by Ryan Ponto | Feb 27, 2017 | Bird Netting
Flying rats spreading filth and disease or just wild birds as deserving of our concern as any others?
Views about pigeons have always been divided, but does anyone really understand the law when it comes to controlling them?
This week I witnessed an old fellow brazenly flouting the law. Even after I pointed out what he was doing he simply ignored me and carried on.
Openly feeding pigeons on the street from two huge bags of grain, he refused point-blank to accept what he was doing was wrong.
The trouble is, when I pointed out his actions to a passing police officer he simply advised me to mind my own business and not to get involved.
If we’re not prepared to enforce our laws you have to ask what is the point in having them?
Surely controlling pigeons benefits everyone and by not taking action against these anti-social, irresponsible people who feed these birds we are condoning their actions, justifying what they are doing and encouraging the spread of disease.
Pigeons are recognised as pests right across the country, but the UK doesn’t have any law forbidding the feeding of wild birds. Instead, we rely upon a hotchpotch of bylaws drawn up and overseen by borough councils which adopt wildly different approaches to the issue.
Some don’t even recognise the problem while others not only make it clear it is illegal to feed them but actually offer advice on how to kill them as humanely as possible.
I think it is high time all councils in our area published their policy and their bylaws very clearly on their websites so everyone knows where they stand.
A lonely woman who said she fed pigeons in her garden because they were the only company she could get was fined £2,300 after her neighbours complained and she refused to stop feeding them.
Meanwhile, Beryl Withers, 81, who’d just finished a sandwich, emptied out the remaining crumbs for the birds. Council wardens told her she was breaking the law and could face a £2,000 fine – in the end she had to pay £50.
So, in theory anyone who leave titbits out on a bird table could end up being fined.
All this while, the guy I saw in the town centre goes on unquestioned.
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 26, 2017 | Bird Netting
A pigeon problem in Ventnor could soon be resolved thanks to one unlikely deterrent.
Ventnor Town Council has employed Rentokil Pest Control to bring in a Harris Hawk to soar through the skies of the town to scare off the birds.
In recent weeks, the town has seen an influx of the pigeons, so the hawk “Sharka”, has been brought in to help.
Layla Bennett, from Rentokil Pest Control, said:
“There are a number of different methods that can be used for pigeon control, some of those are lethal, the council would prefer to stay away from lethal methods if possible. We’re looking at, first of all, to use hawks to disturb the pigeons, instead of killing. There’s also methods that involve netting or spiking but these can be quite unsightly.
“Shaka is a male Harris Hawk and he will be literally present in the area, flying around under the control of his falconer and that will deter the pigeons wishing to live here. We are yet to create the bird’s management plan but I expect he will be required between once or twice a week.”
For residents who may be worried about red squirrels in the area, Layla has this message:
“Your red squirrels are exceptionally safe. Our hawks are what we call ‘social imprints’, which are used to being hand-fed by people. The hawk will return to its falconer for a gift of food. He’s not a hunting birds he won’t catch any red squirrels. I’m a huge admirer of red squirrels myself.”
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 25, 2017 | Bird Netting
RAND earned a shot at its fifth successive premiership with an 88-run win over Brocklesby in the preliminary final at Rand on Saturday.
After winning the toss and batting, the Pigeons made 181 and dismissed their opponents for 93 in the 21st over.
Brocklesby started the chase well with Jordan Schilg (27) and Matt Kelly (23) putting on 54 for the opening wicket.
But Kelly’s dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse with the visitors losing 10-39.
James Kreutzberger ran out Schilg soon after and Will Swift took the prized wicket of Mitch Koschitzke for two when he trapped him leg before wicket.
Swift, Brayden Lieschke, Nathan I’Anson and Mark Kreutzberger grabbed two wickets each.
Mark (54), James (33) and Chris (36) Kreutzberger led the way with the bat for Rand.
Burrumbuttock will host Rand in Saturday’s grand final.
by Ryan Ponto | Feb 24, 2017 | Bird Netting
PESHAWAR: Pigeon lovers here on Sunday held race of their pet birds by releasing the specially trained racing pigeons from Jehlum district to cover a distance of around 295 kilometres for returning home in Peshawar.
“The wining pigeon covered the specified distance in three hours and fifteen minutes and reached to Aswa Baba area on Warask road near Chaghar Matti,” informed Jan Muhammad, a pigeon lover and organiser of the event.
Talking to APP, Jan Muhammad said his pigeon won the competition and he has been awarded with a trophy.
