Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 23, 2012, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A8 A PILE of pint- sized tyrants has seized control of a Transcona neighbourhood and left residents keeping a wary eye on the sky. That's where the crows attack from, you see. That's right, crows. For weeks, the black birds have been terrorizing residents of Ralph Avenue, an otherwise idyllic residential street. " It will just stalk you, following you from house to house, then swoop down and attack you," said Keyana, 15, herself a victim of the winged menaces. " If you run away, it will still keep coming at you. It freaks you out." On Friday afternoon, the crows in question perched quietly in trees, lazily surveying their domain. But don't be fooled by appearances. For the last three weeks, the birds have been divebombing unsuspecting pedestrians, chasing cars, and forcing residents to keep a close eye on their small dogs ( the crows sometimes devour rabbits) and huddle under umbrellas to go for a walk, even on sunny days. Life seemed normal enough when the crow family - which now comprises two adults and three juveniles - set up a nest in a stately old tree in front of Bernice Sokol's house. Then two weeks ago, Sokol took her dog out for a walk - and that's when the Hitchcockian horror show began. " This big crow - I mean really big - starts going from tree to tree every time I'd move," Sokol said. " All of a sudden, he starts pulling my hair. I'd run into another yard, he'd follow me there and nip me right in the back of my neck. So you couldn't go outside. Absolutely not." In between harassing residents, the conniving corvids developed a special distaste for the street's mail carrier, harrying him along his route. One day, the carrier and a colleague tried wielding a big branch to ward off attacks, but on Tuesday, Canada Post was forced to suspend delivery entirely. Residents must now pick up their mail on Nairn Avenue. " For us, it's a really unusual situation," Canada Post spokesman Eugene Knapik said, noting while birds occasionally pose safety problems for carriers, he's never heard of crows being to blame. " We want to re- establish service as fast as we possibly can, and we're monitoring the situation." The odd thing, residents said, is the situation doesn't appear to be improving. Manitoba Conservation officials have said crows attack once their babies are large enough to leave the nest, and stop once the babies are able to fly, a period that can last between a day and a week. But three weeks after the attacks started, they're still happening, and the baby crows have been seen joining in. That has left some residents wondering when the attacks will end - and whether wildlife experts will help them take their street back. " I'm a prisoner in my own home," said Bernice's husband, Gordon Sokol, who cannot outrun the birds since he's recovering from hip surgery. " We're the ones that are paying taxes, not the birds. So why do the birds get to take over the whole territory?" - With files from Julie Carl melissa. martin@ freepress. mb. ca A 8 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2012 WINNIPEG winnipegfreepress. com .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. High Dive Show Lumberjack Show Prairie Town Adventure Discovery Place Exhibition Place Around the Park Red Barn Stage Main Stage 12 noon 1: 30 Splash ' N Boots 2: 30 Kids' Pedal Tractor Pull Agri- Magic Show Two Dollar Pistol 3: 30 Freddy Fusion 4: 30 Splash ' N Boots 5: 30 Kids' Pedal Tractor Pull Agri- Magic Show 6: 30 Freddy Fusion Splash ' N Boots 7: 30 Kids' Pedal Tractor Pull Agri- Magic Show 8: 30 Freddy Fusion Pop The Trunk 11 pm Fireworks Pop The Trunk 1 pm Two Dollar Pistol 2 pm Show EXtreme Dog Show G04 Nutrition Stage 3 pm Show Physical Activity Stage 4 pm Show Lord Strathcona Mounted Troop G04 Nutrition Stage Lord Strathcona Mounted Troop Travis Barre Carly Rae Jepsen 5 pm EXtreme Dog Show Physical Activity Stage Travis Barre ( 5: 15) 6 pm Show G04 Nutrition Stage Mysterion 7 pm Show EXtreme Dog Show Physical Activity Stage Mysterion 8 pm Show Dragonette 9: 30 Mysterion .