by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 8, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Sunday and Monday I had the doses of chemotherapy that would completely destroy my immune system. Again, that is something I thought would register physically, where I’d think, “Wow. So this is what it feels to be completely vulnerable to any sort of infection.” Again, I was wrong. Other than a slight increase of nausea… bupkus.
Tuesday was what they call around here my new birthday. My stem cells were reintroduced to my system through an IV drip. For such a major event in my life, it didn’t seem like much, but, of course, it was. It really meant turning the corner and getting back to being healthier.
I did feel sorry for my day nurse, who had to stand — no sitting allowed — and study the IV, just in case, for more than an hour. But all went well, and he finally got to sit down, I assume. No one here seems to sit down much, at least not that I get to see.
I am isolated, other than staff and my wife, Sheri, who come in, but always masked, so I see just their eyes, forehead and hair. At times, it looks like bank robbers left their convention early to avoid traffic. The last couple of days, I’ve been able to walk around the pod outside the door, as long as I wear gloves and a mask. Believe me, it’s a lot more exciting than it sounds.
Let’s see, what else has been going on. Sheri finally buzzed off the rest of my hair and beard yesterday. It seems OK to me. I have to be careful, though, because when I run my hand across my head to fix my non-existent hair, my hand goes flying off the back. Even that’s OK as long as Sheri isn’t right behind me and gets a poke in the eye. Today, I’m sharing my new Yul Brenner look with you, especially those who watch “Hoarders” just so you can look around your house and say, “Hey. This isn’t so bad.”
The two pigeons who have been hanging around outside my window for the past couple of days appear to be getting ready to fulfill their part of the “Birds do it, bees do it” equation. They are the only other living creatures I see on any sort of regular basis, so I’m quite happy for them. Hey, don’t even think about judging me. If you were watching it on PBS you would be falling all over yourself to get to a phone to renew your subscription or make a pledge.
Right now, my biggest enemy is boredom, which you probably could tell. There is a TV; I have my computer, Nook and iPod, but sometimes it’s just hard to focus, let alone sit up and do something. Sheri comes every day, for a few hours, and it’s nice to have her here, but it leaves a lot of other empty hours to fill. Staffers stay and talk if they have the time, and I try to do little spurts of stuff and then rest.
I talk to my daughters Jennifer and Alison each day. I know it helps them to hear my voice and know that I really am doing quite well. I can write and text anything, but when they hear it in my voice, they know it’s real, whatever “it” might be.
I do have a couple of difficult stretches ahead. My white blood cell count continues to drop, which is a good thing because it means the chemo is working, but it also means I will be really, really tired and have some other side issues to deal with, including a high temperature. But the allergy team has already been in and determined the best antibiotic to knock down any fever, and there are plenty of measures the staff can take to help counter other symptoms. I admit I really have become quite the chicken about feeling sick. I hate it, but the anti-nausea medications really help.
Still, I feel better than I did, for now, and frankly, at this stage, that’s more than good enough. We’ll see what happens next. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to write again, but it helps me a lot, so I will do my best.
For now, I have some pigeon watching to 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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 8, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeons in the News
A Royal Marine bit the head off a pigeon during an all-day drinking session, a court has heard.
Commando Adam Karmali, 33, sunk his teeth into the bird as he drank lager with friends near the banks of the River Taff in Bute Park, Cardiff.
He was caught after police carried out forensic tests on the headless pigeon’s body – and discovered his DNA on its neck.
Now, the soldier has been handed a 12-month community order after admitting a charge of ‘not taking all reasonable steps to ensure the needs of an animal he was responsible for were met’.
Karmali, who lives in Wimborne, Dorset, had been visiting the Welsh capital with friends when he captured the pigeon in the park, Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard.
He then posed for pictures with the live bird’s head in his mouth, before biting it off and spitting it on to the ground.
A female passerby was so horrified that she phoned police, who arrived to find the headless pigeon lying in the grass, the court heard.
Officers later carried out forensic tests on the pigeon – and discovered Karmali’s DNA on teethmarks around the bird’s neck.
Mike Curry, prosecuting, said: ‘This was a sickening offence carried out while drunk.
‘Karmali captured a pigeon and put it in his mouth and as the group took pictures he bit its head off.
‘A witness was so appalled police were contacted, the remains were recovered and a DNA match was discovered which led him to being arrested.’
When interviewed by police, Karmali told officers he had drunk around 20 cans of lager and had thought it was a ‘prank’ at the time.
‘Sickening offence’: Karmali (left) sunk his teeth into the bird (file picture, right) as he drank lager with friends near the banks of the River Taff in Bute Park, Cardiff. He was caught after police discovered his DNA on its body
Monique McKevitt, defending, said that biting the head off a pigeon was ‘clearly an unacceptable and repulsive act’.
But she said that Karmali faced being expelled out of the forces if he was given a prison sentence for the crime.
‘There will be internal disciplinary procedures not only for the act itself but for bringing the Royal Marines reputation into disrepute,’ she said.
Sentenced: After capturing the pigeon in the park, the soldier posed for photos with the live bird’s head, before biting it off and spitting it on to the ground. Above, Karmali is pictured with a shark in Australia two years ago
‘He would never normally behave that way and he feels extreme remorse and shame.’
Magistrates’ panel chairman Robert Cozens told Karmali that biting the head off a pigeon was punishable by prison.
However, he agreed that the Commando should be spared jail because it would end his career.
