Bird S**T!!!!!!

[BrianM]

We need help.:confused: Our club has a dock that we ski off of in the middle of the lake close to one ball. This dock is about 15 x15 has a bench, a dock box, covered in indoor outdoor carpeting (the green stuff) and is partially covered in case of a sudden thunderstorm.

This winter we have been overrun with birds and the resulting excrement.:rant: Generally in the summer we will get a few droppings here and ther but you can just dip a scrub brush in the water and a few seconds later all is good. A little annoying but manageable. I s**t you not (pun intended) the dock is now completely covered with bird poo. Can't see much green carpet any longer.

Any ideas for keeping these things away. They are large egret looking birds only dark colored. We went out a couple of weeks ago and there had to be 30 of them sitting on the dock.:mad:

In the past we have tried hanging old cds, strips of foil, plastic owl and nothing seems to work. I am out of ideas besides shooting them or poisoning them (sorry to the Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries and you bird lovers:D ) but this may be the only answer.

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lake_Tippy_Skier]

i have seen some people mount an owl on the docks to keep the sea gulls off of the pier. i think that i have seen them in barts or overtons.

[tpttool]

shootem and eatem

[Nova Scotia Skier]

We're overrun by ducks in the summer. Dirtiest bird known to man besides seagulls I think. Eat/crap in a continuous cycle. My swim platform was taking heavy damage until my neighbour sat a couple of pieces of 2x6 along the platform. This seems to keep most of them away. I'm not sure why. It's sort of an obstacle and a bit unsightly, but it saves my platform a bit. I wanted to shoot them, but people tell me there's a season for that... and it's not summer! :rant: Anyway, I don't know if this is an option, but I thought I'd share it with you.

[acurtis_ttu]

Up @ school (Texas Tech) we had a huge problem just like that on campus. The school ended up posioning the birds...don't know what they used, but it worked. The birds eventually stopped coming around

[Lake_Tippy_Skier]

here is the owl from overtons (http://overtons.com/cgi-bin/overtons/detail/pdetail2.cgi?r=detail_view&item_num=25538)

[ski_king]

I have used the owl and it works for a while, then the birds start roosting and crapping on it. There is one out now that moves, maybe it would be better.

Ah, Lake Tippy...... nice, but hard to read with those shaking on the screen :love:

[AirJunky]

We found a product that we spray on our beach & dock. It's basically grape extract. I'm not sure what the product name is but it's mixed with water & sprayed a couple times a week till the birds (geese in our case) stop coming, then spray like once every couple of weeks.
Sorry, I don't recall the name of the product but you'll find lots of hits if you search Google for "grape extract and "bird repellent".

Chicago O'Hare uses something similar (http://www.birdstrike.us/news/OHare%20enlists%20grape%20flavoring%20to%20repel%2 0birds.htm)

Bird-X, Inc. (http://www.yardener.com/PestBirds.html)

[MarkP]

Thank You Lake Tippy, Thank You

[Leroy]

Our marina also has a bird problem and my cover would have bird doo-doo all over it. Noticed other boats with no poop and they had owls so I bought one and the rest of the summer was poop free. It just hangs from the ceiling so it moves if the wind is blowing. Actually bought mine at a Walmart in the garden section.


Maybe you have bad a$$ birds that don't care about owls or like to eat owl.:D

[Zach S]

We wrap an old rope around the canopy frame on the shorestation to simulate a snake. Works pretty well for the birds trying to nest under the shorestation cover.

[André]

Lake Tippy skier
Man keep posting!
That bra sould break open any moments now!

[Leroy]

Hang a giant monitor showing a picture of Lake Tippy's avatar and you will have so many skiers and bass fishermen hanging around no bird will ever come back.;)

[MasterMason]

If you hang the silver type garland comes in ropes with silver "fingers" that hand down, the light reflections will run off the birds. Every yacht in Discovery bay has the stuff running along the rails. Works like a charm.

[Professor]

Is this what they look like? If yes, then they will not stay there much longer. However, see if you can send me a picture and I will ask the bio guys in the next bldg. Careful not to type possible “alternative removing” techniques just in case it is a protected species. Of course, none of us would ever think of harassing wildlife.

[MarkP]

Send a couple of the professor's students out with a net and a frying pan:headbang:

[BrianM]

Proffessor,

That looks to be very similar to what they are although I think ours are a bit darker, but then again maybe not. What are they? They must be migratory since the problem is mostly in the winter. Our summer pests are Egrets (white) but there are only 3 or 4 of them. I will try and get a picture of them this weekend and post.

Thanks for the replies.

[Professor]

Send a couple of the professor's students out with a net and a frying pan:headbang:
Not exactly my area but those guys in the Bio deptment have some great fish frys (they do have a permit for netting ... research!).

[Professor]

Proffessor,
That looks to be very similar to what they are although I think ours are a bit darker, but then again maybe not. What are they? They must be migratory since the problem is mostly in the winter. Our summer pests are Egrets (white) but there are only 3 or 4 of them. I will try and get a picture of them this weekend and post.
Thanks for the replies.
Look forward to seeing the pics and I will see what they say. The picture was a great blue heron of which there are several names but they are pretty cranky and easy to scare off - in person...but not via an owl...they have few predators. Oh, yea, don't know exactly where you are but the air rifle (daisy pump, etc.) is technically not a gun ...

[MarkP]

Got to Love “research”.

[SteveO]

Brian,

I had birds at the house and picked up an owl at the Bass Pro Shop. I knew those dang fishermen types were good for something.

[east tx skier]

Brian, when the owl starts working, it may be time to go bigger. I was thinking of using one of the gator heads from this site to keep people away from our slalom course. ;)

They have all sorts of bird repellants of all types. The sonic stuff looks promissing.

Bird X (http://www.bird-x.com/products/index.html)

[ski_king]

I was thinking of using one of the gator heads from this site to keep people away from our slalom course. ;)
Bird X (http://www.bird-x.com/products/index.html)
Good idea, just replace the turn balls with the floating gator heads! :headbang:
Not sure it will work up here in PA thoough.

[AirJunky]

Not sure it will work up here in PA thoough.

Are you saying the birds in PA aren't afraid of gators? :rant: :rant:

[MarkP]

Are you saying the birds in PA aren't afraid of gators? :rant: :rant:

Not the water-skiing ones :uglyhamme

[Ric]

OT BrianM I was reading your post about elan, are you thinking of getting one?