Clean Dimensions : Brighton and Hove Business Show 13th May 2009

Starlings in Regency Square Brighton – BBC Radio 5 Live. Monday January 12th

NEWS FLASH UPDATES:

Starlings in Regency Square Brighton

BBC Radio 5 Live. Monday January 12th

John ‘The Birdman’ Butler, from Clean Dimensions had a live interview about the problem with these starlings in Regency Square. He explained how they were moved on using starling distress calls and Bioacoustics.

FIND WAYS TO LIVE ALONGSIDE CITY’S WILDLIFE – Letters: Evening Argus Thursday January 15th

I have sympathy for people like Gill Wales who have suffered an increased amount of bird droppings from roosting starlings ( Argus Jan 10th ), but to say the birds are ‘targeting’ certain areas and to refer to an ‘attack, ’suggests they are acting deliberately out of malice.

The Brighton flock is just trying to survive in increasingly tough conditions. Britain’s breeding population of starlings has declined by two thirds since the 1970’s. A lack of trees to roost in, coupled with the deterioration of the West Pier, means the birds need alternative places to keep warm over the winter nights.

It can’t be easy for those affected but, as the article mentions, there are humane sound deterrents out there to discourage starlings. I urge people facing problems to get in touch with us for more information on suppliers.

The article quotes Gill as saying she likes to watch the starlings. She’s not alone. Many people take pleasure from seeing the starlings swoop back and forth over the piers as they come in to roost. At sunset in winter, it is one of Sussex’s most mesmerising sights.

With a bit of tolerance, we can find ways to live alongside the wildlife we share our world with. I believe our lives will be better for it.

Hester Phillips, RSPB South East, Brighton

John’s Comment: I don’t think Hester Phillips would be tolerant of the noise, mess, smell and wrecked garden, if he had to live in it.

STARLINGS FLY AWAY – Evening Argus. Friday Jan 16th 2009.

Starlings which bombarded people and buildings with heaps of droppings have been moved on.

The Argus reported last week how a splinter group of about 1000 starlings had decided to roost near Gill Wales’ home in Regency Square, Brighton.

Their droppings had almost destroyed her garden, which was filled with ornaments and rare plants.

Now it seems the birds have been scared off by expert, John ‘The Birdman’ Butler, who runs a company called Clean Dimensions.

He got rid of them by using a distressed starling noise. He said, ‘I used the Bioacoustic sound of a starling distress call for about 30 minutes, as they were coming in to land. The birds dispersed and did not come back that evening.’

A few birds returned a couple of days later but Mrs Wales used the distress call again and they left. She is now cleaning up her property…….End

Evening Argus.Saturday January 10th – Starlings bombard Brighton with droppings

www.theargus.co.uk        search…… ‘Attack of the starlings’.

ONE of Brighton’s most historic areas is under attack from thousands of starlings. Residents living around Regency Square are facing a daily bombardment of droppings from about 1,000 birds. Carefully tended gardens and ornaments are being destroyed while cars are covered in the muck from a “splinter group” which is roosting in the area. Experts said the droppings were a health hazard. 

The chairman of the Regency Square Area Society, Roger Hinton, is calling on Brighton and Hove City Council to help. He said: “Every evening they come back and deposit their droppings. “Some people have been hit. 

These starlings used to live in the West Pier before the theatre was burnt down.”  Aron Barnes, tenant of the nearby Regency Tavern pub, said: “All the buildings, cars and pavements are covered.” 

The sight of thousands of birds swirling around is one of the city’s most iconic. But it comes at a price. The problem has been caused by a splinter flock of about 1,000 starlings roosting overnight in ivy growing on the north wall of the Metropole Exhibition Halls in Queensbury Mews. 

Resident Gill Wales’ garden has borne the brunt of the droppings, known as guano. The 53-year-old market researcher said: “I like to look at the starlings but I wish they would wear incontinence pants because we are drowning in guano.” 

She called in bird control specialists www.cleandimensions.co.uk, run by John ‘The Birdman’ Butler. Mr Butler, who has been in the business for 20 years, said the mess was the worst he had seen. 

