Bird Scarers

[GeoffCapes]

Living near the coast I should know that there will be an increased likelihood of seagulls cr*pping on our cars.
However, they have taken to nesting on the roofs of ours and our neighbours houses which means that the flying vermin cr*p all day every day on our cars.

Apparently we're not allowed to remove their nests, although I think they would still stay in the area and build new ones and continue cr*pping everywhere.

Seagulls apparently are not bothered by plastic eagles or the kites that are supposed to scare them off, so I'm wondering what else I could deploy.

I've heard about sonic bird scarers, does anyone know anything about them or anything else I could try?

A neighbour has been cautioned by the plod for trying to shoot them with an air rifle, so I imagine they would take a dim view on a shotgun. Any suggestions?

@midlifecrisis what do they use at Gatwick?

 

[CatmanV2]

Flame gel was suggested to me with our Starlings. Never tried it. I think it was @Felonious Crud had some success?

C

 

[Ebenezer]

Nightmare - not a lot you can do I understand. Once they are nesting you can't do anything....

And their c..p is full of grit (ask me how I know) so be careful removing it from your paintwork.

I have an incontinent pigeons problem and looking at plastic owls and / or dangling CDs
Eb

 

[Jamin]

I am involved in the construction of luxury apartments in Folkestone and we are flying a hawk during nesting season to try and keep the gulls away from the development, I am led to believe that as long as you can prove that you have tried to stop the gulls from nesting then you can arrange for the eggs to be removed under license. Have a chat with your local hawker to see if they will do a regular fly by.
We also have an audible distressed bird megaphone that can be adjusted to different bird species but it was expensive.

https://pestcontrolproductsonline.co.uk/products/products-scarecrow-two-bird-dispersal-megaphone

 

[MaserMike]

I am involved in the construction of luxury apartments in Folkestone and we are flying a hawk during nesting season to try and keep the gulls away from the development, I am led to believe that as long as you can prove that you have tried to stop the gulls from nesting then you can arrange for the eggs to be removed under license. Have a chat with your local hawker to see if they will do a regular fly by.
We also have an audible distressed bird megaphone that can be adjusted to different bird species but it was expensive.

https://pestcontrolproductsonline.co.uk/products/products-scarecrow-two-bird-dispersal-megaphone

Agreed with this. Or you may want to adopt or buy a bird of prey as a pet for a while….

 

[Felonious Crud]

Flame gel was suggested to me with our Starlings. Never tried it. I think it was @Felonious Crud had some success?

C

Yes, it worked extremely well. Somehow I suspect seagulls would be untroubled by it, though.

 

[jemgee]

I wonder if there would be a market for a copper wire strung along the ridge with a suitable electrical charge?

 

[Oneball]

You need a specific justification to remove a nest. Unless they’re carrying disease or eating your crops you’re basically stuck with them this year. Trying to scare them off now they’ve nested is illegal too. If you put one of those plastic hawks up on your roof now it’s got a nest on it or use an acoustic bird scarer it’s illegal, “disturbing a nest” doesn’t have to be physical.

You need to plan for next year and suffer them for this year. Speak to your local licensed pest control company. Have you got a flat roof, they really like them?

 

[GeoffCapes]

You need a specific justification to remove a nest. Unless they’re carrying disease or eating your crops you’re basically stuck with them this year. Trying to scare them off now they’ve nested is illegal too. If you put one of those plastic hawks up on your roof now it’s got a nest on it or use an acoustic bird scarer it’s illegal, “disturbing a nest” doesn’t have to be physical.

You need to plan for next year and suffer them for this year. Speak to your local licensed pest control company. Have you got a flat roof, they really like them?

My thought process is an acoustic (ultrasonic) bird scarer and put it in our loft as (apparently) humans can't hear them.

That way no one would know.......
And hopefully they would stop cr*pping on the cars!

 

[GeoffCapes]

I am involved in the construction of luxury apartments in Folkestone

https://pestcontrolproductsonline.co.uk/products/products-scarecrow-two-bird-dispersal-megaphone

The ones on the beach front?

 

[zagatoes30]

Alternative solution, buy sh1t cars that you don't care about?

