Poisoning Pigeons in the Park

No, I’m not really going to be ‘poisoning’ pigeons, as described in song by the inimitable, Tom Lehrer - but honestly? If I could, I’d probably do something drastic with them - at least those that are making every effort to build a nest in our ‘nest’.

It’s not exactly in ‘our nest’ but almost - it’s separated by the thinnest of walls. Here, let me start over as this is probably not making enough sense.

The other day, I was gazing out the window of our enclosed balcony and heard a strange little scuffling noise. There are three condos in our building undergoing renovations at the moment (imagine the noise!) and naturally, I thought it might be a sound emanating from one of these - but it seemed awfully close by - like, right next to me.

The enclosure of our balcony is built just inside what would be and is the outside wall of the ‘real’ balcony, leaving the tiniest of gaps in between. Perhaps we have not been using it quite enough - at one time it was used much more frequently but that was when we had a third party living in the condo (I may tell this story at some point - just not now…). Since the departure of said ‘third party’, the room has been used infrequently - mostly by my partner whose office it has become - or by me - for gazing out the window.

Anyway, I looked over and saw a pigeon trying to squeeze its way down between the outside balcony wall and the inside enclosure - quelle horreur! Well, I had to put a stop to it immediately - but short of standing guard both day and night, I was afraid my prospects of putting an end to the nesting was going to come to a bad end - for me, of course.

Now, I’ve also noticed that we’ve a couple of Peregrine Falcons hanging around these parts and had it been them, I would not have cared one wit. In fact, I would have been quite delighted. But pigeons! Oh, pigeons! It just cannot be!

I’ve heard mothballs work at keeping them away and I raced down to Canadian Tire to pick up a box - my! They are a might powerful when one gets a nose-full and I quickly understood how they could be an effective deterrent. Unfortunately, the only window that opens is not exactly where I need it to be to distribute the mothballs all along the outside. I made valiant efforts to do so but feared dropping a few down on unsuspecting passersby - not that this would be dangerous from this height - but it would be rather startling and not at all pleasant. Therefore I had to quit.

I’ve been looking for another solution but so far, I’ve been stymied - and the pigeons continue to make ongoing efforts to build the nest, darn it!

I’m thinking of cheesecloth - filled with mothballs - on a string - to gently swing out the window to the desired spot - this might work.

Wish me luck.

And if it doesn’t work - I’ll post pictures of the young’uns…