Bird Scarer

[dubois]

How very unpleasant! My boat was singled out last week as their Christmas home. Deck and canvas areas well pooped /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Any suggestions how to scare the little so and so's would be very welcome.

 

[Talbot]

They have damaged a lot of windex and wind direction systems in my boatyard this year. However it is quite funny to see a windex with one bird on, when another lands at speed setting it rotating at some rate.

 

[whisper]

Have tried to succeed with this over a period of 3 yrs.
Have used plastic bags in rigging, CDs, plastic owls etc and have seen rotary scarers at work/or not!!

The only thing that has finally succeeded is thin cord running in all directions from a high point down to guard rails etc. This puts them off landing and so far so good. It's a bit of a bind re-attaching it if you want to use the boat but I have to admit that in the Winter I still use it with it attached. Not very pretty but ho hum /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[chuckaduck]

You can buy plastic Crane birds they do the trick

 

[dulcibella]

Port Solent has hired a falconer to fly a Harris' hawk (great thing the size of a buzzard) at the massed hordes of starlings for the last few season. It worked fine - drove them off the moorings but onto the rigging of all the boats ashore.

 

[Gazza]

Met a guy in the Shetlands who swore by a large plastic snake which he left on deck.

 

[dubois]

Thanks for the replies so far. Will get a plastic snake and crane and string lines.....

Have in the meanwhile found out that the culprits are roosting cormorants and their charming habits include the regurgitation of fish which explains the fish remains on deck. Ugh

Anyone know how long cormorants roost?

 

[Hugh Foulis]

Is it all night?

 

[whisper]

Good Answer - must win the prize /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[metalmike]

Skeet gun?
Mike

 

[whisper]

Mmm, have considered my 12 Bore but the neighbours would probably- no definitely - report me to either the Police or RSPB or both.
I assume that it is illegal to shoot gulls , but not, to shoot ducks - bleedin ridiculous, that is /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[silvertop]

You beat me to It, I was going to say I use a .22 air rifle.

 

[sailorman]

.20 is better
bolted to a Theoben 12/200 /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[whisper]

Does it make a noise when you fire it?

 

[robind]

I once new a guy that used to feed the seagulls with carbide wrapped in bread. having eaten it whole and given a couple of minutes they would explode and cover even more boats in body parts. He thought it was funny the rest of the boat yard were really Pi*sed off and got rid of him!

 

[metalmike]

when we park up near the coast in our M'home, we throw bread on the roofs of vans in the area, sure as heck we dont get disturben in the mornings..
Mike
like the theoben,

not sure re- the legality side but imagine its better than claying when out of site and mind..

 

[roger]

I've long thought that the simplest solution would be to write and publish a Seabird and Cormorant recipe book.