Pigeon scourge kept at bay by strange UFO
Pigeon scourge kept at bay by strange UFO
Are Helikites an expensive
gimmick or a serious aid to
keeping birds off crops?
Louise Impey found three
growers who have little
doubt about their value
An increase in the area of over-wintered crops being grown for major supermarkets saw pigeon numbers escalate at vegetable growers W Emmett & Son, Manor Farm, Byfleet in Surrey.
Despite the constant use of gas bangers, scarecrows and the local shooting club, farm manager John Allan was finding it increasingly difficult to prevent damage being done to both yield and quality.
When complaints from local residents forced him to stop using bangers entirely, he had to find an alternative. Not only was the kale at risk, the pigeons were also feeding on over-wintered spinach, plus Primo and Savoy cabbage.
W Emmett & Son grows and packs 142ha (350 acres) of spinach, leeks, iceberg lettuce, kale, Chinese leaf, speciality lettuce, radish and cabbage.
"Pigeons are particularly attracted to kale," says Mr Allan. "They take out the apical tip of the young plants, soiling the rest of the plant while they feed. In a very hard winter, they can ruin a field in just a fortnight.
"As we farm right on the edge of an urban area, we have to be mindful of nuisance orders," he adds. "And trees around the farm make the pigeon problem worse."
At the suggestion of his assistant manager, Nick King, Mr Allan purchased 20 Vigilante Helikites – a combination of a kite and a helium balloon – last year. These are flown 12m (40ft) above the crop, where they simulate the flight of a hawk.
Theyve certainly helped keep pigeons off crops at the most vulnerable times, admits Mr Allan. "We use them at a higher density than the manufacturers recommendation, because we are growing such high value crops."
During the winter, one man is employed specifically for pest control. His job is to check the balloons each day, moving them around the field and topping them up with helium gas. In very windy weather, the balloons are brought in to prevent losses.
"They also come down in wet weather, so have to be dried and relaunched," continues Mr Allan. "And as the crop grows, the lines can get tangled in plants."
One of the biggest problems with the balloons is theft. "So far, weve lost three to local children. They cost around £100, so we cant afford to have more stolen."
Helikites have worked wonders at keeping birds off the extensive vegetable enterprise John Allen looks after for W Emmett & Son in Surrey. But they need to be checked regularly, and some have been taken by local children.