Any good birdscaring tips?

4in ish pea netting works with seabirds. Spread it like a blanket and secure to the guardrails in such a way that it is suspended above the cockpit/deck. You have to experiment and you may need a topping lift.
The mast gets in the way so two are really required. Get a seamstresstypeperson to edge with fabric and make the ties red and green for ease of use or it all gets in a dreadful tangle.

Don't be tempted with heavy or fine net or they will enjoy sitting on it and crapping through. With pea netting they can't perch on it and don't like to go under it. A pain to rig but you soon get it down to 5 mins and it's better than guano scrubbing.
 
doug748 said:
4in ish pea netting works with seabirds. Spread it like a blanket and secure to the guardrails in such a way that it is suspended above the cockpit/deck. You have to experiment and you may need a topping lift.
The mast gets in the way so two are really required. Get a seamstresstypeperson to edge with fabric and make the ties red and green for ease of use or it all gets in a dreadful tangle.

Don't be tempted with heavy or fine net or they will enjoy sitting on it and crapping through. With pea netting they can't perch on it and don't like to go under it. A pain to rig but you soon get it down to 5 mins and it's better than guano scrubbing.
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I can't see this making much difference - when they bomb us, they are sitting on the shrouds close to the top of the mast!
 
Building by us use these

images


Rotation mirrors


bird-b-gone-animal-rodent-control-rflt-1-64_1000.jpg



Convert you wind speed meter to one of these.
 
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maby said:
I can't see this making much difference - when they bomb us, they are sitting on the shrouds close to the top of the mast!
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It's the same here in Southsea. The starlings perch on the shrouds at this time of year and make a mess everywhere.

The marina have a really loud squawking scarer but that's not made any difference.

Rubber snakes sound an interesting proposition.

I think a string between the upper spreader tip and the masthead might help but it's baffling when the starlings balance on both the spinning part and the directional part of the windexes.

Maybe this is the only thing that will help on the windex arms...

https://www.nomorebirds.co.uk/transparent-bird-gel~114
 
In Gosport the starlings tend to flock in in the early evening in large numbers and perch on the mast and rigging. The marina (Haslar) usually get a man with a hawk in at this time of year, and this does seem to be effective, but I realise it just sends the problem elsewhere.
 
I had the same problem, boat absolutely plastered and happened very quickly, but I don't think it was starlings. A fisherman in cornwall recommended nets and I never had a problem since. Hung across the spreaders with an up haul. The sort of netting you can get from chandlers that some folks put round their guard wires
 
I would happily shoot the buggers with an air rifle... Taking care to make sure any stray pellets don’t take out the windex nav lights etc... But the RSPB have managed to get legislation passed to make it illegal. Which raises a thought.

If I had a hobby that imposed a cost on another person, would that party be able to seek redress?
 
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flaming said:
I've now gone and bought a plastic owl, who has taken up residence on the boom, much to the amusement of the rest of the crew, but I have to be honest I'm not expecting great things....
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Somewhere I have a photograph of one of the plastic owls at Stranraer Marina ... with a seagull sitting on its head.
 
I'm afraid with birds, they learn fast. Airports spend millions each year on the problem. They use an active team of bird scarers during daylight hours utilising a host of tactics.

Farmers use gas guns, rope bangers and flappy flags. It only works for a time, then it requires a person with a shotgun to spend a day dropping the birds to re-teach them to be afraid. The cycle is on endless repeat...

I just accept I'm going to be cleaning up the boat.
 
As a photographer at Dunsfold Aerodrome I often got lifts with ' the bird van ' - a Marina with a loudspeaker on top and a cassete player with choices like ' Kestrel, Curlew in Distress ' etc.

This seemed to have a minimal effect for a few minutes before the buggers flew back again.

Leading to a nasty accident but I'll leave that for now.
 
Robin said:
Thread and other perch deterrents don't stop them they even hang off the vertical bits of the rigging. Vibration helps so a tight line like a topping lift that sets up a thrum/hum throuhout could help but might be just as annoying to anyone on board or nearby..
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Seashoreman said:
In the past I have used something called 'Hum Line' which seemed to deter the local gulls. Its obviously a bit of a hassle tying it on and removing and does actually emit a humming noise but maybe worth a go. Not very expensive if I remember correctly.
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Please don't: they are seriously anti-social. Someone with a mooring near mine had one and it was very seriously annoying, to put it politely, day and night.
 
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