Quick fix for no more tweet tweets

[CountryGuy]

Last year Tana had her own offspring, as some of you will remember our posting. At least 3 baby birds were hatched in her king pin.

This year when we got home, the momma was waiting for us. Honest to goodness, we had Tana in the yard less than 48 hours and ole momma bird was building a nest, Al took out the grasses, and in 2 more days she had a fully shaped nest in there, pulled out again and in less than 5 hours she was making huge grass deposits in there again.

We came up with a fix that is pretty easy and so far seems to be working.

Al did not want to put any mesh or wire or anything in or around the king pin but we needed to block the holes.

SOOO, we got some of those magnets that you can put photos on. They come in various sizes, 4 X 6 inches, 5 X 7 inches, etc, are flexible and have sticky stuff on one side so you can print a photo and attach it to the sticky stuff and then you are supposed to put on your frig or whatever.

That king pin is metal. Magnets and metal stick!

So, we covered the hole(s), one on top and one underneath with several of those magnet sheets and

NO MORE BIRDY!

[Sweetfire]

I use an old pilot's fix. I cut a block of soft foam to fit in the hole. No room for the bird and the bees.

[CountryGuy]

Dennis, I take it the birds cannot rip apart the foam and use for nesting?? Never heard of that one before! Might have to use that in other places, how does it work in bbq grills for the hornets??

[Sweetfire]

Never tried it on a BBQ grill. We stuff them in the air intakes and in opennings around the engine cowling on aircraft to keep the Starlings from building nests (just have to remember to remove them before flight). I think if they have never had a chance to build a nest in an area they aren't hard to discourage. But in your case where they have had established nests before they may be more determined. I fight the wasps and hornets all summer long around here too.

[rldriver]

Starlings are a real pain in the ---. I opened by BBQ the other day and it was full of weeds and grass. I cleaned it all out and an hour later they came back. Blocked the holes and it worked. Cooked dinner that night and all was well until the next day, back again. So I covered the holes again and the BBQ is mine now. Then the starlings started to build a nest in the king pin. I cut a piece of foam and blocked the hole. Two days later they are still trying to get in. Now where are they going to try and build a nest?

Dick

[VanMan]

Don't starlings taste kinda' like chicken when BBQ'd ??

[rldriver]

quote:Originally posted by VanMan

Don't starlings taste kinda' like chicken when BBQ'd ??

They tasted like burnt feathers. I forgot to pluck them first.

[Sweetfire]

So, is the foam keeping them out of the king pin box?

[rldriver]

quote:Originally posted by Sweetfire

So, is the foam keeping them out of the king pin box?

Hi Sweetfire,
The foam I used was a piece that is about 3" thick so it is wedged in real good and they can't get in anymore. Also I don't think the bees can get in. I can take it out for traveling but may try and see if it stays in place at 70 MPH. They keep trying to get in but it only took them two days to figure it out

Dick Driver