Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
27 January 2010
16:0938913A few years ago, London got rid of the pigeons in Trafalgar Square, and on recent visits, I must say it is better without them. Interbreeding etc does not do a species any good, and there were droppings everywhere, creating a health hazard. Am I to believe that many have emigrated down here? Whenever you`re walking round the town, they`re flying up in front of you when you`re walking along, and hanging round both the Townhall and the seafront areas, and giving the whole area a sense of degradation if that`s the right word. I don`t know what they done in London, but it`s long overdue down here. The pigeons are out of control in Dover, and need sorting out.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
27 January 2010
16:4838922I'm afraid I'm a pigeon lover. Yes I know that won't win me any fans!
I didn't agree with what they did in Trafalgar Square. Hundreds of pigeons died because they don't go much further afield to look for food if a food supply is lost.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
27 January 2010
17:0438923they have recently put a sign up in market square, warning people of the health hazards etc and asking people not to feed them.
just that, there is no fine imposed so it will not stop people carrying on as they do now.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
27 January 2010
17:0538924I was told a few years ago Jeane that they did some sort of spray on everything up in Trafalgar square to deter them rather than kill them. I don`t know what actually happened up there. Nothing wrong with being a pigeon lover, and we have a regular few wood pigeons and doves round our garden, who get fed like the rest, but they are everywhere down the town, and I think would benefit from birth control seed as opposed to culling which I`ve always been opposed to.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
27 January 2010
17:1138926there is a vast difference between feral pigeons and the varieties that people keep for racing and as mentioned above, the wood pigeon.
i had a pair of the latter every day in my garden for ages until the cat got one of them.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
27 January 2010
17:1538928Yes you`re right Howard, and we`ll keep this post as feral pigeons.
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Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
27 January 2010
17:2138930I am a member of the Trafalgar Square Save the Pigeons. A lot of places around there used the gel deterrent but it eats away at the stone on the many listed buildings. I totally detest spikes but I agree with you Colin in that anything like birth control seed is more humane.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
27 January 2010
17:2538931Interesting that Jeane, and being historic building`s, one would have expected an expert in the field to have run tests to check that it wouldn`t have any damaging effects on listed building`s.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
27 January 2010
17:3438932If only they had asked me lol! I was a facilities manager at a Grade 2 special listed building in London (corner of Euston Rd and Melton St. built by A. Pite as many of you already know.
) They applied it a couple of years before I started and we spent the next 2 having to get it scraped off and the damage repaired!
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
27 January 2010
18:3538936I think some you need to read my old post on Pigeons and what it said about me in the local papers and the hate mail I GOT when I was on the D.T.C.all because I said we must get rid of alot of them.Again i will get back on this one later on.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
27 January 2010
19:3938949By pigeon post Vic?
. Welcome back mate.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
27 January 2010
19:4338950you must admit colin, they must have been pretty clever pigeons to write all those letters.
hard enought to get a budgie to say "who'se a pretty boy then"
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
27 January 2010
19:4638952I expect they were all in pigeon English Howard.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
27 January 2010
20:0338956The advantage of the spikes is that they deter the pigeons from roosting on the building and the associated guano that goes with it, which is equally detrimental to stonework.
The pigeons down here are much healthier than those one sees in London, with little evidence of the leg, feet and beak defects all too evident amongst central London pigeons. Partly this is because the town pigeons down here eat a more varied diet, but also are exposed to much lower pollution levels. The only humane ways to control pigeons is to either sterilise them via their feed, pierce their eggs or to shoot them.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
27 January 2010
21:0238965I hate the fact that many of them get stuck on the spikes (even though they are better for buildings.) I believe they mostly get foot rot from dirty water. I don't think piercing their eggs or to shooting them is humane.
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,316
27 January 2010
21:0338968It's about time somebody shot the old dear outside the DTC that feeds them.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
27 January 2010
21:0538971she does the same in pencester gardens too.
might just as well leave an RSVP card for the rats.
27 January 2010
21:3538979Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
27 January 2010
22:4238981Poisoning them is not a good idea. you dont know where they will fall dead. ( health risk ) you dont know what will pick them up. ( wildlife )
Sterilisation and egg piercing you still have the problem, pigeons attract pigeons, sterile or not.
You wont stop people feeding them. Fact.
The only way to get rid is divert pedestrions on a Sunday away from the front and the back of the Town Hall, get a couple of good shooters in and shoot them.
I know a couple of good chappies that could do it for the council for free, No charge,Gratis.
What have they got to lose. The town gets something for free for a change.
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
27 January 2010
23:2038987Excellent idea Ian. Pigeon pigeons must be much more fun than clay pigeons. I think DDC could make a few bob charging the shooters.
As for the seagulls???? Too fishy to eat but bloody good sport.
We are far too squeamish about our food in my opinion.
I've certainly eaten pheasant having seen it hit by the car ahead who (foolishly) have not stopped to pick up their bounty.
I had one friend who used to eat a lot of 'road kill'. I asked him if he wasted much and he said as long as it was fresh there was no problem.
In fact, the last thing he hit with his car, he said he ate every single bit apart from her bicycle.....