He said: “Pigeon poo is more toxic and dangerous than starling muck but in this sort of quantity she could suffer from E. coli, salmonella, and lung diseases psittacosis and ornithosis, which are caused by the dust.” 

He uses the sound of a distressed starling to scare the birds away but warned they would probably return. He also thinks removing ivy in the garden could discourage the birds. The starlings will disappear in about four to five weeks at the start of the nesting season. 

A spokesman for the RSPB said many of the Brighton flock, estimated at 40,000, would either return to mainland Europe, spread across the South Coast or head north in February. He said: “They could return next year. The fact is it’s a good roosting site.” 

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokeswoman said: “The council has no statutory responsibility for dealing with bird complaints. Wildlife and countryside legislation protects all wild birds. “Our environmental health department can offer advice to dissuade birds – for instance putting up taut wires or vertical spikes along roof ridges, ledges and chimney stacks.” 

The British population of starlings has declined by two thirds since the 1970s and the bird is listed as a species of conservation concern.

UPDATE……. January 13th 2009.

I visited Mrs Wales today, five days after using Bioacoustic Distress calls, to move the starlings on. They have virtually disappeared with only about 12 returning last night. Visit  www.scarecrowbio-acoustic.co.uk to see the type of equipment used. Visit www.cleandimensions.co.uk to see client base and type of work carried out. Enquiries to jbutler@cleandimensions.co.uk.

Winter Promotion

It’s been a long time coming, this Blog thing, but now I am getting into it. I realised the other day that pigeons and gulls, don’t understand the credit crunch. They will carry on nesting and messing wherever they want. Maybe that place could be a gulls nest on your roof or a pigeons nest behind your air con unit.

As the weather gets colder, the pigeons will want to get inside. Have you got a slipped tile, or a small hole in your roof? If so, you could be asking for trouble…pigeons love lofts and invite all their relations and friends to join them in their new roost.. Think of the build up of guano ( proper name for pigeon poo ! ), in your loft….and the smell + fleas and mites. We are able to clean out the mess, disinfect and carry out full fumigation.

The Gulls will be back next year, to exactly the same place, and will start to stake out their territory in late January, before nesting starts in May. Please be aware that THEY WILL BE BACK !! We are able to put up deterrents of all sorts, to stop them coming back.

So….to help you with the credit crunch, …that the birds don’t understand,… we are offering a….

WINTER PROMOTION… £25 Marks & Spencer Voucher with every order received and booked before the end of January 2009.

BIRD FEEDING: It’s great to feed the birds in your garden…but you could be creating a problem, especially with pigeons, who pick up the dropped seeds from the feeder. Please don’t put bread out for the gulls…it is very unhealthy for them, as it is not their staple diet.

BIRD FEEDING & The Law !! An interesting case has come up in Liverpool. The Council have decided to prosecute people who persistently feed the birds in the town. This action has been described as…’Dropping Litter’ !!

BIRD PROBLEMS??…No Problem..Call now…01273420018 or 07885484408

John The Birdman.

Clean Dimensions – Pigeon Control Seagull Proofing Eastbourne Worthing Brighton Rye Bognor Saltdean Seaford Lewes

The Local specialists for Bird Proofing, Bird Control, Seagull Proofing, Seagull Control, Pigeon Proofing, Pigeon Control.

Clean Dimensions for the premier South Coast Bird Control and Bird Proofing service.
Call 01273 420018 or email johnbutler@cleandimensions.co.uk

HAVE YOU GOT THE BIRDS ?
Messing, Perching, Nesting on your property?

HAVE BIRDS MESSED ON YOUR VEHICLE?
Clean Dimensions provide a full service for Urban Bird Control and Proofing even to valeting your vehicle.

The birds we can provide solutions for include; Gulls, Feral Pigeons, Corvids, Starlings and other Feral Birds.
Other services include building cleaning, guano clearance and disinfection.

Clean Dimensions have undertaken a number of both commercial and private jobs over the past 17 years including those in Hove, Brighton, Seaford, Eastbourne, Battle, Rye, Hastings and Worthing, Littlehampton, Bognor, Chichester and more.

Have a look at our informative website - www.cleandimensions.co.uk