Archive for the ‘General’ Category

How Pigeons Can Damage Commercial Buildings

Monday, December 26th, 2011

I have been working with a wildlife removal. Their services include wildlife removal services in White Plains.

Pigeon barriers can fall into a number of groups to act as a deterrent to avoid perching of these birds. They are:  anti-perching devices can be built and anti-entry devices. Anti-perching devices are the most commonly used method for protecting commercial building surfaces from damage caused by the droppings of pigeons. These devices work by preventing pigeons from landing and roosting, and therefore from contaminating certain areas. There are three main forms; anti-perching wire (sprung wire), anti-perching spikes and anti-perching gel.

Anti-perching wire(sprung wire) is a popular used device. This is a wire consisting of nylon-coated stainless steel with a diameter that is too small for either pigeons or gulls to grip. The wires are attached by tension springs to either horizontal or vertical posts. The springs cause the wire to ‘bounce’ when birds try to land on them, therefore disorienting the bird and subsequently putting them off landing in that particular site. The wires are relatively low in visibility and are therefore more suitable for the esthetics of buildings.  The components of the deterrent are rustproof and therefore do not create rust marks on the building surface, and the plugs into which the posts are fitted ensure that rainwater does not penetrate and later damage the masonry.

pigeons anti perching wire

Anti-perching spikes deter pigeons from landing in certain areas. Spikes are used on leading edges of sills and ledges. Pigeons tend to sit on the edges of these surfaces in order to look for food and at the same time foul the face of the building. If they are unable to do so they will only perch in this area for a number of seconds, realize they cannot get a comfortable view for seeking out food and therefore fly away. These spikes are glued to the surface using a silicone-based adhesive. The glue does not cause damage to the building surface, which it does not penetrate, and it can be completely removed at a later date if required, leaving the surface completely intact.

Anti-perching spikes

Anti-perching gel consists of a gel sealed with a skinning solution. The gel never sets hard. When a bird lands on the gel its feet break through the skin and onto the sticky polybutylene gel underneath. The pigeon then flies off with some of the gel attached to its feet. As the birds do not have the means to remove it, the gel will remain stuck to the bird’s feet for a while and create an uncomfortable feeling. The unpleasant experience is mindset in the pigeon and deters pigeons from subsequently landing on any surface that looks like gel. As the gel is very difficult to see once installed, it has little impact on the aesthetics of a building. It also has a very short lifespan because dust and debris soon get stuck to it and absorbed into the surface. In order to maintain its effectiveness it should be removed and re-applied annually.

ANTI-ENTRY DEVICES

Exclusion netting is best suited for keeping pigeons out of central courtyard areas, and is also deployed as a screening device for features such as balconies, windows, pipe work and air conditioning units.

The net’s lifespan may be expected to be ten years or more, depending on the degree of exposure, as it is treated with a UV-resistant coating. In a sheltered location, some nets can last as long as 20 years. Mesh sizes vary with  50mm-mesh nets for pigeons.

Once the netting has been installed it is relatively unnoticeable does not  reduce the light reaching any windows behind it. It must be maintained regularly to keep it clear of windblown leaves and rubbish, which can create a real eyesore. An annual inspection is usually sufficient. The netting excludes the birds from the premises’ openings and they have to look elsewhere for nesting and roosting opportunities.

If you feel you don’t want to tackle this task personally, you can use a wildlife removal company  professional to rid these creatures from commercial or residential locations. You should make sure the pigeon removal organization uses humane techniques, as well as, moves the captured creatures to a sanctuary or other less harmful location when possible. Exclusion work should be performed after the creature is removed to avoid further incidences of their destruction

Get Rid of Squirrels Naturally

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

I’ve been working with a wildlife removal company in New York in the last two years. They provide squirrel removal services in Rockland County, New York.

Squirrels are very active, fun loving creatures. Unfortunately, their definition of fun is every person’s agony. If your grandfather clock points to 12 midnight and the lights in your home start to go “on and off”, it’s less likely to be some haunting spirit sending you a message from the grave. In this modern age, it must be a squirrel munching or hanging upside down your electric cables. They might get electrocuted for doing this and your wallet will sure suffer some heavy dents as well. Imagine the bill you have to pay for for calling an electrician to fix those electric wires, which is little consolation even if you see a dead squirrel in the morning.

Many complaints about squirrels are about their great desire to “chew” stuff. They seem to know which stuff to “chew” that will annoy you the most. Of course, if you refer to all the heavy zoological books in the library, “chewing” is the squirrels special way of remodeling their homes.

They love to create holes by chewing the fascias and sidings of your house. For them, your house is the candy house of Hansel and Gretel. The parts of your house are their favorite pickings and you would be the wicked witch who wants to get rid of them. Once these rodents create that cute hole in your house, it’s their home sweet home and expect them to bring in some NESTING MATERIAL!

