unhappy about the way the order was made,” Guy Percival said.
“He didn’t feel he had the opportunity to properly put his case and feels quite strongly a sense of injustice.
“I’ve been at pains to explain to him that you’re here to sentence these breaches and you obviously can’t revisit the making of the original order.
“The report presents very stark sentencing options. He says in very clear terms to me that he will not comply with a supervision order, he knows that leaves very few options indeed.
“I would invite you to consider a suspended sentence coupled with a contribution to costs.”
Charlton told the Chronicle at the end of his hearing that he would return to his haunt the following day.
“If you want a picture come back and speak to me tomorrow,” he said.
“I’ll be at pigeon land at 12pm.”
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.
Paul Charlton aka Pigeon Man is due to be sentenced this morning for breaking an order barring him from feeding birds.
Charlton, of no fixed address, is a well-known figure in Bath, often seen under the arches off Stall Street with pigeons perching on him.
However, he was prosecuted in January for the antics despite being subject to a community protection notice ordering him to stop.
It landed him with a criminal behaviour order – which he has since broken on six occasions.
He was first charged with defying the order only seven days after it was made, on January 30, and four more times in February and once in March.
The 42-year-old admitted the offences when he appeared at Bath Magistrates’ Court on September 25.
His hearing was adjourned so a pre-sentence report could be prepared by the probation service.
Charlton is due back in courtroom 1 for sentencing this morning (Wednesday, October 18).
Follow our blog for everything that happens in this case and updates on this morning’s other hearings.
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.
