[TowerTalk] snakes and owls vs pigeons

[K8RI]

On 3/18/2012 12:15 PM, Grant Saviers wrote:
> On 3/18/2012 4:47 AM, John E. Cleeve wrote:
>> 	Pigeons are creatures of habit.
>> 	Having selected a nest site, they will return time and time again.
>> 	Each pair produces an average of five eggs per "clutch" and in good
>> times, will produce five "clutches" per year, if all the eggs hatch, then
>> all the offspring will also return to the home nest site, at the end of a
>> year, you have your own flock of 25 juniors and two parent pigeons fouling
>> up your garden or street.
>>
>> 	However, pigeons do have natural enemies in the form of flying
>> predators, such as the Peregrine Falcon, and there are several of those
>> nesting in tall structures around London, and privately owned falcons are
>> often used on a "one off" basis, to frighten off large numbers of pigeons.
>>
> Also, accumulated pigeon excrement signals to pigeons "this is a safe
> place".  So cleaning helps to deter nesting.
>
> Politically incorrect message follows:
>
> However, I've had the most success leaving a dead pigeon where they want
> to roost.  Of course there is some short term olfactory nuisance, but it
> worked for years afterward.
>
> I'll leave it to the reader to find a dead pigeon, but it is amazing how
> accurate a scoped air rifle can be at 100'.  YMMV and firearms laws
> usually apply.  Of course, falcons are the "correct" (and considerably
> more expensive) way to dispose of live pigeons, but the result is the
> same in either case.
We have a couple of large hawks. They came free with the property. One 
thing we don't have are pigeons
Morning doves? Yes, but not pigeons.  Bats we also have lots of. In the 
warmer weather you can see them against the sky as they dine on skeeters 
and other flying insects in the late evening

73

Roger(K8RI)
>
> Grant  KZ1W
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