Squirrels are another dilemma for people who like birds. Squirrels are the number one culprit of bird feeder disturbances. They steal the bird seeds, and more often, destroy the feeder itself. If you have flower gardens and manicured lawns, lucky you. Squirrels love to dig into such gardens in search of nuts.

The worst part about a squirrel living inside your house is Its’ odors. Squirrels are shameless when they have to urinate or take defecate. They can also live inside your couch which is too bad if your couch is worth a thousand dollars. They are also known to carry ticks and fleas.

 

 Cunning Enemies

Many squirrels are very diligent in searching for nests during their breeding season which are normally mid-December, early January and early summer. They give birth from one to eight kittens and wean them within two months. Depending on the available resources, squirrels can mark their territories to as huge as 90 acres. They love to eat seeds, hard fruits, buds of elms, maples, mushrooms and garden fruits. When the abundance of food is nil, they feed on barks of trees.

There are many ideas here that can help your evict these furry pests. However, you won’t read anything about squirrel poisoning because poisons have the awful disadvantage of leaving a rotten and putrid squirrel cadaver in your attic, around your yard and in between the walls. There are also reports of pets who get sick after eating the dead carcass of a poisoned squirrel. What you want is to get rid of squirrels without having to reach into a rotten corpse or indirectly endangering other animals in the process. Here’s how to evict them safely and effectively:
“Slippery When Piped”

You have to locate how the furry rodents enter your house. If you happen to spot them running along your cables or power lines, you need to slit a 2-foot long piece of PVC pipe(those orange or blue plastic pipes) and place it over the wire where they travel. The pipe will destabilize the culprit’s footing whenever they try to cross it. However, be sure to contact the power company before you execute this. They will be able to give you valuable advice on how to perform this method safely.
“Trim The Trees”

If you have a house full of redwoods, it’s best to take those machetes and do some trimming. Trim the branches of your trees, particularly those close to your roof, at least 15 feet from the house. Fifteen feet is too far to jump, unless you’re dealing with flying squirrels which are very rare.

“Ant-Squirrel Feeders”

Heard of squirrel proof bird feeders? These are weight sensitive bird feeders that block or close the feeding ports when a squirrel lands on it. They will not close when a few birds land because birds are not as heavy as the squirrels. Some of these devices can even provide a slight electric shock and some even send a squirrel flying. Some of the most popular brands are Droll Yankees, Wild Bill or Brome Bird Care. It’s a great investment especially if you spend hundreds of dollars worth of bird seeds. There are also feeders that spin so fast when a squirrel sets foot on it, giving the squirrel a very difficult time to harvest your bird seeds.
“Baffle the Squirrel”

Go to your local hardware store and ask for a squirrel baffle. These are devices you can affix on your bird feeders to give the squirrels a difficult time to reach the seeds. These are wonderful devices and must be used correctly for it to work. If you’re going to place this on a pole, place the baffle at least five feet from the ground. Anything lower than that and the squirrel might simply jump on top of it, defeating its purpose. If you want those baffles that can be hanged, make sure you hang it at least ten feet away from the squirrel’s launching pad such as tree trunks, house, fence, shed, chair, you get the idea. Some well-known squirrel buffers are, Aspects, Droll Yankees, and Eva.
“Feeder Pole Placement”

If you’ve been bombarded by squirrels all your life, you must know that they’re magnificent jumpers. The rule of thumb is keep your eye on the sky and your feeders in the open. Some squirrels can easily jump fifteen feet (high to low) from a tree. You want the birds to feel safe feeding on your feeders, or else, setting up one won’t make any sense at all.
“Sanitize”

Keeping your place clean is imperative because if there’s nothing for your squirrels to sink their teeth in, then there won’t be squirrels around in the first place. Get those rakes from the tool shed and rake off those fallen seeds especially those scattered by the gusts of wind. Clean the hulls from beneath the feeders and it’s best if you have a “catch tray” underneath. Always empty the food trays of your pets. There is nothing more squirrels enjoy but leftovers from pet trays. They are also known to dine on basically anything they can find such as barbecue grill scrapings, bread, fruits and garbage. Yes, place a tight-fitting lid on your garbage cans.
“Seal the Deal!”

Have you looked in your attic lately? Well, aside from the possibility that it’s perhaps the squirrels den during winter time, you might want to cancel a day at the salon just to seal these rodents from conquering the annexes of your house. First, check if your loft vents are still in good shape. Second, grab some wire screens (wire mesh is advisable) and seal any holes, openings, cracks that you can find. If you have a chimney, cover the opening using the same kind of wire mesh. Keep in mind that gray squirrels can fit into a hole that’s as small as 1 ½ inches.

