by johnnymarin | Mar 2, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
It is difficult to put a date to when cricket’s love-hate relationship with pigeons had started, but it was obviously centuries before Jacques Rudolph accidentally killed one on the ground or Glenn McGrath acquired his famous nickname or Arafat Sunny, cricket’s most famous pigeon fancier, got his cap or even before Charlie Elliott spotted Basil D’Oliveira setting a cat among a flock in the 1968 Oval Test.
The pigeons, of course, did their bit to make their presence felt in the realm of cricket: they have blessed statues of cricketers in characteristic fashion; they have flocked to grounds in large numbers; and have even featured in luncheon menus.
Of course, the Pigeon-Hole principle turned out to be immensely useful when someone argued that Chris Martin had never reached the score of two. The bookies have had their shares of stool pigeons inside dressing-rooms, while Shane Warne had reduced many a competent batsman to clay pigeons during his illustrious career.
But seldom have pigeons competed with cricketers.
The Dukedom of Queensberry, created in 1684, still exists. The 6th Duke (also 4th Duke of Buccleuch but usually referred to as Earl of Dalkeith), played 3 First-Class matches. The 8th and 9th Dukes became MCC Presidents.
The greatest cricketer of them was the 8th Duke, William Montagu Douglas Scott (also 6th Duke of Buccleuch), who played for 22 First-Class matches, mostly for Oxford, Middlesex, and MCC. He scored 100 and 66 in the Varsity match of 1887.
So yes, they were a family who liked cricket.
The incident involves a Duke of Queensberry, but one cannot be sure which one. The 6th Duke is the most likely suspect, since he became Duke in 1812 and the anecdote appeared in print in May 1825.
The Duke once placed a bet that he would help carry a letter across fifty miles inside an hour without the aid of carrier pigeons. This was obviously an improbable ask.
So birds — especially carrier pigeons — were the fastest method for any transport of letters over a long distance. It is not clear whom he had challenged, but that person readily took up the bet.
The Duke obviously had a plan. He now started to work on it. He enclosed the letter inside a cricket ball. Exactly how this was done is not clear. Perhaps he had a ball made from scratch with the letter inside.
Once that was done, he placed 24 “expert cricketers” along the five-mile stretch. The cricketers, placed strategically, picked up the ball and “transferred to each other”.
Exactly how this was done is not clear. It was obviously not one throw per person, since in that case every throw would have to be a ridiculous two miles on average, and nobody in human history hit the 150-yard mark with a single throw. Nobody has hit a 175-yard six either, but perhaps this was hit with something heavier than a cricket bat. Perhaps the ball was of a different material or mass.
Whatever the method was, the Duke won the bet.
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 | Mar 1, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
An investigation has been launched after 24 pigeons were stolen in Newcastle .
The owners of two different sets of high value racing pigeons have been left devastated after finding their coopshad been raided earlier this week.
The birds stolen in the raids are collectively worth more than £3,000.
At around 9.45am on Tuesday, police first received a report that a coop at Jesmond Vale allotments had been targeted and 15 pigeons of carrier breed, worth an estimated £2250 had been stolen.
Then at around 10am on Wednesday, a second coop had been targeted by thieves in the same location.
This time a further 9 pigeons of the Rowland Janssen breed, worth an estimated £1350, had been taken after entry was forced to their coop at Jesmond Vale allotments.
Police say they believe the thefts could be linked and are searching for those responsible.
PC Dave Lever said: “The owners of these pigeons have been left absolutely devastated after returning to find their birds were missing.
“The locks on both coops have been forced and we do believe the pigeons have either been taken or intentionally set free.
“This is a criminal offence and is being taken seriously by police. They are worth a lot of money and are of huge sentimental value to the owners.
“Anyone with information, or who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the areas of the two coops on either Monday or Tuesday evening, January 22nd and 23rd, should get in touch with us straight 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 | Feb 28, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
Concertgoers aren’t the only ones flocking to Pinnacle Bank Arena. Pigeons are hanging out around the elevated deck on the arena’s north end.
Pigeons use the ledges and lights in an area under the deck for nests and roosting, leaving their droppings under the deck, on the stairwell.
Arena staff have tried a less-expensive approach to ward off the birds by putting spikes on some of the potential roosting areas. But the pigeons persist, said Adam Hoebelheinrich, with Project Control, the firm helping manage arena maintenance issues.
So they may have to look at more-expensive options.
The West Haymarket Joint Public Agency, which built and maintains the arena, will likely approve a $4,800 contract with DLR Group, an architectural firm, to look at pigeon-control measures, during its Thursday meeting.
In order to get rid of pigeons roosting under the Harris Overpass, the city had to seal the bridge’s underside with corrugated steel decking.
