NEW ULM — Minnesota’s oldest pigeon and poultry club kept its 109-year streak alive, hosting a swap and sale meet at the Brown County Fairgrounds Saturday.
“I’ve been going to shows here since the early 1950s, before this building was built,” said Brown County Pigeon & Poultry Association member Bob Kosek of Morgan.
“The shows are important to help keep historical and rare breeds alive by meeting with other breeders. It’s an effort to keep breeds from not going extinct, so they’re around for next generation breeders,” Kosek said.
For Mankato breeder Larry Wilmes, the poultry shows mean trips across the country. San Diego is his favorite destination because of the weather.
“I’ve been to many shows in many places,” Wilmes said. “I’ve been to national events in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Florida, Texas. I was at one not long ago in Vancouver, Wash.”
Wilmes said he has a good relationship with the U.S. Postal Service who flies his birds to distant shows.
“They (U.S. Postal Service) are very accommodating with special mailing boxes for my birds,” Wilmes said.
He said it would be good to add some younger people to the local pigeon and poultry association since the youngest member is now about 30 years old. Most of the group’s members have been around for decades. None of them voiced any plans to end their hobby.
“Breeding poultry and pigeons can be enjoyed by people in their 80s down to six-year-olds,” Wilmes said.
Doug Grams of New Ulm brought Dominique chicks to the swap meet. America’s oldest breed, they were plentifully bred as far back as the 1820’s.
“Dominque chickens were transported across the country by early settlers,” Grams said.
Also known as Pilgrim Fowl, or Dominickers, the breed descended from chickens brought to New England from southern England during colonial times. A dual purpose breed, Dominiques are valued for their meat and brown eggs.
In earlier times, their feathers were much sought after for pillow and mattress stuffing. They tend to be calm, personable birds, making them successful as show birds or family pets.
The breed survived the Great Depression due to it’s hardiness and ease of up-keep, according to The Livestock Conservancy (TLC).
In 1970, there were only four known flocks of the breed. The remaining owners were contacted and convinced to participate in a breed rescue, the TLC reported.
The close feathering of the breed protects the breed from cold weather and provides material for pillows and featherbeds of their owners.
“It’s wonderful, a great stress reliever,” association member Aaron Dittbenner of Morgan said about breeding pigeons and poultry and meeting with others with like interests.
Brown County Pigeon & Poultry Association member Trevor Nau said he enjoys competing with his birds plus the camaraderie and fellowship of fellow breeders.
The New Ulm Fall Classic Poultry Show is Nov. 18 & 19 at the Brown County Fairgrounds. A summer picnic is set for July 29.
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 PEST CONTROL company attended St James’s Hospital in Dublin 108 separate times to deal with recurrent infestations of rodents, insects and other pests in the past two years.
Pest activity was reported in areas including a dialysis room, an endoscopy theatre, and on bedside tables in hospital wards, documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal.
Among the creepy-crawlies reported at the hospital during 2015 and 2016 were mice, ants, cockroaches and woodlice.
Black clock beetles – large, carnivorous insects with sharp jaws – were also discovered by pest-control technicians in a specialised unit for patients undergoing bone-marrow transplants last August.
In 2015, the company attended St James’s Hospital Sterile Services Unit (HSSU) four times in response to reports of rodents. On one occasion, a mouse was caught in the HSSU kitchen, while another was suspected to have scuttled into an autoclave.
The pest-control firm was also called to the hospital’s Breast Care Clinic four times during the two-year period in response to complaints that included a rodent in a staff tearoom, an infestation of flies in the reception area, and a “bad smell” in the clinic which staff said was “a common occurrence”.
Last October, the company responded to an emergency callout and attended a kitchenette located on a private ward, where they found a mouse “actively feeding off bait”. The little culprit was “caught and bagged and removed”, according to the inspection report.
Rodent sighting
Though the hospital declined to comment on the pest control issues seen, the increase may be related to ongoing works surrounding the construction of the new children’s hospital, which is expected to open on the St James’s campus by 2020.
