Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcsun!ukc!newcastle.ac.uk!turing!q1ygq
From: q1ygq@turing.newcastle.ac.uk (J.M. Spencer)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Winged rats and other introduced bird pests
Message-ID: <1990Sep17.082523.1565@newcastle.ac.uk>
Date: 17 Sep 90 08:25:23 GMT
References: <1990Sep14.195319.6234@ioe.lon.ac.uk>
Sender: news@newcastle.ac.uk
Organization: Computing Laboratory, U of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE1 7RU.
Lines: 26

In article <1990Sep14.195319.6234@ioe.lon.ac.uk> teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore) writes:
>In article <1990Sep14.103009.744@newcastle.ac.uk> q1ygq@turing.newcastle.ac.uk (J.M. Spencer) writes:
>>In article <1990Sep13.172006.21612@ioe.lon.ac.uk> teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore) writes:
>>>David Graham) writes:
>>>
>>>stuff about pigeons...[more stuff deleted]
[even more deleted]
>>The best way to deal with pigeons is to remove them, permanently,
>>either by trapping or shooting.  But, as you say, Joe Public gets
>>squeemish about such things.  If the stories about the hawk-keeper
>>are true then the council responsible has been well and truly 
>>hoodwinked.  Can you let me have their number as I've got a tin-
>>whistle which will lead away all the capital's rats.  (Take with
>>plenty of smileys!  :o)  :o)  :o)
>
>An amusing reply! The original intention was to imply that the early
>morning prowls were indeed providing the hawk with its breakfast. The
>stories about 'scaring the pigeons away' are for the consumption of
>press and public. (It should be noted that the prowling is conducted
>in the early morning, before Joe and Joanna Public are abroad to be
>horrfied by natural events).

Even so, pigeon are a difficult quarry to catch even with the best
of hawks.  So it sounds like the austringer simply got the offcial
nod for a bit of early-morning sport.  What about the 'infestation'
of fowl on the capital`s recreational parks?  <chuckle>