He said in all a total of nine pigeon lovers participated in the competition by releasing their birds in Jehlum.
Jan said he released his 13 pigeons in the race and all returned to home while the winning bird reached in three hours and 15 minutes.
He also informed that another race was also held in Gujar Khan in Rawalpindi to Peshawar which was won by the pet of Shamshad Khan of Hassan Gharhi area.
In that race, my pigeon reached a minute late, Jan informed.
Jan said in the pigeon race a special breed of pigeon, known in local language as Qasid (messenger) Racing Homer, participates.
The pigeons of other breeds cannot travel such a long distance and only the Qasid breed has the ability to reach home by travelling hundreds of kilometers distance, he explained.
Competing pigeons were especially trained by the owners by releasing them frequently from the distance starting from 10 kilometer to hundred of kilometres, Jan added.
He said in the beginning, the pigeon was released by the owner from Pabbi, which is around 13 kilometres from Peshawar, and later the distance was increased with the passage of time.
Usually, a pigeon released from Faisalabad reaches Peshawar in six to eight hours. The time it takes to cover the specified distance is measured and the bird speed of flying is calculated and compared with all of the other pigeons in the race to determine which bird returned the earliest.
The winner of a pigeon race is the bird with the highest velocity, he reiterated.
In response to a question as how it is judged that which bird reach at which time, Jan said every pigeon carries a code number tied in his leg and as the bird reach home, the owner inform the organiser and his claim is ascertained by tallying the code.
Jan said objective of holding pigeon race is to encourage bird lovers who have preserved this past practice, dating back to 220 AD or possibly earlier.
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 23, 2017 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent
IT is not often one takes notice of a pigeon, but with the help of kindhearted Karyn Lund and a small push from social media, a six-week old racing pigeon was returned to its owner.
Something happened during one of its first flights, forcing it to land. With his luck he landed in food heaven, the Campus Cafe at Curro HCA High School. “Being a huge animal lover, cruelty-free living is my family’s thing, I Googled what the right thing to do was. Apparently homing pigeons like to hang out for a few days and then sometimes make their way home,” said Karyn Lund, the tuckshop owner.
The pigeon, nicknamed Mr Snax due to his love for popcorn and fries, found that Karyn’s handbag was the perfect place to nest. “Without wanting to be too invasive I eventually coaxed him into allowing me to pick him up. I retrieved the number off of the ring on his foot and asked for help on Upper Highway Info. Within minutes I had located his dad, Bruce Symons, and he is happy and back home with his pigeon friends,” said Karyn.
The Highway Mail caught up with Bruce to find out more about the sport of pigeon racing. The 40-year-old father of two is a member of the Hillcrest Pigeon racing Club which has 12 members, who are better known as pigeon fanciers. “The sport has been going on for hundreds of years and the local club has been running since 1976. In the old days it was called the poor man’s horse racing, It isn’t so much like that anymore as it definitely isn’t a cheap sport now,” he laughed.
What inspired you to get into pigeon racing?
When I was a child I had pigeons and it was a passion. I started racing in 2002 and there’s a drive to get better and better.
How do you train a pigeon?
It starts at home. When April arrives we chase the pigeons out the loft and do that for a couple of days. When they fly away from home we call it ranging. They then get their bearings right. The training consists of a 30km trip, then 50km, 90km. 120km and then 150km until we have the long training toss, sometimes ranging up to 800km. The birds fly back home from a certain point.
What is the worst part of pigeon racing?
Breeding the babies and the natural predators catch them. It is heartbreaking when you lose them. We lose about 40 per cent of our pigeons to wildlife.
What is the most rewarding part of racing for you?
When the pigeons come home. When that pigeon comes back, he has not only come back home but he has come back for you. I get goosebumps every time.
What three words would you use to describe the sport?
Rewarding. Exciting. Humbling.
Has a pigeon never returned before?
It does happen where a pigeon doesn’t come back. They could have been caught or killed and some of them just decide they don’t want to race anymore and become commons, a feral pigeon or rats of the sky.
What is the average time you need to train a pigeon?
To train a pigeon to fitness you only need six weeks.
Which breed of pigeon works best in the races?
The pacific racing pigeon as they have more muscle and better brain capacity.
How many pigeons do you currently own?
I have 130 babies and about 50 old birds.
Describe your typical competition day:
I am generally pacing up and down. Get a bottle of wine from my wife and we put on a potjie or braai.
Complete this sentence: Pigeons are… “the athletes of the sky.”
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)
