Birds Roosting on Windvanes

[brianhumber]

Anybody have any good ideas to stop heavy Seagulls/Crows/Cormorants roosting on my Windvane and bending it over by 90 degrees. I am not impressed by the cigar sized calling cards all over the main deck either although these could be from the Mallard ducks. Have tried plastic sheeting, next steps will be plastic owls followed by an night on board with my catapult- RSPB membership not withstanding.

 

[JeremyF]

Know what you mean about birds. Port Solent was invaded during February, and the little critters left hundreds of droppings. THe night security folk said they weren't seagulls, but little wader things. One day I came doen to find feathers galore under the sprayhood. However, come March they disappeared

Jeremy Flynn

 

[LadyInBed]

Yes, the damn critters have pulled mine off the pivit pin. I am thinking of putting a loop of multicore wire over the top to give them a feeling of insecurity when they land.

 

[PaulJ]

Every windvane and anemometer I have ever seen was black, presumably because it is easier to see against the sky. We (well some gardeners anyway) put bits of silver paper out in the garden to keep birds off, I wonder if it would help if the vane /anemometer was chromed and therefore as it spins it would reflect the light and hopefully scare the buggers off....?

 

[Guest]

Had the same problem with a flock of starlings roosting on my boat,and caused one of the cups of the anenometer to snap off.(Think thats spelled correctly). It was worse in late September whem the little buggers had been feeding on nearby blackberries.
Put up with it for 6 years and then solved it by moving to another mooring 100 miles away.
I tried hoisting a plywood cut out of a seagull- Didn't work.
Tried an imitation hawk- That didn't work.
Also tied nylon fishing line above and parrelel to the spreaders as I was told it would stop them roosting on the spreaders,in fact what happened was one layer of starlings occupied the spreaders as usual but perhaps crouching a bit,and another lot doubled up above their heads sitting on the fishing line.
I wish you luck.

 

[cgull]

I have the same problem with mussels living on my propellor. They must have good grip, several hours rotating at some rpm and they dont let go!

 

[chippie]

Its a global problem,I was out on my boat today after a break of a couple of weeks and a colony of terns had commandeered her . It took a lot of scrubbing before she was fit to take out. Is there a guano futures index?

 

[brianhumber]

Thanks for the replies, it seems to be common problem. I will try the silver/white paint trick. May have to re-inforce the vane as its becoming brittle after 3/4 bendings .