Towards the end of last year, a sighting of a rodent was reported in an endoscopy theatre at the hospital. Traps were set and, three days’ later, a mouse was caught in the theatre’s observatory room.
The company was also called to inspect droppings found in a cupboard beside an operating theatre. “Old very dried up dead woodlice” were found in the same location upon inspection.
On two occasions last August, stubborn pigeons who had entered Mercer’s Institute for Successful Ageing (MISA) at the hospital refused to leave in spite of the pest control company’s best efforts.
“Could not remove pigeon,” the technician noted in his inspection report. “May leave eventually.”
Two days’ later, the pigeon appears to have been joined by a friend. “Two pigeons flying around atrium in MISA,” it was reported. “Technician couldn’t remove them due to height and area involved… Door left open to assist pigeons out.”
In April 2015, two dead birds in a ceiling cavity were discovered to be the source of an infestation of bluebottles in a meeting room in the CEO building of the hospital.
Insecticide treatment was carried out.
Ants were a recurring problem at the hospital during the two-year period. Up to 150 of the insects were found behind a locker in the Department of Clinical Nutrition, while others were found in locations including a dialysis room and on a bedside table.
More than €35,000 was spent on pest-control services by the hospital in the past two years. This included an outlay of €275 in February 2016 for a plastic hawk to scare away pigeons and gulls.
A public relations company contracted by St James’s Hospital was contacted for comment in relation to pest control at the facility. It acknowledged the correspondence but did not provide a response.
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 pest control company went to St James’s Hospital in Dublin more than 100 times to deal with recurring infestations of rodents, insects and other pests in the past two years.
Pest activity was reported in areas including a dialysis room, an endoscopy theatre, and on bedside tables in hospital wards, documents released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed.
Among the creepy-crawlies reported at St James’s Hospital during 2015 and 2016 were mice, ants, cockroaches and woodlice.
Black clock beetles – large, carnivorous insects with sharp jaws – were also found by pest-control technicians in a specialised unit for patients undergoing bone-marrow transplants last August.
In 2015, the company attended St James’s Hospital Sterile Services Unit (HSSU) four times in response to reports of rodents.
On one occasion, a mouse was caught in the HSSU kitchen, while another was suspected to have scuttled into an autoclave.
The pest-control firm was also called to the hospital’s Breast Care Clinic four times during the two-year period in response to complaints that included a rodent in a staff tearoom, an infestation of flies in the reception area, and a “bad smell” in the clinic, which staff said was “a common occurrence”.
Last October, the company responded to an emergency call-out and attended a kitchenette on a private ward where they found a mouse “actively feeding off bait”.
The mouse was “caught and bagged and removed”, according to the inspection report.
Towards the end of last year, a sighting of a rodent was reported in an endoscopy theatre at the hospital.
Traps were set and, three days later, a mouse was caught in the theatre’s observatory room.
The company was also called to inspect droppings found in a cupboard beside an operating theatre.
“Old, very dried-up, dead woodlice” were found in the same location upon inspection.
On two occasions last August, stubborn pigeons that had entered Mercer’s Institute for Successful Ageing (MISA) at the hospital refused to leave in spite of the pest control company’s best efforts.
“Could not remove pigeon,” the technician noted in his inspection report. “May leave eventually.”
Two days later, the pigeon appears to have been joined by a friend.
“Two pigeons flying around atrium,” it was reported. “Technician couldn’t remove them due to height and area involved… Door left open to assist pigeons out.”
In April 2015, two dead birds in a ceiling cavity were found to be the source of an infestation of bluebottles in a meeting room in the CEO building of the hospital. Insecticide treatment was carried out.
Ants were a recurring problem during the two-year period.
Up to 150 of the insects were found behind a locker in the Department of Clinical Nutrition, while others were found in different locations including a dialysis room and on a bedside table.
