“Bird Dog” keeps airfield bird free

  • Published
  • By Laura Salazar
  • 47th Flying Training Wing public affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  As he steps outside his truck, the heat of the Texas summer wraps around his body. Through his binoculars, he searches for signs of wildlife.

Sweat runs down his face as a big, black figure lands 10 feet from the runway that can destroy an aircraft and endanger pilots' lives. He raises his gun in the air and pulls the trigger. The sound of a gunshot echoes and the smell of gunpowder lingers in the air as the frightened bird flies away.

For Dedrick "Bird Dog" Pesek, 47th Flying Training Wing Flight Safety wildlife biologist, a typical day at work involves guns, cannons and wildlife. Pesek has had the responsibility of preventing wildlife hazards on the flight line for the past eight years.

"My job is to keep pilots and aircraft safe from any animal threats on the flight line. I have to work with city, county and state officials as wells as ranchers in the surrounding areas. It's a really important part of my job because we all have to be on the same page in order to keep safety our precedence," said Pesek.

As a part of his job, Pesek integrates other wildlife programs in order to keep safety a priority. He took it upon himself to work with local land owners to prevent the spread of diseases by means of wildlife to local livestock.

"Bird Dog is a tremendous asset to Team XL as the service he provides not only ensures safe flight operations for our training mission, but his cooperation with the Del Rio community is truly immeasurable. The teamwork he has created with Laughlin and Del Rio over the past few years is impeccable as he continues to help prevent mishaps in support of our mission," said Lt. Col. Michael Land, 47th Flying Training Wing chief of safety.

Pesek graduated from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas with a bachelor's degree in natural resource management. After graduation, he moved to California where he worked in endangered species protection projects. He later moved to Houston, Texas and worked as a wildlife biologist.

"When I came to work at Laughlin, I was the first biologist in Texas to start an aircraft safety program. I love my job because it keeps me active and I've been doing it for a long time. It's what I went to college for so I'm well educated in it," said Pesek.

Pesek checks the flight line and the surrounding area three to four times a day. During night flying weeks, he searches for nocturnal animals such as bats and night hawks. In order to control the wildlife, he removes excess water, covers potential habitats and eliminates their food supply.

"Here at Laughlin, we fly a tremendous amount. Birds can cause a lot of damage to an aircraft or injure a pilot. In a hazardous situation, I harass the birds with guns and cannons so they fly away. I also created the first pesticide program in the U.S. to control insect-eating birds," said Pesek.

Aside from birds, Pesek also keeps other wildlife, such as deer, away from the flight line. He drives along the perimeter of the base to ensure no wildlife has broken through the fence. He also had gravel placed around the Laughlin perimeter to prevent animals from digging under the fence.

"In order to prevent wildlife hazards, I have to keep the grass and brush around the flight line and perimeter of the base short. When animals get near the flight line, I usually trap them and relocate them to a wildlife area outside of Laughlin. I also use lethal control, but that's only in emergency situations," said Pesek.

Pesek said he enjoys the public relations aspect of his job the most, but it's the most difficult part of his job as well.

"I love that I get to be outdoors all the time working with a lot of people. It can get difficult at times trying to get everyone to cooperate, but I enjoy preventing hazards for the public's safety. I especially enjoy working for the military. There's nothing more rewarding than protecting the people who serve our country," said Pesek.