Best bird scarer (subtitle, do owls really work)

[Mark-1]

Thread revival...

So I conclude that fishing line is a pretty good option. Is the idea that it's invisible so it trips them up on landing and puts them off? So thinner line is best rather than thick orange sea fishing line? And I guess it needs to be crossed back and forth to reduce the landing options to a minimum?

I'll also try a snake or two because they're easy to deploy.

 

[hurley]

I have finally defeated the birds on my mooring after trying all sorts of methods with limited success. I finally used builders string which is thin and strong and high vis. Less than five quid from screwfix for a 100meters. Just string it out on all the flypaths. (Backstay to shrouds and pullpit etc at two different heights) Quite a bit of a faff to start, but then as the season progressed I was able to use less and less line as they learn quite quickly its just far easier and less risky to find a neighbours boat to feed and poo on and they now leave mine alone.

 

[Mark-1]

I have finally defeated the birds on my mooring after trying all sorts of methods with limited success. I finally used builders string which is thin and strong and high vis. Less than five quid from screwfix for a 100meters. Just string it out on all the flypaths. (Backstay to shrouds and pullpit etc at two different heights) Quite a bit of a faff to start, but then as the season progressed I was able to use less and less line as they learn quite quickly its just far easier and less risky to find a neighbours boat to feed and poo on and they now leave mine alone.

This is a derivative of the fishing line idea and I've gone with it. After perhaps two painful hours with a bucket, detergent and salt water on my mooring cleaning it all up. (I say "it all" but the 80/20 rule was followed.)

As I was rigging it I watched a flock of Terns land on a nearby boat and I can see how the line would work, there no way they can land together in the manner they did through fishing line. Although it takes a while to rig, disposable line will be quick to remove.

 

[Dellquay13]

Although it takes a while to rig, disposable line will be quick to remove.

When I needed the fishing line deterrent (for a small mobo surrounded by yachts, the best seagull perch around) I made up rigs using fine fishing line and fishing clips and links, which I stored on plastic winders designed for fishing rigs. They were easy to store, didn’t get tangled and were quick to set up and take down. I didn’t need to keep safely disposing of old fishing line either.
A trip into a fishing tackle dealer for 5lb mono, snap links and a couple of rig winders will get everything you need.

 

[hurley]

Hi i did try fishing line but I would come back and it was obvious birds had hit the line. And still poop and broken shells and footprints. Thats when i realised they need to be able to see the line so at to be deterred. They then don't want to risk all sorts of complicated manoeuvres and they worry about line they may not have seen so they just find someone else's boat without any line on as that's just easy for them.