[UK-CONTEST] CQWW at GM4YXI

[Ian White, G3SEK]

Paul wrote:
>
>>I have a friend whose thatched roof has been attacked in a similar fashion
>>the bird c**p
>>appears to rot both the thatch and the wire placed on top to retain it. A
>>local thatcher (not Margaret) suggested getting a plastic look alike bird of
>>prey and mount it on the chimney. He now has a 2ft high owl!! on his house
>>and the problem appears to have gone away - might be finding out what
>>starlings are wary off.
>
>Yup.. a plastic owl will do the job very well.
>
>I use them on commercial towers when they are near to car parks etc.
>

Here they seem to work for a while, but after a few weeks the effect 
wears off. All it takes is for one incredibly smart or stupid bird (I 
can never decide which) to perch next to the plastic bird, and not get 
torn to pieces - next thing you know, they're all trying to perch on its 
head.

In this respect, the birds are less stupid that the local bird-watcher 
who got soaked trying to work out why a Little Owl would perch on top of 
a radio mast in the pouring rain.

Fortunately the real birds forget after you take it down, so after a 
while it will work again. Since the yagis are over the patio, I tend to 
reserve the plastic owl for the elderberry season when it's needed the 
most.

Next step will be a weather-vane contraption, so the bird will move 
about in the wind. Right at the top of the mast seems to be the best 
place, where it looks like it can swoop down on them all.

A fishing line stretched tight about 1in above the boom makes it awkward 
to perch there, but obviously that trick is more difficult with the 
elements (might manage something with plastic pipe clips?).



-- 
73 from Ian G3SEK