The area beneath the arena deck has a similar problem, but Hoebelheinrich hopes there is a less-expensive option.
Project Control staff also managed arena-related construction for the JPA. Compared with the oversight required during construction, pigeon droppings are small potatoes.
It’s PBA for 20 more years
CenturyLink Center, Omaha’s arena and convention center, may be getting a new name when the current 15-year, $14.05 million naming-rights contract ends this fall.
The Omaha convention center board hopes to get $10 million under a new naming-rights contract.
Lincoln’s Pinnacle Bank Arena won’t be changing its name any time soon. The current naming-rights contract goes for another 20 years, through August 2038. Pinnacle Bank prepaid that agreement, with $6.7 million in early payments.
CenturyLink has already undergone one name change. It was originally called Qwest Center Omaha until 2011, when Qwest was purchased by CenturyLink.
There is always a transition time when a building changes names. Experts say it takes about 2½ years for an arena’s new name to sink into people’s consciousness.
It’s medical, not fire, Camp says
When talking about public safety, people generally refer to the city’s two main departments as police and fire.
But City Council member Jon Camp is breaking with tradition. It’s “police and medical” for Camp. After all, 82 percent of calls to the Lincoln Fire and Rescue Department are for medical help, for ambulances, he points out.
With this language, Camp is also promoting his view the city needs to rethink the kinds of vehicles it purchases for LFR.
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 | Feb 27, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
During the last few weeks many homing pigeons have been shot by farmers and others who have mistaken them for wood pigeons, and in view of the serious results of the destruction of trained birds employed by the Government, whose homing pigeons are at work in all parts of the country, it has been found necessary to repeat the warning given some time ago against careless shooting, which may lead to the loss of birds engaged on service of the highest importance. It is pointed out, in fact, that the work of the Government pigeons is sometimes literally a matter of life and death to our fighting men, many of whom owe their lives to the speed of the birds. A notable case is that of Skipper Thomas Crisp, VC, who died at the wheel under fire from a German submarine, but lived long enough to send a message by pigeon. The bird flew away with his appeal for help for the crew, and, thanks to the timely arrival of the messenger, they were saved. On another occasion a flying boat and a hydroplane got into difficulties in stormy weather, and it was feared that all lives would be lost. A pigeon was sent out with a message calling for help, and in the face of a fierce wind the bird managed to make its way home. It died from exhaustion on arrival, but its message had been delivered, help was sent to the crews, and the lives of all were saved. The official warning to the thoughtless to avoid shooting homing birds is backed up by a reminder that heavy penalties may be, and in some cases have been, inflicted by the magistrates on offenders.
• News in brief
While flying near Rugby Second Lieutenant Harold Griffith Nelson was killed through falling from his machine at a height of 3,000ft. The aeroplane continued its flight and came down a few fields away.
At a police court in a Kentish raid area James Kendall was charged with selling adulterated milk. He urged in defence that the milk was sold exactly as it came from the cows, which were suffering from shell shock. A fine of £8 3s, with costs, was imposed.
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 | Feb 26, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
Huge flocks of pigeons that have turned to grazing oilseed rape crops in recent weeks are prompting serious concerns among tillage farmers.
Kildare-based grower Helen Harris, who farms with her husband Pete outside Clane, said she had never before witnessed the size of the pigeon flocks that have invaded their oilseed rape crops of late.
“There are thousands of birds in these flocks. We had six or eight lads out shooting in the fields and they were knocking 130-150 birds a day,” Ms Harris said.
“But that has made no impression on the numbers. The pigeons are there 24-7. They just sit in the trees and wait for the boys to go.”
She said the birds had made landing strips out of bare patches in the crop. “They don’t want to get their wings wet,” she explained. Once in the crop they pick away at the small tender leaves.
Michael Hennessy of Teagasc said the oilseed rape crop would quickly recover from grazing by pigeons at this time of the year, as long as the root structure on the plant was strong enough and the birds did not manage to pull it from the ground.
However, growers might have to apply additional nitrogen to support subsequent foliage growth.
Meanwhile, Alex Copeland of Birdwatch Ireland said there was no firm evidence to suggest that pigeon numbers nationally had increased substantially.
Keogh’s crisps has become one of the most popular food brands in Ireland over the past few years, and it grew out of a potato farm in Dublin.
Mr Copeland said numbers had grown during the severe winters of 2010 and 2011 as a result of inward migrations from across northern Europe, but had subsequently reduced again.
However, he said the localised availability of feed from unharvested cereal crops might have boosted winter survival rates among juvenile birds and added to numbers in particular areas.
Mr Copeland said it was not unusual for pigeons to congregate in large flocks during the winter and remain in an area until the local food resources were depleted.
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)
