Bird Problems

Anyone else have problems with birds, ducks, etc... polluting your boat cover or ski platform?

Anyone know how to keep them off? Unfortunately it is not in a covered dock.

Thanks in advance

I don't have this problem, but at the marinas at the lake where sea gulls are a problem, I have seen several attemps to discourage birds.

1. The marina uses a propane cannon that shoots off on a timer.

2. Artifical Owls

3. Artifical Snakes

4. Whirlly gigs with long arms that spin in the wind. would not work well on a swim platform

Most of this stuff can be purchased through West Marine

               Shotgun

A semi-auto 12gauge works nicely.

Use a .177 cal pellet rifle.

Heat 1/16" extra virgin olive oil very hot in a heavy skillet. (Paul Newman's Own Olive Oil is suprisingly good.) Cut birds in half. Season with salt & pepper. Place halves in slightly smoking olive oil. Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced fresh garlic. One 1/8" slice of salt pork. Add tablespoon of real butter. Add 3/4 cup of good red dry wine and cover for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer. Add sprig of fresh sage. Cover & simmer until meat falls off bone. Serve with fried pollinta or hot french bread and your choice of wine. Garnish plate with fresh sprigs of sage.

Your friends and family will love this recipe.

They will begin to help you catch the birds. Your boat will remain clean as long as everyone is hungry.

We also have a problem with the gulls on the clubs ski jump. There are times when we have to send our younger members in training out there with brooms to scrum it off the fiberglass deck!

Steve, you're correct that they ignore moving things meant to scare them off. The plastic owl worked for about 2 days before they figured it out!

I used to keep my old Chris Craft under a covered boat slip on Fish River near Fairhope Alabama. One Sunday afternoon when docking, there were several ducks gathered around where my slip was. As I eased up closer they were scared away. I did kinda intentionally "goose" a few of them though to get them to move. They didn't scare that easily as they were there almost year around. The next day I returned to the marina and found my interior and decks covered with poop. Until then I hadn't had a problem with them. It made me wonder if they did this knowingly for revenge.

My In-Laws place in Minocqua had huge issues with gulls on the boat lift. He finally attached a vertical rod at each corner of the lift. Each rod was about a foot tall. Then strung fishing line around the circumference of the lift and then corner to corner at the tip of each rod. Haven't had any issues since then, and that was five or six years ago. Others around the lake have done that too with the same results.

I use JIH's meathod...though I'll pass on turkey buzzard for dinner! LOL I also like what backfoot said; I can see where that would throw them off.

These neo-dinosaurs are smart. The turkey buzzards come in a large group of 50-100 maybe, and they have trashed a neighbors pontoon boat. They get on the dock tops and crap in a projectile manner and claw up eveything they choose to perch on?!!?

I've found that by watching for a few minutes, the boss or pecking order can be deciphered. In the beginning of this I'd pop the tree right next to the top group a few times and maybe get a flight feather if they had to be stubborn. And they will be stubborn! I watched them stare back at me a make fly overs with binoculars. The look in their eyes might be compared to that of a spurned woman.

Anyway, we've had 2 peaceful years and my neighbors are grateful!

just my 2 cents

eric lavine wrote: Pigs? now turkeys flying too......50 to 100???? you gotta lay off the stuff Greg, lol

I still want to come see your shop sometime after the new year, but now I'll have to bring this book I have. It's called '101 practical jokes to play on transmission shop owners named Eric'!

eric lavine wrote: Lifes to short, to not laugh

To laugh is the better choice I think!