 

[GeoffCapes]

The guy who looks after the building our office is in has had a seagull which died after getting it's beak stick in a metal grill on the roof.
Apparently they keep well away from it.

Wonder where I can get a died sea gull (apart from shooting one that's already nesting on our roof!).

 

[GeoffCapes]

Alternative solution, buy sh1t cars that you don't care about?

I don't like Fords or French cars.

 

[zagatoes30]

I don't like Fords or French cars.

Neither does anybody else

 

[UlstermanAbroad]

The best deterrent that I ever witnessed and one which was mostly maintenance free and can cost nothing
if you get it from a shelter is a product called Cat.
Cat works 24/7. Responds to voice commands. Is environmentally friendly. Is NOT made by slave labour
in the People's Republic of China. Cat also has complementary benefits. Like lowering the BP of those with
hypertension.
Larger versions of Cat are best avoided, as they might dispose of careless humans, such as old and
small humans who are compelled to stroke and tease respectively. Teasing a large cat will likely result
in owner termination and the return to factory for resetting, for the Cat.

 

[CatmanV2]

Cat works 24/7. Responds to voice commands

You are kidding, right?

C

 

[Scaf]

.

The best deterrent that I ever witnessed and one which was mostly maintenance free and can cost nothing
if you get it from a shelter is a product called Cat.
Cat works 24/7. Responds to voice commands. Is environmentally friendly. Is NOT made by slave labour
in the People's Republic of China. Cat also has complementary benefits. Like lowering the BP of those with
hypertension.
Larger versions of Cat are best avoided, as they might dispose of careless humans, such as old and
small humans who are compelled to stroke and tease respectively. Teasing a large cat will likely result
in owner termination and the return to factory for resetting, for the Cat.

I imagine a nesting seagull would give most cats a run for their money ………..
Anyway your neighbour might get a dog to scare the cat off

 

[lozcb]

Living near the coast I should know that there will be an increased likelihood of seagulls cr*pping on our cars.
However, they have taken to nesting on the roofs of ours and our neighbours houses which means that the flying vermin cr*p all day every day on our cars.

Apparently we're not allowed to remove their nests, although I think they would still stay in the area and build new ones and continue cr*pping everywhere.

Seagulls apparently are not bothered by plastic eagles or the kites that are supposed to scare them off, so I'm wondering what else I could deploy.

I've heard about sonic bird scarers, does anyone know anything about them or anything else I could try?

A neighbour has been cautioned by the plod for trying to shoot them with an air rifle, so I imagine they would take a dim view on a shotgun. Any suggestions?

@midlifecrisis what do they use at Gatwick?

Have some fun , buy a paint ball gun , .....................or as we did as kids when fishing on the pier wrap an alcasalza tablet up in bread and throw it in the air so they catch it

 

[midlifecrisis]

@midlifecrisis what do they use at Gatwick?

Sounds to me you have a poorly designed house that's attractive to gull nesting.

As far as I know, you can remove an empty nest outside of breeding season. Our habitat man at Bournemouth told me you could.
But what you and your neighbour have to do is to think like a gull. They are nesting because it's a suitable position. High and Flat roofs are perfect. Remove the old nest out of season and use spikes to make it unattractive. They are creatures of habit, so it may take a while. Also limit the nesting material available.
They also require a food source, obviously they get this from the sea but they are scavengers too, make sure you limit the available food to them.
At the start of the nesting season, they are very vocal, and that's when you need to discourage nesting the most.

Many airports use the above methods, but also long grass and reducing leather jacket larvae in the soil helps as small birds need to see predators when feeding and if they're no food they'll move on.
They also have bird scaring patrols, that have distressed bird calls, these apparently make the birds think that there's a predator around. That and also flare gun pyrotechnics. But we still have a few buzzards (very territorial) and a lovely falcon flying around and perching on the antennas looking for mice etc.

 

[UlstermanAbroad]

You are kidding, right?

C

Typo. That ought to have read.
'Cat works when it feels like it and never for more than a few minutes at a time.
Cat's voice command software is still in the very early stages of development
and overuse may result in extreme behaviour, outside of normal operating
parameters. Like defecating on pillows and sofas. In shoes and slippers.'