Installer of the Month June 2026 | Orswell Environmental Solutions

A huge congratulations to Will Brush from Orswell Environmental Solutions, our Defender® Bird Spikes Installer of the Month winner for June.

This month’s winner was chosen by Junes guest judge Matt Phillips, Director of Urban Pest Control. He was impressed by Will’s well planned Defender Jaws® solar panel pigeon proofing installation, the use of scaffolding for safe rooftop access, and the neat combination of products used to protect both the panels and the surrounding guttering.

Why Orswell Environmental Solutions won

Judge Matt, with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, selected Orswell Environmental Solutions after seeing the clear plan behind the installation, the tidy use of Defender Jaws® around the solar panels, and the attention given to the smaller details that can make such a difference on solar panel pigeon proofing jobs.

Matt particularly liked the way Will had proofed the whole array including the unusually wide gaps between panels. Orswell Env. also used Defender Thistle® along the top to move on the displaced birds and Thistle Gutter to protect the guttering. By combining products carefully, Orswell Environmental Solutions created a more complete pigeon proofing solution rather than simply closing off the most obvious areas. He was also pleased to see scaffolding used for safe rooftop access, which is such an important part of any professional bird control job.

The winning installation

For this job, Orswell Environmental Solutions were called out to help a customer who had recently bought the property and soon became aware that feral pigeons were attempting to nest underneath the solar panels. As anyone who has dealt with pigeons under solar panels will know, once pigeons find that warm, sheltered gap beneath an array, the problem can quickly become noisy, messy and stressful for the homeowner.

Will responded quickly to the initial enquiry, followed up with a survey and quote within a few days, and was able to show the customer examples of previous work completed using Defender Jaws® That kind of reassurance makes a real difference, especially when someone has only recently moved into a property and is already dealing with an unexpected pigeon problem.

For the installation, Will locked the black UV stabilised Defender Jaws® around the full array, creating a neat barrier to stop pigeons getting underneath the panels. Defender Jaws® has been designed for compatible 30 mm and 35 mm solar panel frames, with a reversible strip that locks directly onto the panel frame without the need for glue or clips. The black UV stabilised polycarbonate keeps the finished installation looking neat and discreet, while the jaw design gives installers a quick and secure way to close off the gaps pigeons are trying to use.

This job also included the extra tricky task of fitting Defender Jaws® between the panels where the gap was unusually large. Because there is no glue and no separate clips needed, the Jaws® could be securely popped onto both sides of the gap, helping to close off another vulnerable access point without overcomplicating the install.

Sometimes, those expelled displaced pigeons will stick around and move up to perch along the top edge of the array. Will used the unique two posts on top of the Jaws® to fit Defender Thistle® Bird Spikes along the upper edge. This makes it impossible for the pigeons to land here and they will abandon this array for an easier perch.

To finish the job, Defender Thistle® Gutter Spikes were clipped onto the outside edge of the white guttering, giving this rooftop array a complete and very tidy pigeon proofing solution. It was a great example of Defender Jaws®, Defender Thistle® and Defender Thistle® Gutter Spike working together to protect the full area, rather than leaving weak spots where pigeons could simply shift to another part of the roof.

Once the installation was complete, the difference was immediate. As Will explained, the pigeons very quickly moved away from the property. This is exactly what a good solar panel pigeon proofing job should do. It should solve the problem without harm, protect the panels and give the homeowner peace of mind that the space beneath the array is no longer the place for pigeons to shelter, roost or nest.

Fab work from Will and the Orswell Environmental Solutions team, and a really neat example of a well planned solar panel bird proofing job done properly.

Why did Will start Orswell Environmental Solutions?

Like many people in the industry, Will did not set out with a grand masterplan to become a pest controller.

His route into the trade came after an accident involving his horse. While recovering in bed following an operation, he was chatting to several fellow falconer friends who had been involved in bird control for more than 30 years. Those conversations sparked his interest, and they encouraged him to take the RSPH Level 2 qualification so he could offer a more rounded pest and bird control service.

After relocating to Devon from Essex, Will was looking for a new venture, and pest and bird control fitted naturally with his background, interests and experience with falconry, so he started up Orswell Environmental Solutions. Its a small family run business based in North Devon, covering North and Mid Devon as well as West Somerset. The business works with domestic, commercial and agricultural customers, offering pest control, bird control and wildlife management with a focus on practical, long term solutions.

For Will, reliability and efficiency are at the heart of the business. When a customer calls about a pest or bird problem, they are often already worried, frustrated or unsure what to do next, so turning up when you say you will, communicating clearly and offering a proper solution can be just as important as the work itself.

What kind of work does Orswell Environmental Solutions cover?

A lot of Will’s day to day work is what he describes as the usual agricultural, commercial and domestic rodent and insect contracts and call outs.

Bird work, however, is steadily increasing, and it is an area he is particularly interested in. With his falconry background and his focus on long term, practical control, bird work fits naturally with the way Orswell Environmental Solutions approaches pest management. For larger proofing jobs, he has help from trusted subcontractors such as Joe North (pictured!)

What is the most satisfying part of the job?

For Will, the most satisfying moment is seeing the relief from a client when a long term issue has finally been solved. This is something we hear time and again from good pest and bird controllers. Whether it is pigeons under solar panels, gulls on a roof, rodents on a farm or insects in a home, the real reward is often that moment when the customer can finally stop worrying. A proper pest or bird control solution gives people their space back, and that is a huge part of the job.

Why does Will choose Defender® Bird Spikes?

Will told us that Orswell Environmental Solutions only uses Defender® Bird Spikes, partly because they are proud to support a fellow Devon business, and partly because the service and support have been second to none in their experience. This means a lot to us. As a Devon based family manufacturer, we know how important these trade relationships are. Bird control jobs are rarely one size fits all, and sometimes being able to talk through a product choice, send photos, ask a question or check an installation detail can make all the difference.

What does Will look for in a good bird control solution?

Will looks for a bird control solution that is safe, humane and built to last. Good bird control should be carefully thought through, suitable for the species involved, appropriate for the site and designed to solve the problem for the long term.

Congratulations Orswell Environmental Solutions

A huge well done again to Will Brush from Orswell Environmental Solutions, our June Installer of the Month winner. This was a fantastic example of solar panel pigeon proofing done properly, with a quick response, a reassuring survey process, safe rooftop access, a neat Defender Jaws® installation and a clever combination of products to close off the problem areas.

Thank you to Will for choosing Defender® Bird Spikes, for supporting a fellow Devon business and for sending in such a strong entry.

If you are in Barnstaple, North Devon, Mid Devon or West Somerset and need help with pigeons under your solar panels, do get in touch with Will Brush from Orswell Environmental Solutions and let him help you find the right solution.