Sentencing Karmali, Mr Cozens told him: ‘We have taken great consideration over this and we consider the serious and pretty awful offence as having passed the custody threshold.
Guilty: He has now been handed a 12-month community order and told to complete 150 hours’ unpaid work
‘However, we have heard from your Captain you have a good military record and that this is out of character.
‘Because of your early guilty plea and the remorse you have shown we have brought your sentence down a level.’
Karmali was also ordered to complete 150 hours’ unpaid work.
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 | Jul 8, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
A MUM has had to keep her two young children away from playing in their back yard because it is being plagued by a flock of pigeons.
Jane Turner, 40, said the pigeons had taken up residence on the roofs of terraced houses in Skipton Road, Colne, after a derelict mill was demolished.
A flock of ‘30 to 40’ birds had been living in Oak Mill, but after it was demolished in December last year they moved across the road to the roofs of the houses.
Mrs Turner said: “The pigeons are on the roofs of around three houses in Skipton Road. It’s a total nightmare. The back yard and windows are covered in pigeon muck — it’s a massive health hazard.
“I have two young children under four but I can’t let them out the back because of this. It’s been like this for about six months and we don’t know what else to do now.
“The council have said it is not their problem, but they gave approval for the demolition of the mill. Now we’ve been left with the pigeons.”
Pendle Council fought an 18-month battle to get the eyesore mill demolished, which ending with the authority taking the Isle of Man company that owns the building to court.
Mrs Turner said: “We have had to get a report on the problem from an environmental company, but it looks like it is going to cost thousands to sort it out. We can’t find that sort of money.”
Philip Mousdale, deputy chief executive, said: “We sympathise with Ms Turner and her neighbours.
“However, the council does not have any responsibility or duty of care for pigeons as part of the planning process.”
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 | Jun 12, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
It can be pretty hard to be a pigeon anywhere in the world, but it turns out that the charming and iconic city of Vienna just got to be one of the worst locations for the pesky birds. Dog owners, however, are facing even bigger problems.
It seems authorities are trying to clean up the city and they have implemented a couple of new plans to do just that.
Pick up that poop or pay
First it was the dog owners. City authorities organized “Waste Watchers” (cute name, huh?) to keep an eagle eye on dog owners in the streets and parks. Any errant bit of poop then earned the appropriate dog owner a huge fine of up to 470 euros for their crime.
Pigeons attract rats, ergo get rid of pigeons
Now, the city is saying that people must cease and desist from feeding the pigeons. They say that when that elderly gent or lady sitting in the park chucks bread crumbs at the pigeons, they must cough up a 36 euro fine. Not as bad as dog poop I suppose, but still.
What officials are saying is that feeding the birds with bread is “not good for them” plus the left-overs (pigeons leave left-overs?) then apparently attract the rats.
Vienna city councilor Ulrike Sima pronounced that, “whoever feeds pigeons, feeds rats,” adding that feeding the pigeons is “misunderstood animal welfare” as by eating human food “they get sick and suffer.”
Referring to limited green space in the city, Sima also said this should not be “rendered unusable due to the pigeons.”
Pigeon prison camps
So that the birds do not “suffer” and the parks are not “rendered unusable,” city officials have other sinister plans afoot.
Experts in the field have come up with an idea for good old population-reduction. They want to set up a special nesting site for the birds, which will apparently attract them using what they term “pigeon psychology.”
This wonderful pigeon residential estate will house up to 400 of the pesky birds, which will be fed a much more appropriate diet. In return for this life of sheer luxury, their eggs will be removed from their nests and replaced with dummies, thus preventing them from breeding.
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 | Jun 12, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
It seems that the city of Vienna has a problem with pigeons, or is it the pigeons that now have a problem with the city? Anyhow, if you feed a pigeon in Vienna you will now face a fine of 36 euros for your efforts.
“Waste-Watchers” that have been employed in Vienna to monitor naughty dog owners who neglect to pick up the poop. Now the city is going one step further and targeting the poor pigeons.
City management reckons there are too many pigeons in the city and they have even compared the birds to vermin, with city councilor Ulrike Sima stating that “Whoever feeds pigeons, feeds rats.” Sima added that feeding pigeons is “misunderstood animal welfare.” She said that human food and bread crumbs are actually bad for the birds and that “they get sick and suffer.” OK, and the mention of rats actually means that any bread left over by the birds attracts the vermin.
“We live in a big city, but there is already limited green space,” she added, saying that this should not be rendered unusable due to the pigeons.
It seems the pigeons are breeding beyond all expectations and there is now an excess number of the birds hanging (and flying) around in the city. In the meantime a poster campaign has been launched to warn the general public on the dangers (and expense) of feeding the poor birds.
Experts in the city are coming up with some ideas, however, on how to reduce the population by setting up a special nesting site for the birds. Apparently this site will attract the birds using what they term “pigeon psychology.”
The new fancy site will house up to 400 pigeons who will be fed the appropriate food. All well and good. But in return for their life of luxury, the pigeons’ eggs will be taken from the nests and replaced with dummies, thus preventing them from breeding.
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.
Sunday and Monday I had the doses of chemotherapy that would completely destroy my immune system. Again, that is something I thought would register physically, where I’d think, “Wow. So this is what it feels to be completely vulnerable to any sort of infection.” Again, I was wrong. Other than a slight increase of nausea… bupkus.
