San Jose neighborhood inundated with pigeons
DEAR JOAN >> Over my 45 years in New Almaden, there have been periodic visitations of wildlife that disrupt my peaceful country life. This time it's pigeons: California native pigeons, according to the Internet, plump gray critters with orange feet and beaks.
They roost in my oak trees, way up there, and then like a mighty wind, rise up together and roar up and across the road to another bunch of tall trees for a while, back and forth. A lot of poop is involved in these travels, as I'm talking about at least 50 or more birds in concert; a veritable murmuration!
They go elsewhere at night. I am hoping that like the wild pigs, rattlesnakes and other visitors, they will move on soon.
Have you heard of this type of pigeon behavior before? And will they likely move on with the spring? And is there anything that will dissuade them other than my strong daily objections? — Kathleen Eagan, San Jose
DEAR KATHLEEN >> It appears you've got a flock of band-tailed pigeons visiting. Outside of mating season, they can form large flocks of up to 300, and when they find food, they'll stick around until they've pretty much wiped the cupboard clean. Then they move on.
They are particularly attracted to oak trees and acorns, and you're likely seeing so many because we've had a bumper crop of acorns. The pigeons swallow capless acorns whole. Their other foods of choice are grains, seeds and wild fruits.
If they haven't departed yet, they should very soon, returning to more forested areas to mate and raise their offspring.
DEAR JOAN >> I have these very black bird droppings periodically below my tree, but I never see any birds. Do you know what bird would cause them?
— Ken Anderson, Concord
DEAR KEN >> The darkness of the droppings is an indication the birds have been feasting on berries. The volume points to either robins or cedar wax wings. The birds have a big appetite for any type of berries, and they feed in large flocks. As the berries disappear, so will the amount of droppings.
DEAR JOAN >> Last year we had rats eating the cambium on our lime tree. This year, no rats are evident, and the tree has recovered, however something is eating the fruit on our orange tree.
We find oranges on the ground with one large hole in the peel, about the size of a 50-cent piece, and all of the flesh inside completely gone. Who do you think is the villain?
— Jim, Livermore
DEAR JIM >> Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's the rats. Again. Gnawing a hole in the rind and then eating all the pulp to leave an empty shell is classic rat behavior. They do the opposite thing with lemons, eating the rind and leaving the pulp.
DEAR JOAN >> My response to the person whose kitty stopped sitting in her lap is to ask whether she has started using a different hand lotion. My two cats very politely avoid me if I have certain lotions on! They especially shrink away from a coconut one. — Emily Sparks, Oakland
DEAR EMILY >> That's an excellent question. Some scents send our pets over the moon, while others make them avoid us. Always good to consider things such as that.