Thursday, February 28, 2013
Homeowners in northwest Leesburg are concerned about potential health risks, interference with flights paths; removal attempts so far have failed.
In early January, more than 200 vultures were roosting in trees in northeast Leesburg, prompting the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to try to chase them off. Pyrotechnics and an effigy of a dead vulture were employed. And it seemed to work. But then an estimated 30 vultures began roosting in the trees of Jen and Todd Severance’s home in Northwest Leesburg. “We have some large pine trees in our backyard and vultures seem to like those trees. They come flying in at sunset and circle around until they rest for the night. It is like a scene out of The Birds when they come flying in,” Jen Severance said, referring to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller. The Severances said vultures started roosting in their yard after hearing about the …
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Vultures that plagued Leesburg in January appear to have moved on to another home.
Earlier this year, Leesburg found itself with a vagrant problem, sort of. In January, approximately 200 vultures were found roosting in the town, prompting a removal project that appears to have been a success. The Leesburg Police Department had received so many complaints about the birds – including destruction; property damage, such as picking away at rooftops and rubber seals; and defecating on buildings, yards and vehicles that the United States Department of Agriculture was called in to assist with the problem. For one week, Leesburg employed measures such as pyrotechnics in an effort to drive the birds elsewhere. The problem appears to be resolved, according to Lt. Jeff Dube of the Leesburg Police Department. “We’ve had a few …
Saturday, January 12, 2013
After week-long initiative to remove birds from downtown in which no birds were killed, they appear to be gone. Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy asks for non-harmful methods, continued public education of vultures.
After a week of vigilant patrolling and several control tactics — among them, pyrotechnics — by the United States Department of Agriculture and Leesburg Police, the 200 vultures roosting in downtown Leesburg appear to be gone. For now. USDA officials have been working with police all week using a variety of tactics to displace about 200 vultures roosting in the neighborhood around Mayfair and Plaza streets NE. From 4 to 5 p.m. each day, officials deployed measures, including pyrotechnics, in an effort to remove the birds, who were causing property damage — picking away at rooftops and rubber seals, and defecating on buildings, yards and vehicles — and also health concerns. As of Friday afternoon, Dube reported the vultures had left the …
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Marty Martinez says the 200 birds roosting downtown should be displaced "by non-lethal means only."
Midway through the Town of Leesburg and United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wildlife Services' week-long vulture displacement initiative — which is using pyrotechnics and lasers in an attempt to move the birds from their roost downtown — one Leesburg Town Council member is speaking out against the practice, saying it should only be done if the birds are not killed. Marty Martinez said at a council meeting this week the town has received at least 84 emails from residents, "who would rather save the vultures than hurt them." “I do not advocate any lethal uses to remove the vultures and will do what I can to ensure that non-lethal and no lasers are used to remove the vultures,” he said. “Even though they are a nuisance to some …
Monday, January 7, 2013
Various measures will be undertaken in an attempt to move the birds; Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy say population swell is part of the birds' natural rhythm.
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, in response to the Town of Leesburg’s plans for vulture control, is criticizing plans to help relocate the birds, who they say play a “critical role as scavengers and sanitarians”, helping to recycle dead animals and sanitize the area. The LWC’s comments come after Leesburg released a statement saying beginning today, Monday, and continuing throughout the week, "officials will use pyrotechnics, lasers, and other dispersal devices that are noise and light makers to move the birds nightly just prior to dark." In addition to the pyrotechnics, lasers and other noise devices that will be used to move the birds, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture also may kill and hang dead birds in trees as a means…
Town of Leesburg begins vulture control plan Monday with pyrotechnics, lasers between 4 and 5 p.m.
The Leesburg Police Department and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services Program begins a week of vulture control Monday in Leesburg. The town announced last week that starting Monday, and continuing throughout the week, federal wildlife specialists and town police officers plan to deploy pyrotechnics and lasers to scare the creatures away from areas they're damaging downtown. The methods will be used between 4 and 5 p.m. in the areas of Mayfair Drive NE and Plaza Street NE. The birds, by nature, will remain in the same areas for "extended periods of time," officials said in a statement. Not only do the creatures cause property damage -- picking away at rooftops and rubber seals and defecating on buildings, yards…
Thursday, January 3, 2013
What's that noise you're hearing in Leesburg? Starting Monday, officials will use pyrotechnics, lasers to move vultures from downtown.
Leesburg's vulture problem will get a solution next week, officials said Wednesday, when federal wildlife specialists and town police officers plan to deploy pyrotechnics and lasers to scare the creatures away from areas they're damaging downtown. Starting Monday, and continuing every day that week, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services Program, along with the Leesburg Police Department, will work to remove the vultures from the area of Mayfair Drive NE and Plaza Street NE. From 4 to 5 p.m. on those days, "officials will use pyrotechnics, lasers, and other dispersal devices that are noise and light makers to move the birds nightly just prior to dark," the town said in a release Wednesday. Large numbers of vultures…
joe brewer
6:49 am on Saturday, March 2, 2013
The headline confused me I thought this was about Ken Reid! more ›