Hollywood's Pigeon Lady Ruffling Feathers

[TAWhatley]

http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_110134332.html

Apr 20, 2006 10:42 am US/Pacific

Hollywood's Pigeon Lady Ruffling Feathers

(AP) LOS ANGELES Hollywood officials say they want to stop a mysterious
bird lady who hauls 25-pound sacks of feed and draws flocks of messy
pigeons whose droppings have fouled cars, sidewalks and buildings.

Authorities say they've asked the woman to stop feeding the birds but
they can't order her to quit. City law only bans pigeon feeding in a
section of downtown.

Local residents aren't happy.

"I've collected birdseed bags she's discarded," said Laura Dodson,
president of the Argyle Civic Association. "We calculate she spreads
112 tons a year above Sunset Boulevard, centering on Vine Street. We've
spotted 29 spots she puts down food."

Dodson said the woman puts down 150 pounds of bird seed a day at a
triangular traffic island the community wants to beautify with palm
trees.

The feedings have interfered with an $80,000 landscaping project,
officials said.

Some local leaders worry that the pigeons could spread avian flu but
"wild pigeons don't seem to be a major source," Karen Ehnert, senior
veterinarian for the Los Angeles County health department.

The pigeon poop also covers bridges and signs on the nearby Hollywood
Freeway.

That's a headache, said Dave White, a spokesman for the California
Department of Transportation.

"You can't paint over it. You can't wash it out with a hose because it
turns into a muddy slurry that you can't send down the flood drain,"
White said. "So you shovel it out into bags or knock it to the ground
and clean it up as fast as you can."

Aides to City Councilman Tom LaBonge, who represents part of Hollywood,
told the Los Angeles Times that the woman has refused to stop feeding
the pigeons.

"I spoke to her. She told me she was afraid the birds would die if she
wasn't there," said a staff member who declined to be identified.

Erik Sanjurjo, a LaBonge deputy, said the next step could be amending
city law to ban pigeon feeding in sections of Hollywood or throughout
Los Angeles.

Pigeon feeding is banned in some areas of other California cities,
including San Francisco, Sausalito, Seal Beach and Pasadena. Scofflaw
pigeon lovers can be fined hundreds of dollars -- and that's not
chicken feed.

[mr squeaks]

Oh Oh, anyone the site knows? A member??

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by mr squeaks

Oh Oh, anyone the site knows? A member??

LOL! No, I don't think Andi is in on this one She's a bit further south and more towards the coast.

Terry

[feralpigeon]

I read this story from the other list and couldn't believe it.....that's a whole lot of seed to be purchasing, jeese, 150 pounds a day. She must be independantly wealthy. Just wish she wouldn't leave the bags scattered around, that must really be 'salt in the wounds' for the folks that don't want the pigeons fed.

Wish she'd discover PT, bet she'd be a great resource for that area

fp

[Camrron]

Wow, That is a lot of seed. Almost 27 tons. I figure that's more than 10,000 a year in seed. Bet she gets a volume discount though! She's got to be a very interesting person no doubt. I wonder if she rehabs too or just feeds them? It seems inconsistant to me that a person who loves birds and (the environment) would be littering. Maybe she's like the cat lady on the Simpsons.

Cameron

[Feather]

Andi,

Is this you? It didn't say anything about crackers.

Feather

[cyro51]

It's sad, I can see exactly how she got to that stage. You start feeding a few pigeons, each day a few more arrive so you increase the amount to feed. The pigeons continue to aggregate, wait for you in the mornings. You feel that you have let them down in you miss a day....then you start feeding abother group and the same thing happens ....I have been down that route.

The problem is that the pigeons are the ones that end up in real trouble.

Cynthia

[feralpigeon]

Yes, Cynthia, it's a bit on the compulsive side, and the pigeons do suffer as a result. From growing in flock size and people being more aware of them as a nuisance, to the birds reproducing more due to plentiful food source, to becoming too dependant on 'free lunches' and losing their competitive edge in the foraging department.

Feather, I though you were going incognito as WW

fp

[AZWhitefeather]

"I've collected birdseed bags she's discarded," said Laura Dodson,
president of the Argyle Civic Association. "We calculate she spreads
112 tons a year above Sunset Boulevard, centering on Vine Street. We've
spotted 29 spots she puts down food."

Dodson said the woman puts down 150 pounds of bird seed a day at a
triangular traffic island the community wants to beautify with palm
trees.

* * * *

I haven't traveled down those roads for many years, but if I'm not mistaken, the area that is being described as a seed 'drop off' is very heavy with 'vehicle' traffic. Please correct me if I'm wrong Terry.
It probably doesn't matter where one goes in the LA area, it's going to be heavily populated.

This poor woman's good deeds could possibly end up placing the pijjies, & herself, in harm's way.
I sure hope an amicable resolution can be reached.

Cindy

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by AZWhitefeather

I haven't traveled down those roads for many years, but if I'm not mistaken, the area that is being described as a seed 'drop off' is very heavy with 'vehicle' traffic. Please correct me if I'm wrong Terry. Cindy

Yes, Sunset and Vine is a very busy area and one that I can't imagine trying to attract pigeons to.

Terry

[Camrron]

Originally Posted by AZWhitefeather

Dodson said the woman puts down 150 pounds of bird seed a day at a
triangular traffic island the community wants to beautify with palm
trees.

This poor woman's good deeds could possibly end up placing the pijjies, & herself, in harm's way.
I sure hope an amicable resolution can be reached.

Cindy

Oh, I missed that on the first read. That she puts down the 150 lbs daily at one traffic island alone. That is madness! Those poor pigeons will be in for a bad shock if she ever gets sick or gets shut-down. There is no way so many from one location will all get an alternative meal if that crisis comes. Even a conservative estimate of the number of birds being fed at that one location would be in the range of 2400 birds. That is, 150 lbs x one once each.

So many birds at such a busy intersection does not even make sense though. I wonder if the spokesperson isn't doing a little exaggerating to get the point across. I mean, so many pigeons at a single location anywhere would almost make the spot famous.

Cameron