Keeping the birds off your boat (does NOT apply to Kathryn Jenkins)

[ChiPete]

I've noticed recently that a number of owners in the mariina have fitted circular ''mobile'' arrangements with colourful streamers attached to their rigging to deter the birds. There's even one in the shape of a shark (possible the owner's an estate agent!! ;-).

Do any of you fine folk know where I can get hold of these devices? I have no idea what they'd be called and so have had no joy googling. They certainly would look a lot better than the Sainbury's carrier bag solution in use at this time!

Cheers,
Pete

 

[colingr]

I think you mean wind spinners

Try here

http://www.kiteshop.co.uk/xcart/outdoor-fun/wind-spinners/

 

[Twister_Ken]

Whatever you use, it doesn't seem to take long for birds to realise it's non-threatening.

One of my favourite sights, a mock owl covered in guano.

I was sitting on the dock of the bay the other evening with loads of swallows around. For some reason they seemed to pick one boat to park themselves on. That, and a handrail on a x-marsh walkway.

 

[Seanick]

Google Gullsweep

flippin expensive but it may not be to you.
Saw loads in Falmouth and it seems to work.

I shall be making my own......

 

[David_Jersey]

Non scientific, but I think it is less about scaring them - more about making them feel uncomfortable so they don't make your boat one of their favourites perches / places to roast.

And for that constant random (wind) movement seems to work to catch their eye simply to annoy / stop them from becoming 110% comfortable.......unless you already are one of their outposts / territory

 

[Leighb]

We found that supermarket plastic bags tied at intervals along a line around the side decks and along the top of the boom kept off the worst.

After trial and error we concluded that Waitrose bags were best. They kept their shape longer and seemed noiser and therefore more effective.

This was on a 20ft day boat, might be a pain to set up on a larger yacht.

 

[Marsupial]

we feed them on someone elses boat

(joking)

 

[misterg]

Try these

Need to go back and light a fresh one every now and again, though

HTH

Andy

 

[ChiPete]

Thanks Joker, those look like the ones.

Misterg, now you're talking! Not sure what our neighbours would make of them though! One question - If the product is designed to deter foxes from taking your small animals, won't you end up scaring the $h*t out of the animals??? They'd probably all end up wearing tin hats and throwing themselves at the fox to get them away from the beaches of Dunkirk!!

Leighb, now we have a boat, Waitrose is a distant dream ;-)

I tend to agree with David; it seems to be more about making the birds uncomfortable. The carrier bags do seem to have done a good job but SWMBON wants a tidier solution and now she's seen the wind spinners, we'll give them a go.

Thanks to all for your replies, I'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[Moodyman]

Get yourself a roll of black bin bags and tie a few on the rigging etc. Make sure you put a couple of holes in the bottom to keep them from exploding. Always found these the best. Round our way its the starlings that are the worst culprits. The blackberry and elderberry stains are the worst but the season is nearly over thankfully.