Pigeons cooped up as flood restricts access

Jamie MacDonald • Published 3 Mar 2010 15:49 5 Comments

THE torrential rain that drenched Clackmannanshire last week may have been ideal weather for ducks but it left far from desirable conditions for pigeon fanciers.

Pigeon huts in Tillicoultry, in the park by Chapelle Crescent, were soaked in two feet of water following heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday. By Friday morning the water around the doocots was so deep it left pigeon owners with a struggle to get in to feed their birds.

One of the pigeon fanciers Effie Shaw (74) told the Advertiser her pigeons that were nursing squabs (baby pigeons) had to be fed on a daily basis.

She said, "With baby pigeons we have to get in to feed them every day and none of them can go without fresh water.

"I couldn't get in to the huts as the water was going over my wellies but one of the others had waders so he was able to go in and feed them."

Effie added that she would have to throw out seven bags of feed for her 50 pigeons that had been soaked.

Another pigeon fancier, Charles Welsh (86), had to take off his shoes and roll up his trouser legs to paddle in to take care of his doos.

He said, "We think it is a choked drain that is causing the trouble.

"It was bad on Friday but it is staring to filter away through the football pitch."

The pigeon huts were also flooded in December which was only the second time since 1973, when Effie started looking after pigeons.

A spokesperson for Scottish Water said they would be on site in the coming days to try to sort out the problem.

He continued, "We sincerely apologise for the distress and inconvenience that this flooding has caused locally.

"We are working closely with Clackmannanshire Council and our contractor, Morrisons, to address the source of this water that caused the flooding. Work will be carried out this week.

"The flooding is not related to the nearby flood alleviation work in Elistoun Drive - there is a separate drainage system in Chapelle Crescent and surrounding areas."

The spokesperson went on, "An underground culvert (burn) which drains to a nearby field is the source of the flooding risk - when there has been heavy rainfall the water levels in the ground mean that the drainage flows are restricted.

"Morrisons are going to enhance the drainage locally by replacing it with a configuration that allows the water to drain away quicker, reducing the level of groundwater which resulted in the flooding.

"This will allow the water to drain away quicker and reduce the risk of future flooding in the area."

Tweet

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

  Jay Gee
  Unregistered User
  Mar 10, 10:07
  Report comment

  How patronising to assume that we readers need to be told what a culvert is. That said, Mr MacDonald obviously didn't since the definition is wrong! A culvert isn't a burn, it's a conduit to allow drainage. In other words, a pipe or tunnel through which the water flows. So, why don't we trust journalists on more complicated matters?
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Jamie MacDonald
  Unregistered User
  Mar 10, 10:25
  Report comment

  Apolgies if you were offended Jay Gee by my clumsy attempt to explain a culvert.
  
  The only reason I added the explanation was because I had no idea what it was myself and after asking Scottish Water for a definition they said it was "like an underground burn". I assumed there may be someone reading who was also unaware of the definition of a culvert.
  
  According to the Chambers dictionary a culvert is "an arched channel for carrying water beneath a road, railway".
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Jay Gee
  Unregistered User
  Mar 10, 13:21
  Report comment

  Thanks for the quick and honest response, Mr Mac.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  A.Murray
  Unregistered User
  Mar 15, 17:29
  Report comment

  An honest journalist with integrity. What a find!
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Ian
  Unregistered User
  Mar 16, 17:08
  Report comment

  Morrisons left a big pool of water a few hundred yards from huts, afer carring out work to stop fooding. Next to a childen's playpark! they put up a small plastic fence to keep the children out.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

Post a comment

Comments posted in the evening, through the night and at weekends will be queued for moderation as we do not have moderators available outwith office hours.

Your Comment:

Registered users log in here

Username or email

Password

If you are registered with us, you can login here. If you are not registered, do so now.
Once logged in you wont have to complete word verification each time you post.

Prefer not to register?

Screen Name *required

Email (not displayed) *required

Usernames must be 4 - 20 characters. Registration only takes a few minutes. Registered users can also take part in competitions and other features of the site.

Word Verification:
Enter the text as shown.

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @alloatiser