Falcons should be brought in to tackle Southport’s pigeon fouling problem, a local councillor has said.
Cllr David Barton said the long-term issue was affecting vital areas of the town, such as Lord Street, and was causing major problems for residents,businesses and tourists.
Cllr Barton, who represents Dukes Ward, said: “A recent initiative agreed by Sefton Council to install six plastic hawks across town to deter pigeons was nowhere near enough to resolve the issue.”
He said that he first raised the issue of pigeon fouling in 2014 and claims a falcon handler was employed during The Open golf championship.
He added: “I am seeking the local community’s views with a view to addressing the issue of pigeon fouling along Lord Street and other areas.
“Lord Street is a prime target for pigeons which tend to roost and nest in tall buildings and can do untold levels of damage to the historic fabric of these properties.
“There are many methods of pigeon control including bird proofing, wire deterrent systems, netting, bird spikes and a large variety of electrical and sonic bird deterrent solutions.
“Given Lord Street’s status as a conservation area not all these prescribed measures are appropriate from a conservationist’s perspective so I am advocating for a more subtle yet effective approach consisting of a falcon handler to be deployed to address this issue.
“Besides preventing regularly tarnished pavements this will also reduce the incidences of trips and falls caused by pigeons that have been reported all year round.”
The councillor claims pigeon droppings are not only unsightly, but their acid content can lead to the deterioration of soft stone and cause long-term damage to buildings and nest droppings and feathers block gutters and rainwater pipes.
The birds are capable of lifting loose roof coverings, tiles and battens to gain entry into roof voids which can significantly damage the structure by allowing water penetration.
He also suggests that reducing the amount of pigeons in the town will boost the retail sector.
Cllr Barton added: “Action to curb the effects of pigeons may also encourage more investment into the retail sector across the high street, especially along the central cross-section which coincidentally has consecutive units that have been vacant since 2013.
“Whilst measures such as plastic hawks may provide some interim management for the situation, this will ultimately cease to work and indeed may actually only last for a far shorter length of time than planned.
“It is important that we take the best action possible which has been tried and tested and would give incumbent retailers and new interested big names a reason why they should choose our classic resort town.”
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.
A CHURCH is on a wing and a prayer mission to help give a pair of the country’s most feared birds of ‘pray’ a claw onto the housing ladder.
A total of £3,500 of council taxpayers’ money is being spent to provide a nestbox for a pair of peregrine falcons that have set up home on the tower of St Mary Magdalene Church, in Taunton.
The church has to raise a similar amount for the project, which also involves the installation of a webcam to give people a bird’s eye view of goings on in the nest if the falcons breed next year.
The peregrines have been a talking point in the town since they arrived earlier this summer and bred their chicks.
The vicar of St Mary’s, the Rev Rod Corke, said: “It’s great news and will provide a base for the birds and a webcam so that hopefully we’ll be able to put a feed down to the coffee shop and onto our website if they return to breed again next year.
“There’s evidence that they’ve been chasing off pigeons and seagulls with feathers all over the vicarage lawn. It’s a natural help to us to control the gull and pigeon population.”
The pair of birds – one from Bath, the other from Exeter – are believed to be the first ringed ones in the country to have had young.
St Mary’s has recently undertaken two major fundraising projects – one to replace the old bells, the other, which is ongoing, to repair the organ.
“That means we really have no funders, so we’re going to apply for some more grants,” said Mr Corke.
“If anybody wants to make a contribution they should contact the church.”
The council cash comes from tax levied on the unparished area of Taunton which is targeted at town-specific, community-focused groups and projects.
Cllr Jane Warmington, Taunton Deane Borough Council’s executive member for community leadership, said: “The falcons have become an attraction in their own right and, if they return as expected to St Mary’s, they would have somewhere to nest and rear young.
“The webcam will give people a chance to watch these beautiful birds without disturbing them.
“Of course, there is the practical point that the falcons will help control pigeons and gulls that can be a nuisance.”
The agreed funding will be released once the balance has been raised by the church.
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.
WASHINGTON – Senator Jim Inhofe announced the end of his annual wild pigeon, a cause for celebration for an animal rights group. The outdoor fundraiser had been the target of a multi-year campaign by Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, or SHARK, which alleged the event was cruel.
In a series of emails obtained by the group, a staffer from Sen. Inhofe’s office wrote in January to Oklahoma Department of Wildlife game wardens, “I am happy to let you know that this year, and going forward, we are going to halt the ‘old world pigeon shoot.”
Another email read, “I know this event has caused some tension in the past, so I hope this move will allow us to rebuild those relationships.”
The shoot had come under criticism for allegedly using tagged pigeons that were hand thrown in the air, instead of hunting wild ones.
In a statement, Inhofe campaign spokesman Luke Holland said:
“The Inhofe campaign has long held a very successful dove hunt event each year. In a few recent years, the event has included a pigeon shoot. This year we will not have that component of the event and will return to our traditional format; we expect it to be a record year and hope everyone who attends has a wonderful time.”
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.
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — When you think of pigeons, the first thing that comes to mind is probably not, “world class athlete.”
“People know ’em as ‘rats of the sky’ and things like that. Sitting down on the buildings downtown and pooping on people,” Paul Rudolph said. “Pigeons have gotten such a bad rap over the years.”
But among a small group of people here in the Twin Cities, these birds simply inspire awe.
“It’s an enjoyable sport,” Rudolph said.
Competing in a sport most people have probably never heard of.
“It’s like having a kite, with no string,” Rudolph said.
Pigeon racing.
“Yeah, most people I run into, don’t have a clue on it,” Rudolph said.
Race day begins before sunrise. On this Saturday morning, the release point is just across the Iowa border, just south of Albert Lea.
Rudolph works to get everything prepared. There is a starting gate, if you will, but the unique thing about pigeon racing is the finish line is different places all over the Twin Cities, since the birds use their homing instinct to fly back to their own coop.
There are about 60 pigeon racers in the Twin Cities, and in this trailer, about 1,500 birds.
This race is only about 100 miles, but others are as long as 600.Then, at the designated moment, the race begins.
“They average about 50 miles an hour, but if they get a tailwind, 85, 90 miles an hour,” Rudolph said. “And on some of the long races, when you think them birds been pumping them wings for 15 hours, that’s pretty impressive.”
This race will only take a couple hours.
In the meantime, at coops like Rudolph’s in Maplewood, it’s a waiting game.
The winner of this race is going to win by how much?
“Seconds. Seconds. If that bird just pauses for one second, you lost the race. Just that quick,” Rudolph said.
How that’s measured is high-tech.
“These are what we call antennas. And as the bird walks over, he has a little chip band on his leg, like this, that triggers the clock,” Rudolph said.
Since they finish in different places, a calculation must be done — total time divided by total distance — to determine an average speed. The fastest is the winner.
“In time you find the birds that can do the distance, do the tough stuff, and so you naturally mate them together and you weed out the ones that don’t. And, ah, sell ’em to somebody else,” Rudolph said.The keys to this sport are breeding and training — actually a lot like horseracing.
Is there prize money?
“There’s some. But it’s so minute,” Rudolph said.
It’s not a sport you do for the money. It’s for the love of the game.
“When I see a bird come home from a four, five, six hundred mile race, and you think of the hours that bird was on the wing,” Rudolph said. “You can take ’em 600 miles and they’ve never been there, you turn ’em loose and they come home? Pretty amazing. I don’t know what other animal can do it.”
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.
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.