Word of caution: seal the openings but NEVER trap squirrels inside! Before any sealing executions, check if there are already squirrels living in these holes and drive them out. If you accidentally trapped a squirrel, don’t provoke it by chasing it, that would make it even worse. Instead, open the doors and windows and read a newspaper. Allow the squirrel to get out by itself. If the waiting process doesn’t give you the results you’re hoping for, it’s time to trap them.
“Trap!”

If all else fails and squirrels are literally swooning down on you like a perfect storm, it’s time to resort to live trapping! There are very good trapping contraptions sold in the market such as Havarat Live Traps, among others. You can use any kind of bait but most recommend peanut butter. To be able to use peanut butter with minimal mess, spread it on a cracker before you place it in the booby trap. Once you caught the little rascals, you can start relocating them as far as you can. Squirrels have an uncanny sense of smell, relocating three blocks away from your house is not enough.
Squirrel Repellents

Squirrels misbehave all the time, putting your flowerbeds in a risky position. You can try to protect your flowers by burying an anti-squirrel fence that’s at least 8-12 inches beneath the ground because these pests can also burrow like a gopher. When fencing (not the sport of course), make sure you’re using hardware cloth. This method works very well with vegetable plots. However, many don’t want to fence their flower gardens because admiration of blooms tends to be lessened when one is looking into a protective barrier.

Many squirrel repellents rely on hot peppers, ground white, black and red are widely common. These can be added on bird food to deter those squirrel taste buds

If you want to repel a squirrel because it’s munching on your other stuff, then buy those bitter tasting gels or sprays like Ro-pel squirrel repellent. Make sure you completely read the directions carefully because many of these products need to be re-applied after a rain or after a certain amount of time. These products yield mixed results: some effective and some are not. You can always try any other products out there until you find the right formula for your furry little nemesis.

It seems that these furry little creatures are designed to destroy your peace of mind. Most of the time, you won’t deal with a single squirrel, no way! There are armies of them. In North America alone, residents have a constant battle with three different species of squirrels. These are the red squirrel, the fox squirrel and the gray squirrel.

Another Federal Government Blunder

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

It Wasn’t the Mortgage’s Which Caused This Recession.

This Great Recession wasn’t the result of sub-prime mortgage madness exclusively, according to a new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research *. It was just a plain old bank panic. Yes, but weren’t bank panics supposed to be a thing of the past, thanks to the creation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1934 controlled by the Federal Government?

That’s the problem.

The report produced by Yale economics professor Gary Gorton, says sub-prime mortgage securitization was a mess — a federal government law doomed to fall — but sub-prime by itself simply wasn’t big enough to put our entire economy in that state it’s in.. That required a failure of the Renew Sale and Repurchase (REPO) market for collateralized securities that over the last 30 years had come to backstop global finance.

The problem here, of course is that hardly anyone has even heard of REPO unless you were in the banking industry, which manages to be an unregulated, uninsured $20 trillion business that is absolutely essential to keeping money flowing in the world. Sub-prime is only $1.2 trillion — not big enough by itself to cause this mess.
According to Professor Gorton, the entire basis of global banking changed in the 1980s, thanks to money market funds and junk bonds, which took all the profit out of being a traditional bank and the de-regulation of the banking industry. So, banks began securitizing loans to regain those lost profits.

The REPO market of inter-bank loans had always existed but it grew dramatically in the 1990s to support securitization. But since there was no deposit insurance for institutional loans measured in hundreds of millions of dollars, counterparties demanded collateral to back these overnight REPO loans that generally replaced demand deposits in the banking system.

While the sub-prime mortgage crisis began in January, 2007, the ensuing bank panic didn’t happen until August of that year when lenders began making collateral calls and demanding reductions (collateral fire sales at discounted prices) from borrowers that led to all the big banks being seriously under-capitalized. The federal government (Treasury Department) should have been watching the banks and enforcing the asset to debt ratios already existing under Federal Regulatory Laws (REGE’s) imposed by the Federal Reserve Bank. The Federal Government, while well prepared to respond to a demand deposit bank panic like those of 1907 and 1933, was not only unprepared for the 2007 panic, they didn’t even know there was a panic until it was well underway.

The panic meant that the value of all types of bonds declined, trillions of bank capital evaporated in our banking system and the REPO market, itself, collapsed as all counter-parties lost faith in each other as well as, the basis of the entire banking system literally disappeared.

So what does this mean? Well it explains why the banks still aren’t lending money, because they don’t have the means to back the loans they’d like to make, absent government intervention. It means that until the REPO market regains some steam there isn’t going to be much natural progress in getting the economy to start growing again (take out the government stimulus and we will collapse financially). And it shows that the Fed and Treasury in the United States were no better able to protect us than you could keep your dog from running into the road and being hit by a car.

This is another contributing factor as to why you don’t feel better…..

*Report For The US FINACIAL INQUIRY COMMISSION by Professor Gary Gorton