More than €35,000 plus VAT was spent on pest-control services by the hospital in the past two years.
This included an outlay of €275 in February 2016 for a plastic hawk to scare away pigeons and gulls.
A public relations company contracted by St James’s Hospital was contacted for comment in relation to pest control at the facility.
It acknowledged the correspondence but did not provide a response.
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.
When several children took turns releasing about two dozen homing pigeons, most onlookers rejoiced in the celebratory atmosphere, but everyone knew the birds hadn’t flown the coop.
“They’ll fly back to Franklin and beat us home with the tailwind today, so when we get home, they should be home,” said Bill Baker of Franklin, Pa., who, along with his wife, Cheri, brought about 25 of the 100 white birds they raised to Sunday morning’s Release of the Doves gathering at First Presbyterian Church, 3654 S. Main St. (state Route 46).
The couple runs Pa. Doves of Love, a Franklin-based organization that trains the birds to return to their loft from locations up to 100 miles away. In addition, Doves of Love, which serves northwest Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio, conducts such releases for weddings, funerals, Relay for Life events and other special occasions, Bill noted.
First Presbyterian Church is about 70 air miles from the couple’s home, he added.
For many years, such birds have represented peace, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, love and tranquility, which makes the release a highly fitting celebration between Sunday’s two Easter church services, noted the Rev. Jamie Milton, pastor.
“This is our gift from God,” he said.
After the Rev. Mr. Milton’s homily, the youngsters opened the nine baskets individually, which allowed one to three birds at a time to start their airborne trip to the Bakers’ home.
One of the youngsters who gave several of the pigeons a good send-off was Mason Meyers, 6, of Warren, who was on hand with his parents, Valerie and Jeff Meyers.
“He really, really enjoys it,” said Valerie, who has been a First Presbyterian Church member for more than 20 years.
The Meyers family’s holiday dinner plans, however, were to include a different bird: a turkey, along with carrot cake and homemade Easter bread, she said.
Also doing her part to release a few birds was 5-year-old Natalie McMullen of Berlin Center, who came to the gathering with younger sister Hailey, 3, and the girls’ mother, Nicole McMullen.
The first step in training the birds for the feat is to get them to fly to a designated spot a half-mile away, then increase the distance in increments of one, five, 30 and 50 miles, Bill Baker explained, adding that it took about a year to fully train his pigeons.
“It takes a relatively short time to get them out to 50 miles,” he noted.
A core piece of their training is ensuring the birds receive their vaccines consistently. Also, Baker said, he mixes apple cider, water and vinegar, because such a combination keeps their systems healthy.
It remains a mystery how the pigeons can find their way to a given location many miles away, but part of the answer could be that they identify and memorize certain landmarks along their journey, he said.
Baker said he and his wife derive great pleasure by having their pigeons as a main attraction for special occasions such as the Easter celebration.
“We really enjoy it,” he added. “We enjoy the services as much as they do.”
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.
CINCINNATI — When the most famous bird in the country died at the Cincinnati Zoo, it was more than the extinction of a species: an American way of life was gone.
Every local schoolkid thinks they know the story of Martha, believed to be the world’s last passenger pigeon: She was born in captivity, then lived with a flock here until her death on Sept. 1, 1914.
Found on the floor of her cage that afternoon, the zoo had her carcass frozen into a 300-pound block of ice, then shipped her to the Smithsonian Institution to be preserved.
“By the time she arrived, the ice I think was pretty much gone,” said Dan Marsh, the zoo’s director of Education and Volunteer Programs. “That’s the best they could do in those days. It can still be pretty hot in September.”
Marsh became the zoo’s in-house expert on passenger pigeons leading up to the 100th anniversary of her death. Martha became one of the Smithsonian’s “most treasured possessions” because of how she’d shape the future of American conservation.
She’s now part of a new exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, chosen from 145 million artifacts and specimens to show how they help scientists understand nature and human culture.
For Martha, the story is much bigger than many people realize.
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.
