by johnnymarin | Jan 28, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
Wattle seeds, along with those of gorse and broom, are popular with bronzewing pigeons, which will often be seen on the ground underneath these plants in late summer.
Pigeons are able to break down the extremely hard outer shell of the seeds to make use of the nutrients inside.
Currawongs, on the other hand, regurgitate wattle seeds and other indigestible matter in the form of pellets.
The pigeons have a digestive system that uses small stones in the gizzard to grind the seeds.
These perform a similar function to teeth.
A currawong’s digestive system is not able to crush such seeds.
As far as wattle seeds are concerned, the currawongs seem to eat only blackwoods, which apparently contain some nutrient in the red outer “funicle” surrounding the hard black seed that the birds seek out.
The blackwood seeds are thus spread by currawongs, but not by pigeons.
Most wattles, like the blackwood, form their seeds three or four months after spring flowering, but there are a few that take twelve months.
The wirilda and the lightwood are two others producing mature seeds twelve months after flowering.
These three wattle species produce their flowers later in the season than most others.
The bronzewings will feed underneath the wattles, gorse and broom for several months.
Because of their hard casing, wattle seeds can be viable for 20 years or more after falling.
LEADEN FLYCATCHER
A scarce and irregular small bird visitor to the Ballarat region is the leaden flycatcher, named for the lead-grey colour of the male.
A pair nesting at Brown Hill have attracted a lot of interest.
In appearance both the male and the female leaden flycatcher are very similar to the male and female satin flycatchers. At Brown Hill the two species are living close together, so the differences between the two can be more clearly appreciated.
The status of the leaden flycatcher in the Ballarat region is not clear.
It has visited and nested a few times, but perhaps it is a regular but un-noticed visitor here in small numbers, missed because of its similarity to the more common satin flycatcher.
The habitats of the two are usually different, with the leaden flycatcher preferring drier sites than the gully-loving satin.
Fortunately, the Brown Hill birds are nesting at about 10 metres high, and are relatively unperturbed by the photographers and observers.
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 | Jan 27, 2018 | Animal Deterrent Products
ECHUCA’S pigeon problem seems to be worsening with the Campaspe College of Adult Education now undertaking drastic action to restore their building and rid themselves of the bothersome birds.
General manager Karen Hagan has resulted to installing spikes to the entire heritage building at the cost of approximately $4000 and admits that it is only the beginning of the College’s attempts to rid themselves of the fowls.
‘‘We tried other things that haven’t worked,’’ she said.
‘‘We’ve tried a few spikes before, an eagle which was meant to scare the pigeons and a drone.
‘‘Now it’s time to take some permanent action.’’
The feathered frenemy fiasco is creating a huge number of issues for the college and the surrounding buildings with roof damage leading to water leakages, paint on the buildings and cars needing to be fixed and the guttering has been significantly affected. In total, Ms Hagan estimates that the costs will continue to climb.
‘‘It could literally be another $25,000 just to restore the building back to what it was,’’ she said.
‘‘We’ve tried to claim it on insurance but nothing has gone through.
‘‘We will need a new verandah and our walls fixed.
‘‘The damage is extensive.’’
By the end of next week Ms Hagan hopes the many thousands of spikes across the building will be installed and the gutters will be cleared – but this work is only the beginning of the damage control.
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 | Jan 26, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
On Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st January 2018, the Royal Pigeon Racing Association will celebrate the 46th British Homing World Show of the Year at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
The British Homing World Show of the Year is the largest of its kind in Europe. Pigeon Fanciers from across the UK will flock to Blackpool with over 2,000 homing pigeons.
This year, the exhibition even boasts 120 trade stands for the attendees.
The event has been held at Winter Gardens in the iconic Empress Ballroom for 41 years and this year it is expected to be hugely popular.
