I’ve got bugs in my blood. After 58 years in the pest control industry, it’s something that I can’t easily turn off. This was blatantly evident on our celebratory birthday vacation for my milestone 65th.
Wife Robin, daughter Leah and I enjoyed two weeks in sunny Italy. I was instinctively attuned to the environment around me, especially when it came to my hosts, often possessing six legs or more.
The more we traveled, my perspective of Italian life (read: sanitation) broadened. It really was a land of contrasts.
Our first stop was urban Florence. My eyes were naturally drawn to all of the restaurant kitchen doors being propped open. Each kitchen seemed to be better than the previous: spotless floors, shining equipment.
Flies and other winged pests seemed to be at a minimum here. Outdoor dining, the norm, never seemed to be intruded upon. Our focus could stay uninterrupted on the food, people watching and soaking-up a new and vibrant culture.
It was difficult, if not impossible, to ignore the pigeons. Everyone seemed to regale in strolling among them and tossing food to watch them tussle for their next meal. They seemed to be as much at home as the 16th and 17th-century icons we ritually visited.
As we ventured to rural Florence, pest activity was turned up a notch. We drove, for what seemed an eternity, through countless miles of grape vineyards and olive orchards. We stayed in a renovated early 19th century stone villa in the rolling hills of Tuscany.
Even before getting our bags inside, we were greeted by a stream of solitary wasps. Nesting under the terracotta tiled roof, they seemed to appear as if to say “Ciao, welcome to your vacation home.”
The next day, my outdoor relaxation was brought to a screeching halt. I was rudely given a reality check by a stink bug landing on my forehead and another on my leg. They somehow knew my bug arsenal was left behind on the other side of the world.
Flying Vacuum Cleaners
Our days were filled exploring small towns and villages throughout the Chianti region. Lunch and dinner were shared with the locals, including the resident pigeons.
It became evident that these winged creatures play a useful role in the restaurant trade: flying vacuums.
While stateside restaurateurs readily employ a hand-powered push vac, many eateries we patronized engaged the services of their no-cost winged buddies. Pigeons made themselves at home, strolling under tables, doing a very efficient job of cleaning. They were readily welcomed. I never saw any of them being shooed away. Roosting on a tabletop was commonplace, especially when the previous diner inadvertently left some food crumbs.
It seemed unusual that a culture would welcome parasite-infested creatures into their dining areas, while at the same time they appeared to be operating with superb sanitation procedures.
I often state how fortunate we are to have food laws and regulators to enforce them. It is something that we take for granted until we experience how others live.
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.
London’s busiest train station has recruited a hawk to scare off pigeons following a spate of complaints from angry passengers.
Aria, a five-year-old Harris hawk, has begun patrolling Waterloo station in a bid to stop people having to “fight” off pigeons while eating.
There are 27 food and drink retailers at the Network Rail-managed station, and many customers have complained about pigeons pecking at food and leaving a mess.
The birds have been pictured sitting brazenly on tables and chairs, while some people have reported being defecated on from above while waiting for their train.
Recent TripAdvisor reviews of the station’s venues include a warning about “loads of pigeons flapping around whilst you are trying to eat” and a description of someone having to “fight pigeons for my food.”
Another visitor even suggested passengers should “bring a fly swat for the pigeons.”
Jason Murphy, Waterloo area manager for Network Rail, said: “Pigeons can be a real nuisance for people using the station. They also cause a lot of mess which needs cleaning up at some expense.”
“Aria’s work is really important in making the station a better place for our passengers while saving us money on our cleaning bills.”
“She’s a very hard worker and we’re delighted to have her as part of the station team here at Waterloo.”
Aria will be on duty at the station twice a week for two-hour shifts.
She was raised in St Albans and has previously been deployed by London King’s Cross station and the Treasury to keep pigeons away.
Aria’s handler, Max Bell, said: “Aria really enjoys the environment at Waterloo and is delighted to be here.”
“She does a great job and often likes to reward herself with a relaxing bath in the puddles that gather on the rain shelters over the platforms.”
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.
AN art student has gone viral after footage emerged of her feeding pigeons – dressed as a pigeon.
The Dundee University student Niamh Fenton, says the act is part of her art project as a video of her feeding the creatures wearing a long beak emerged on social media.
Niamh was filmed outside St Mary’s Church next to the Overgate shopping complex in the city centre of Dundee perched on a low stone wall above a group of hungry birds.
The 18-year-old “pigeon girl” says she is “overwhelmed” by the response to her video and has released several other pictures of herself that were part of her project.
Niamh, from Dunblane, is seen wearing a grey hoodie and a type of skirt made from grey feathers, takes bread from an orange bag.
