Blue Heron Problem

[oldiesrocker2001]

Re: beach life in the sunshine state-

I'm not sure if this would help for your bimini, but we landlocked homeowners that have backyard water gardens with fish in them have been battling the heron problem for some time. It is illegal in our state to harm them otherwise the one that ate most of the fish in my pond would indeed been picking some .06 birdshot out of his behind years ago. Herons are solitary hunters and quite territorial. While I make no guarantee that it would work on a resting spot such as a bimini, I've used what's called a "Heron Scarum" decoy for years for our pond. It looks like a blue heron and they won't come in close if it's already there "fishing". They are available in most pond stores for about $50.(I know, a bit pricey) and you'd have to mount it on a pvc attached to a rail but it may perhaps help.

 

[r.w.landau]

Small caliber handguns and baseball bats....

Hey, the "site shrink (Caguy)" said "Thanks Giving is around the corner."
Seriously I think you got to be in it's face... Flag/s or someother moving object. The stationary line just may catch you one.
I have had them sit on my outboard motor and leave the fish heads in the cockpit. He is not messy other than that. I fly a US flag 2/3rds up the back stay all the time and have minimal problems with most flying animals.
Then again, what is the Blue Herons preditory counter part?
r.w.landau

 

[sailingdog]

The near invisible stationary lines created by stringing the fishing line about a foot above the surface really bothers the birds, since they can't really figure out what the problem is and they can't see them to avoid them on take off or landing or when just walking around... so they learn to avoid the area completely.

 

[Capn Bill]

Birds looking for a home

The herons at our marina seem to leave us alone - mostly - but the small birds are by far the most trouble. We've tried everything - and nothing seems to work! When a "family decided to take up residence in my boom - I said, "Enough is enough!" and taped up the opening at the end (when they were "out" of course!) and that sent them looking for a new home. Birds are a necessary evil of having a boat. I can live with it! Bill on STARGAZER

 

[sailingdog]

Of course, I've been lucky at my marina...we have a family of swans that lives there most of the season...and they tend to be very territorial and keep all the other birds away... no seagulls... and swans don't sit on boats... so there's no downside to them.

 

[Tommy T]

We had a Heron that just seemed to love sitting on our boat. Every time we went to the boat it was at least 30 min cleaning up poop. To make our boat less intersting to the Heron we tied a 1/4" line from the mast to the back stays about 1 ft. above the boom. My wife got 3 old dish towels and ripped them the long way. We tied the towels to the line that we had ran from the boom to the back stay. It seemed to work. I see the Heron sitting on the back of someone elses boat now. It easy to remove for sailing and easy to put back on and alot easier than cleaning up the mess the Heron was making.

 

[CaptainJB]

I use a gull sweep mounted on my boom

They now make a fitting that connects on the boom

The fitting is not perfect, I use bungee cords rather the the cord that comes with it, but the swinging motion of the gull sweep keeps all the birds away

It takes less that 3 minutes to remove or install the fitting

John

 

[RichH]

Get some 3/32" stainless steel welding wire (from a welder). Fashion this into several 'spikes' about 3ft. tall and attached to the corners of bimini. Wrap (spiral wrap) the butt end of the wire around the bimini frame then twist the remaining wire so that the 'spikes' stand straight up. You may also want to attach a small amount of ribbon to the 'business end" of the spikes.

This imitates the successful recent offering/addition of a 'bird spike' to the Davis Instruments "Windex" ... which I find works really well to keep BIG birds off a masthead Windex. My Windex's usually lasted one season until a Heron, eagle, osprey etc. would land and break the windex, .... then crapped down from on high. Since the 'bird spike' addition I have no 'landings'.

 

[Tom Monroe]

"Magestic" is not an adjective I normally apply to Blue Herons anymore, having fought your same battle almost every year. I do, however, have a collection of other colorful adjectives I apply, at least when my grandchildren are not with me.

I started w/the monofiliment solution, but it was impossible to untie, hard to rig, etc. I had just as good a results with 1/16" nylon line, easy to rig, etc. Shock cord a couple of PVC poles to the pushpit, with eye bolts screwed in them, then run it all over up there, about 8 inches above the bimini.

You may have to then do your cockpit. One particularly troublesome bird simply moved down there.

Tom

 

[Ross]

"Magestic" is not an adjective I normally apply to Blue Herons anymore, having fought your same battle almost every year. I do, however, have a collection of other colorful adjectives I apply, at least when my grandchildren are not with me.

I started w/the monofiliment solution, but it was impossible to untie, hard to rig, etc. I had just as good a results with 1/16" nylon line, easy to rig, etc. Shock cord a couple of PVC poles to the pushpit, with eye bolts screwed in them, then run it all over up there, about 8 inches above the bimini.

You may have to then do your cockpit. One particularly troublesome bird simply moved down there.

Tom

There is a lake not far from here that has a problem with buzzards. They seem to think the boat canvas is some sort of hide that covers the good stuff inside. They do a yeoman's job of shredding a canvas top on a power boat and get very upset with people who try to chase them away. An upset buzzard may vomit on you.

 

[Eric on Selah]

The consensus

According to what I am seeing on television, it seems the best solutions are either (1) to send ambassadors to sit down with the Heron and try to reason things out, or (2) blow them up with "shock and awe". Opinions on these two alternatives seem to be divided, however.

 

[Tom Monroe]

eric

Lake City, that's Lake Pepin, right?

Sailed that a couple times ... once on a Cape Dory 25 owned by Jotsie Johnson (maiden name), and another time on a beautiful old alden boat owned by a guy where you had to take this cable elevator car thing down to his dock.

Just a beautiful place to sail, with those majestic cliffs. Interesting wind channels, though. I dumped that Cape Dory down to the winches up at the head of the lake where the wind was blasting off a cliff face.

Tom

 

[Jenni]

snakes on a boat

We have found that if you put a rubber snake on the deck it will stop the birds from pooping on your deck. Im not sure if this will work for your Heron though

 

[Ross]

We have found that if you put a rubber snake on the deck it will stop the birds from pooping on your deck. Im not sure if this will work for your Heron though

Herons eat snakes and frogs and fish and whatever. ;D