Ian Evans, General Manager of the RPRA comments: “2018 marks the 46th anniversary of the show. This is a huge event in our calendar and it always proves to be popular amongst attendees. 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 enjoy a weekend away together. It is such a delight to host such an amazing show and gather our members and their birds all in one place providing them the opportunity of companionship and friendship.”
Aside from the enjoyment it produces for the pigeon fanciers, the show itself also generates £10 million for the local economy and has contributed nearly £3 million for various charities.
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 | Jan 25, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
It seems like this bird is the hardest avian party-goer ever: the morning after New Year’s Eve celebrations, it was found resting its forehead against the rear window of a car.
On New Year’s Day, a resident of Vladikavkaz, Russia, walked to his car to find a pigeon asleep on his rear window. The man spoke to the bird gently, as though talking to a friend the morning after the excesses of New Year. “Hey, bro! Wake up, bro! Are you alright?” he asked the pigeon. Several seconds later, the pigeon finally came to senses and flew away.
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 | Jan 24, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
If elk may join our black tails as representatives of the deer family in Butte County, it is unlikely that the largest deer species of all will join them.
The moose (Alces alces gigas, Alaska), at about 1,400 pounds, 6.9 feet at the shoulder, with 79-inch, 79-pound antlers, is the largest of the 41 species of deer in the world. There’s no place to put them in heavily populated California, where the large Roosevelt elk is trying to maintain an existence.
Moose are now found mostly in Canada where there may be a million, but in Colonial days they were plentiful in the Northeast states where they thrived in forested wetlands. The settlers named them elk in reference to European moose that were called elk. It was 1606 before that confusion was cleared up.
By 1870, less than 20 percent of moose habitat remained, and by 1980 only about 100 moose were present in those Atlantic states. Restocking and protection has allowed a surge, and Maine now leads the way with about 76,000 moose.
My home state of Missouri had vast losses of deer, beaver, turkey, otter, and passenger pigeons before a conservation program was created, and many species have been restocked, except for the pigeons that are gone forever.
That story of carelessness with natural resources was prevalent for a lot of species before conservation laws were established. It chills nature advocates to see the greed and thoughtlessness apparent in mankind when uncontrolled use of natural resource choices reign. Governmental administrations presently in 2018 are somewhat similar in attitude.
I know a few moose still exist in Yellowstone National Park where I had my moose encounter. I saw one feeding on the other side of the river and rushed down to take a picture, but the monster didn’t like it — and began swimming toward me! I beat a hasty retreat.
The great palm-shaped antlers are very impressive. Moose are rather sassy, and aside from hippopotamus, injure more people than any other animal in the world, even bears and wolves combined. Behind bison, moose are the second largest land animal in North America and Europe, and the only solitary member of the deer family.
Imagine climbing into the scenic autumnal mountains of Alaska above timberline to hunt a moose. My cousin Albert Tolle’s son Curt Tolle retired from the Navy to the island of Kodiak, Alaska, and has become a big game hunter and outdoor fan, accustomed to hunting the Alaskan mainland mountains for moose since there are none on Kodiak.
Curt expresses extreme appreciation for the wilderness of the far north, describing the grandeur of timberline country in the fall as “the most beautiful place on earth.” Curt said, “Moose are by far one of my favorite animals to watch — very majestic and noble and I feel more than a bit of remorse when I take one, but no meat goes to waste and we are always thankful to fill the freezer with beautiful fresh chemical-free protein.” That rings of Missouri farm life in the 1940s.
Curt remembered my interest in geology, and gathered a box of colorful specimens from a high elevation mountain for mailing. Rocks of the world, like animals of the world, are indications of distant habitats pinning the world together and telling a story of faraway places.
I’ll never get to all those wonderlands, but I see samples through rocks and pictures, and believe they exist. I believe man has been to the moon and saw no moose there! It’s called faith with little evidence.
“Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.”
— Theodore Roosevelt
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe … The whole wilderness seems to be alive and familiar, full of humanity. The very stones seem talkative, sympathetic, brotherly. It is always sunrise somewhere.”
— John Muir
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)