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. EXtreme Sing a long ( 12 noon to 9 pm) LOVE Animal Hospital ( 1 to 7 pm) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Lord Strathcona Mounted Troop Musical Ride Today at 4 p. m. TODAY! Carly Rae Jepsen at 4 p. m. on the Main Stage TONIGHT! Dragonette at 8 p. m. on the Main Stage Fireworks light up the night, tonight at 11 p. m. Check out the NEW LOVE Animal Hospital inside Discovery Place Have a birthday coming up? Party with The WHS. Today ONLY, learn about the great work of the RCMP K- 9 Unit and meet the good people and animals from Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Winnipeg Public Library is on hand today from 12 noon to 5 p. m. in Prairie Town Adventures with lots of fun things to do and stories to hear. Take your family to see the NEW Agri- Magic show at 2: 30, 5: 30 or 7: 30 p. m. All schedules, information and performers are subject to changes without notice. * Manitoba Hydro is a licensee of the June 15 to 24 Trademark and Official Mark. r e d r i v e r ex . c om e T O D A Y ! Public Review Meeting Share Your Thoughts Manitoba Public Insurance is holding a community meeting in your area. Join us for a brief presentation on the state of the Corporation and then share your thoughts, ask questions or voice any concerns. We're here to listen. Winnipeg Thursday, June 28, 2012 .. 7: 00 p. m. Four Points by Sheraton, Winnipeg South Madison Room 2935 Pembina Highway Refreshments will be served. For more information, call: In Winnipeg: 204- 985- 7000 Outside Winnipeg: 1- 800- 665- 2410 TTY/ TDD: 204- 985- 8832 HEARING: The Public Utilities Board ( Board) anticipates holding a public hearing of an application from Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation ( MPI) for approval of rates and premiums for compulsory vehicle and driver insurance as of March 1, 2013. The hearing would take place at the Board's Hearing Room, 4th Floor, 330 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB ( commencing at 9: 30 a. m.) on September 25, 2012. A Pre- Hearing Conference is to be convened by the Board in its offices at 9: 30 a. m. on June 29, 2012. RATE IMPACT: The Corporation is requesting approval for Basic Autopac vehicle and drivers licence rates effective March 1, 2013, which, if approved, would result in no overall change in MPI's Basic premium revenue ( excluding the impact of vehicle upgrades and an increased overall driver and vehicle population). Actual vehicle and driver premiums would vary depending on claim and driving experience, insurance use, territory and vehicle rate group. Full particulars, including the rate impact and application, can be found on the Manitoba Public Insurance website www. mpi. mb. ca. PRE- HEARING CONFERENCE: Those seeking Intervener status should notify the Board of their intention by applying to the Board Secretary before the now scheduled Pre- Hearing Conference of June 29, 2012. Interveners may be entitled to financial assistance, and the Board's Rules of Practice Applicant: Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation and Procedure ( Rules) provide the related guidelines, which can be seen at the Board's website www. pub. gov. mb. ca or obtained on request to the Board, by either emailing ( publicutilities@ gov. mb. ca), writing or calling the Board Secretary ( 945- 2638 or 1- 866- 854- 3698, toll free). Parties wishing to submit a brief or to express comments at the hearing should also contact the Board Secretary. GENERAL INFORMATION: Interested parties should take note that the Board does not have jurisdiction over the MPI lines of business denoted as Extension or SRE, or as to MPI's Driver and Vehicle Licensing operation. Persons seeking further information as to MPI's application, or with respect to the Board's process, and/ or wishing to address the public hearing in French should notify the Board Secretary by August 31, 2012. As well, interested parties may examine MPI's application and supporting materials, either at the offices of the Corporation or on its website, or the Board's office. DATED this 15th day of June, 2012. H. M. Singh Secretary The Public Utilities Board Wheelchair access is available. Five days notice required. Notice of Public Hearing and Pre- Hearing Conference Crows on attack in Transcona Crotchety corvids terrorize residents By Melissa Martin PHOTOS BY WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Bernice Sokol, with neighbour Len Chapko, describes the attack of crows on Transcona's Ralph Avenue. RIGHT: A perched crow cackles at a passing blue jay. A_ 08_ Jun- 23- 12_ FP_ 01. indd A8 6/ 22/ 12 6: 47: 58 PM ;