The Redondo Beach City Council approved the use of raptors to help control pest bird populations around the Redondo Pier, authorizing the spending of up to $70,000 to hire Rocky Post and On the Wing to perform “falconry-based bird abatement.”
The presence of Big Al, a Eurasian Eagle Owl, in council chambers Tuesday night certainly didn’t hurt the falconer’s chances of getting the gig.
Kincaid’s general manager Reggie Thomas told the council that the pest control issue is crucial at the pier.
“I can give you some recent numbers — I spend, on average, about $3,000 a month buying new dishes,” Thomas said. “I lose, probably, $150 to $300 a month in bird-related breakage or theft.”
Yes, theft. Seagulls, Thomas says, have oftentimes throughout the years taken napkins, silverware and other small items directly from the tables of Kincaid’s.
“Over in the rocks [of Horseshoe Beach], there’s probably almost 17 years worth of small items,” Thomas said.
Thomas also blames the birds and their droppings for maintenance and upkeep. He recently was forced to replace three of Kincaid’s AC units, at a cost of $170,000.
In an interview last August, Thomas said that the restaurant’s ventilation systems are often clogged by droppings, feathers and, occasionally, a whole pigeon.
Staff reports cited concerns that pest birds and their droppings are potential disease vectors, carrying and transmitting bacteria to pier visitors.
The abatement process, as outlined in staff reports, begins with two months of working with local businesses to remove the pigeon population and assess the health of local birds. When that phase ends, the falconer will begin to fly the raptors to create a pest-free area.
Mayor Steve Aspel asked the question that seemed to be on the minds of most at the meeting, regarding Big Al: “Will he actually get to eat pigeons on the pier?”
Big Al’s handler, Sophia Post, shook her head. “No, it’s just bird abatement,” she said. “All I have to do is walk on the beach. Seagulls will see and know that this will eat them. He’s not hungry, but they don’t know that.”
“If he did grab a pigeon, would that be a problem?” Aspel asked.
Sophia Post explained that the raptors are trained to not attack. As explained by Rocky Post in an earlier interview, the company’s birds have been taught throughout their life to only eat food given to them by their handler, intimidating birds without causing them harm.
“But, if something happens, we get the birds away from each other as soon as we can…it happens, every now and then,” Sophia said.
“That’s fine with me,” Aspel said. “Seagulls are rats with wings.”
District 2 councilman Bill Brand mentioned the cost of the falconer’s services, noting the $70,000 annual cost agreed upon in the contract. “How do I become a hawk and get paid? You probably have good hours,” he said.
“Yeah, but you can’t scare away seagulls,” Aspel responded. “He can.”
According to the agreement between On the Wing and the City, the cost of the contract is to be split 50/50 between the City of Redondo Beach and a  partnership of the King Harbor Association, Kincaid’s and the Pier Association.
