by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 4, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Sometimes good wine happens by accident or luck. Sometimes it’s inspiration. John Forrest of New Zealand’s Forrest wines has had both.First, the luck. Back in 1996, Forrest noticed that a few rows of grapes were showing signs of bird damage earlier than usual, so he directed his crews to string bird netting along the vines. Not long afterward, the grape clusters developed signs of rot. Forrest realized that the netting had been used the previous year to protect grapes harvested late for his dessert wine, an unctuously sweet Riesling made from grapes shriveled by botrytis — the “noble rot” that, when properly controlled, can concentrate the fruit’s juices and flavors.
Forrest says he could see this technique being useful in hot years when sugar levels could spike in chardonnay or pinot noir. The New Zealand government has funded research on the technique by other growers.
In addition to meeting a perceived market demand for wines with moderate alcohol levels, Forrest says, the technique has the potential to help other wine regions where climate change is affecting vintages.
“You know where this could really make a difference?” he asked me, his eyes wide as grape clusters. “Napa!”
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 20, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
How old are pigeons?
Pigeons have lived alongside man for thousands of years with the first images of pigeons being found by archaeologists in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and dating back to 3000BC.
Pigeon guano – foul or fantastic?
Although pigeon guano is seen as a major problem for property owners in the 21st century, it was considered to be an invaluable resource in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. Pigeon guano was a highly prized fertiliser and considered to be far more potent than farmyard manure. So prized, in fact, that armed guards were stationed at the entrances to dovecotes (pigeon houses) to stop thieves stealing it! Not only this, but in England in the 16th century pigeon guano was the only known source of saltpetre, an essential ingredient of gunpowder and considered to be a highly valued commodity as a result. In Iran, where eating pigeon flesh was forbidden, dovecotes were set up and used simply as a source of fertilizer for melon crops. In France and Italy it was used to fertilize vineyards and hemp crops.
Why do pigeons bob their heads?
The pigeon has side-mounted eyes, unlike humans and owls which have forward facing eyes. As pigeons have monocular vision rather than binocular vision they bob their heads for depth of perception. The pigeon’s eyes function much better with stationary images and therefore as the pigeon takes a step forward the head is temporarily left behind. The next step jerks the head forward again and so on. This allows the bird to correctly orient itself.
Champion Racing ?
We normally think of the pigeon as being an unwelcome guest in our towns and cities, but most of us are unaware that racing pigeons can be worth huge sums of money. One racing pigeon recently sold for a staggering $132,517.00! The 3-year old bird was a champion racer, beating 21,000 other pigeons in one long distance race. For this reason he was bought by a British company that breeds racing pigeons for ‘stud’. One very happy pigeon! The previous record price for a racing pigeon was $73, 800.00.
How do pigeons navigate?
There are many theories about how pigeons manage to return ‘home’ when released 100s of miles from their loft. A champion racing pigeon can be released 400-600 miles away from its home and still return within the day. This amazing feat does not just apply to ‘racing’ or ‘homing’ pigeons; all pigeons have the ability to return to their roost. A 10-year study carried out by Oxford University concluded that pigeons use roads and motorways to navigate, in some cases even changing direction at motorway junctions. Other theories include navigation by use of the earth’s magnetic field, visual clues such as landmarks, the sun and even infrasounds (low frequency seismic waves). Whatever the truth, this unique ability makes the pigeon a very special bird.
Are pigeons intelligent?
Pigeons are considered to be one of the most intelligent birds on the planet and able to undertake tasks previously thought to be the sole preserve of humans and primates. The pigeon has also been found to pass the ‘mirror test’ (being able to recognise its reflection in a mirror) and is one of only 6 species, and the only non-mammal, that has this ability. The pigeon can also recognise all 26 letters of the English language as well as being able to conceptualise. In scientific tests pigeons have been found to be able to differentiate between photographs and even differentiate between two different human beings in a photograph when rewarded with food for doing so.
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)
The information on this blog is for personal use only. Content for this blog obtained from other websites is not being used for any commercial reasons whatsoever as per the copyright statement on the Pigeon Control Resource Centre’s website. http://www.pigeoncontrolresourcecentre.org/ Special thanks for the people and companies that helped gather this information. This information is to be used for reference only.
by Pigeon Patrol | Apr 20, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeons in the News
Royal Mail recently increased the first-class stamp by two pence (three cents), and the second-class stamp by three pence (five cents). For small businesses, this can add up.
Ned Corbett-Winder, 29, owner of the London-based company stated, “The latest price increase will cost my business around £2,500 ($4,182) over the course of a year, which for a small business is a huge amount of money.”