The video was posted by her friend onto the ‘snap map’ tool on Snapchat and then uploaded to Twitter on Tuesday.
The clip was then posted by @euanlean and has since gone viral.
Niamh dressed up as a pigeon for an art project
He captioned the post: “What the f*** is going on in Dundee?”
The video now has more than 150,000 views and multiple comments from confused Twitter users.
Emily Ryan said: “Ahahaha holy s***.”
@SmithNatalie260 commented: “Hahahaha wow.”
The video of her feeding pigeons as a pigeon went viral
@itsthatzoe said: “I honestly feel like I see weird videos near the city centre all the time hahaha.”
@officialfergus commented: “Wit? Just feedin the birds?
Since the video was posted, Niamh has also released several pictures of herself in different locations around Dundee dressed as a pigeon.
She has posted on image of herself on Instagram on a ledge with the caption: “I’m the pigeon girl.”
Niamh goes to Dundee University
Her post also attracted a few comments.
Instagram user aieshaholly said: “You’re insane.”
Another user said: “Amazing. I am in awe.”
Another Instagram user said: “Iconic.”
Speaking today, pigeon woman Niamh revealed that her avian impersonation was part of an “art project”.
Her project focuses on the problems we associate pigeons within our society
Studying at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, part of Dundee University, she explained: “My project was on pigeons and the problems associated with them, people’s views and opinions.
“I realised that they can be related to the homeless community as they used to be celebrated war birds but are now bearly surviving in a city format.”
Niamh, from Dunblane, also explained her inspiration for the act.
Niamh said she was inspired by artist Edwina Ashton, a London-based artist known for her videos which feature animals.
Niamh was inspired by London based artist Edwina Ashton
She said: “I went into town as a pigeon to see the public’s reaction to a humanoid pigeon. I am frankly overwhelmed how this got out and how it exploded.”
This is not the first time pigeons have gone viral in Dundee.
Earlier this year, bizarre footage of lads spurring on randy pigeons to have sex surfaced on social media.
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.
Associated British Ports (ABP), who own the port at Ipswich, have informed people living nearby that they are due to carry out a controlled killing of pigeons on Sunday, November 18, between 10am and 1pm.
They will be carrying out the cull to curb the pigeon population and ensure it doesn’t endanger the UK’s food supply chain.
ABP have reiterated their reasoning for carrying out the cull and reassured residents the culling will be completed quickly and humanely using trained professionals.
“ABP is part of the UK’s food supply chain and as such, we adhere to strict regulations regarding the control of pests at the Port of Ipswich,” a spokesman said.
“Measures are in place to prevent the spread of disease, stop serious damage to food and preserve public health and safety.
“We are committed to safeguarding the integrity of the UK’s food supply.
They added: “The cull will be carried out by shooting, the quickest and most humane method, by trained professionals under licenses issued by the appropriate government agencies.”
According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), land owners and people given permission by authorities or the Environment Agency are granted a general licence to cull certain wild birds.
The licence can only be used to preserve public health or to ensure public safety.
It cannot be used to simply cull birds that considered to be a nuisance.
Strict laws also state the birds must be killed and/or taken quickly and humanely.
This can be done using either a semi-automatic weapon, a cage trap or even a net.
If all these rules are adhered to, then a number of birds, including pigeons, magpies and Canada geese, can be killed or taken.
Bosses at ABP also said they had explored other avenues in managing the pigeon population.
The spokesman said: “We have examined all the possibilities in managing the pigeon population and we are now fulfilling our legal obligations in the most effective and humane way possible.
“These actions are necessary to protect the UK public.”
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.
Non-fare-paying pigeons have been causing a nuisance at London Waterloo station, leading Network Rail to hire a Harris hawk to scare them off.
The 5-year-old hawk, named Aria, has possibly the best and easiest job in London: she does a two-hour shift twice a week, which mostly involves flying about like a badass and scaring the bejeezus out of the poo-happy pigeons.
She also gets a nice bath out of it – her handler Max Bell comments:
“Aria really enjoys the environment at Waterloo and is delighted to be here. She does a great job and often likes to reward herself with a relaxing bath in the puddles that gather on the rain shelters over the platforms.”
This isn’t Aria’s first rodeo, though: previous gigs include King’s Cross station and the Treasury, where she unfortunately failed to scare off Theresa May.
Waterloo area manager Jason Murphy explains the need for a hawk:
“Pigeons can be a real nuisance for people using the station. They also cause a lot of mess which needs cleaning up at some expense.
So Aria’s work is really important in making the station a better place for our passengers, while saving us money on our cleaning bills.
She’s a very hard worker and we’re delighted to have her as part of the station team here at Waterloo.”
Keep an eye out for Aria next time you’re at Waterloo, because she’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for you.
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.