Corbett-Winder’s business specializes in sending specialty gifts through the mail. You can either subscribe for yourself or a friend, and each month a surprise gift shows up in the post. In addition to the subscription, you can purchase a one-off gift from their list ofunique products, with prices ranging from £3.00 to £63.00 ($5.00 to $105.00).
With his entire service relying on shipping, Corbett-Winder wasn’t exaggerating when talking about the impact the price increase could have.
Rather than shrugging his shoulders and going along with the new rates, or throwing his hands up in the air out of frustration, Corbett-Winder took matters into his own hands.
Well, to be exact, he left it for the birds.
Corbett-Winder says he thought to himself, “People always joke that if their parcel is late it would have been quicker sending it by carrier pigeon. Well, I’m testing the theory out.”
He’s hired a flock of carrier pigeons to fly from London to Oxford, and the packages are picked up at the coop location. The pigeons are trained to fly a set route, with a small package looped around their neck. The pigeon can make the route in approximately an hour, when ground delivery would typically take a day.
NotAnotherBill.com still uses more traditional delivery methods, recognizing that not everyone lives in London or Oxford and not everything would fit in a pouch. But it is a unique venture.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 7, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Birds are lovely creatures, some species more than others. Birds can also be a costly nuisance if they are congregating on your roof or in your yard.
Pigeon droppings are highly acidic and in large enough quantities can damage your roof or the finish of your car over time. They are also unsightly and can smell, particularly in the summer heat. It’s important to take action if pigeons have begun to make your home theirs. They are gregarious birds and congregate in large flocks.
Pigeons may be using your home or property for landing, feeding, nesting, or all three. A comprehensive strategy will make these unattractive options for these birds.
The first step is to eliminate or control all food sources that may be attracting the birds. Any open food source such as seeds from a songbird feeder, open trash cans or the like will be drawing them to your yard. You may even need to eliminate certain plants or shrubs that are providing dinner to the pigeons, particularly ones that produce edible seeds or berries.
Make landing and perching difficult or uncomfortable to minimize pigeon visits. A reputable pest control company can advise you on the appropriate methods for your home, but these may include physical deterrents, such as bird spikes or netting, or electric shock systems that can be installed on ledges or rooflines.
The same theory applies to eliminating access to any possible nesting sites such as gutters, ledges, window air conditioners or chimney pots. All these access points need to be sealed or blocked to prevent pigeons from setting up house. If you make your home and property unattractive and inaccessible pigeon flocks will look elsewhere.
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) Now shipping World Wide.
by Pigeon Patrol | Apr 7, 2014 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Shocking news: The pigeon, is taking over.
If you do not believe me, just look at the figures from last week’s RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch survey.
In the past 35 years, sightings of pigeons in our gardens has increased sevenfold, or a horrible 743 per cent, while robins have reduced their cheeky, inquisitive appearances by 45 per cent.
Disgusting: In the past 35 years, sightings of pigeons in our gardens has increased sevenfold, or a horrible 743¿per cent
I suppose there’s someone who welcomes a pigeon into their garden. Probably the same person who feeds them in Trafalgar Square before retiring out of range. But the truth is, pigeons are stupid, irritating, destructive and ugly..
I no longer have a vegetable garden. My pigeon problem is closer to home.
Last year, the pigeons were on the winning side in this eternal battle. Now I know why. According to the RSPB, there are 5,400,000 breeding pairs of wood pigeons in the UK.
Worse still for us pigeon non-fanciers, they are quite capable of having several families, with two or three eggs per nest, in the course of the year, particularly when the weather is mild.
Problem: According to the RSPB, there are 5,400,000 breeding pairs of wood pigeons in the UK
I didn’t always dislike them. In my childhood, I used to go out in the field and woods with my brothers who were shooting pigeons, and felt quite sad when they downed one.
I was fond, too, of reading stories about brave carrier pigeons that were such heroes in both World Wars. Even this year I was moved by the story of a World War I pigeon named Cher Ami that delivered his message despite being gravely wounded.
He was patched up and given a wooden leg, but died a year later — when it was discovered he was actually a hen, so should have been called Chere Amie.
In the summer I only have to take a deckchair and sit under a tree in a quiet corner of the garden for a pigeon or two to arrive over my head, clattering and banging among the leaves before embarking on a frantic cooing routine, which sounds more like a pneumatic drill.
The saddest thing about this rant is that I really do love birds. I would be prepared to love pigeons if there weren’t so many of them and they didn’t invade my garden.
The only place I am able to admire pigeons nowadays is in Chinese paintings whose artists somehow manage to turn their annoying plumpness into stateliness. They are often paired with peonies or flowering cherry trees, which they inhabit with a proprietorial air, little round eyes gleaming complacently.
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) Now shipping World Wide.
