I need to get these birds out of my loft
Discussion
If I don't get a decent night's sleep I'm going to go postal.
I moved into my new house in February and what started off as some minor faint scratching now sounds like that scene from Rio where all the birds are having a stand off with the monkeys. I don't think I have monkeys. All night and all day they chirp as loud as possible and scratch and thump about in my loft and quite frankly I've had enough. I was under the impression it would be a few weeks but its going on months now.
As postal as I'm becoming I'm not quite at the air gun stage just yet but its getting close.
The issue I have is my house is for want of a better description. "L" shaped. Its not quite but that gives you an idea. The problem I have is that the birds have nested in the section that I can't get through due to the beam spacing.
I was thinking of buying one of these to scare them off.
http://www.bird-stop.co.uk/ShowDetails.asp?id=199
or these
http://www.bird-stop.co.uk/ShowDetails.asp?id=195
Do these things work? I know that I should leave the birds be but its really getting me down not being able to sleep at night to the point I'm starting to get angry at work. Its only a matter of time before I start swearing down the phone at customers and suppliers and at managers and I want to avoid that.
The only other option I have is converting the lounge into a downstairs bedroom but Mrs Alvarez doesn't approve.
Forever greatful
Miguel "Grumpy b
ks" Alvarez
I moved into my new house in February and what started off as some minor faint scratching now sounds like that scene from Rio where all the birds are having a stand off with the monkeys. I don't think I have monkeys. All night and all day they chirp as loud as possible and scratch and thump about in my loft and quite frankly I've had enough. I was under the impression it would be a few weeks but its going on months now.
As postal as I'm becoming I'm not quite at the air gun stage just yet but its getting close.
The issue I have is my house is for want of a better description. "L" shaped. Its not quite but that gives you an idea. The problem I have is that the birds have nested in the section that I can't get through due to the beam spacing.
I was thinking of buying one of these to scare them off.
http://www.bird-stop.co.uk/ShowDetails.asp?id=199
or these
http://www.bird-stop.co.uk/ShowDetails.asp?id=195
Do these things work? I know that I should leave the birds be but its really getting me down not being able to sleep at night to the point I'm starting to get angry at work. Its only a matter of time before I start swearing down the phone at customers and suppliers and at managers and I want to avoid that.
The only other option I have is converting the lounge into a downstairs bedroom but Mrs Alvarez doesn't approve.
Forever greatful
Miguel "Grumpy b
ks" AlvarezIt's likely the birds are Starlings, and the increase in noise will be due to them having nested and had chicks. Starlings are a protected species and interfering with the nest even indirectly with one of these devices could land you in trouble, if caught of course. The good news is that now is the time when the chicks will start leaving the nest, at which point the noise should reduce drastically. Although I can imagine the irritation the birds are causing you, my advice would be to give them a few more weeks at the very most, by which time the chicks should all have left the nest.
Once you are sure there are no more birds up there, if you can, get up to the outside of the roof space and look for where the birds have gotten in and repair the hole as necessary, otherwise they'll likely come back to the same place next year. You can then put one of those devices up to try and put off future birds, or you may wish to put a nestbox up nearby to persuade the birds not to go into your roof again next year but offering them some alternative accommodation!
Once you are sure there are no more birds up there, if you can, get up to the outside of the roof space and look for where the birds have gotten in and repair the hole as necessary, otherwise they'll likely come back to the same place next year. You can then put one of those devices up to try and put off future birds, or you may wish to put a nestbox up nearby to persuade the birds not to go into your roof again next year but offering them some alternative accommodation!
Cheers. I know where they are getting in. At the inside corner of the L (outside) there is a hole inbetween the tiles and the guttering and they are getting in that way. I plan to cover it up with some mesh of some sorts. I just need them out. I was toying with the idea of smoking them out but then thought better as I'm not sure how I'd explain burning the house down.
Indeed all wild birds are by default protected except a few exemptions that are considered pests.
How about, PH style, gas bird scarer?
Disclaimer: A repetative fuel/air explosion designed to clear a field, in your loft, may disturb your sleep
How about, PH style, gas bird scarer?
Disclaimer: A repetative fuel/air explosion designed to clear a field, in your loft, may disturb your sleep
Edited by UnderTheRadar on Friday 15th June 01:33
We have the same problem, except it got a bit worse...
The scuffling and running around I could deal with (although at 5am it's pretty frustrating). Discovering what looked like shredded paper all over the drive was weird, before I realised they had pecked through into the cavity wall and that was our insulation.
But then one day I was in the bath, and heard this weird noise. I totally freaked out thinking something was coming up the plug hole. Properly freaked - needed coaxing out of the bath by my husband.
Tentatively we took the side panel off the bath to discover a bird in there. It had pecked through, fallen down the cavity wall, and popped out in a hole int he plasterboard where the waste pipes go.
I *hate* flappy birds - cue half an hour or so of laurel and hardy style action - me running around panicking, husband trying to corral the bird, both cats chasing it, bird terrified ended up downstairs hiding underneath the AV wiring.
Eventually it flew out, and we've blocked up the plasterboard hole with expanding foam, but sounds like we will need to get someone out to try and block in the hole in a few weeks when the chicks have left home!
They've nested there for years and it's never been a problem, but they've clearly caused some damage now
The scuffling and running around I could deal with (although at 5am it's pretty frustrating). Discovering what looked like shredded paper all over the drive was weird, before I realised they had pecked through into the cavity wall and that was our insulation.
But then one day I was in the bath, and heard this weird noise. I totally freaked out thinking something was coming up the plug hole. Properly freaked - needed coaxing out of the bath by my husband.
Tentatively we took the side panel off the bath to discover a bird in there. It had pecked through, fallen down the cavity wall, and popped out in a hole int he plasterboard where the waste pipes go.
I *hate* flappy birds - cue half an hour or so of laurel and hardy style action - me running around panicking, husband trying to corral the bird, both cats chasing it, bird terrified ended up downstairs hiding underneath the AV wiring.
Eventually it flew out, and we've blocked up the plasterboard hole with expanding foam, but sounds like we will need to get someone out to try and block in the hole in a few weeks when the chicks have left home!
They've nested there for years and it's never been a problem, but they've clearly caused some damage now
UnderTheRadar said:
Indeed all wild birds are by default protected except a few exemptions that are considered pests.
How about, PH style, gas bird scarer?
Disclaimer: A repetative fuel/air explosion designed to clear a field, in your loft, may disturb your sleep
I want How about, PH style, gas bird scarer?
Disclaimer: A repetative fuel/air explosion designed to clear a field, in your loft, may disturb your sleep
Edited by UnderTheRadar on Friday 15th June 01:33
dreamer75 said:
We have the same problem, except it got a bit worse...
The scuffling and running around I could deal with (although at 5am it's pretty frustrating). Discovering what looked like shredded paper all over the drive was weird, before I realised they had pecked through into the cavity wall and that was our insulation.
But then one day I was in the bath, and heard this weird noise. I totally freaked out thinking something was coming up the plug hole. Properly freaked - needed coaxing out of the bath by my husband.
Tentatively we took the side panel off the bath to discover a bird in there. It had pecked through, fallen down the cavity wall, and popped out in a hole int he plasterboard where the waste pipes go.
I *hate* flappy birds - cue half an hour or so of laurel and hardy style action - me running around panicking, husband trying to corral the bird, both cats chasing it, bird terrified ended up downstairs hiding underneath the AV wiring.
Eventually it flew out, and we've blocked up the plasterboard hole with expanding foam, but sounds like we will need to get someone out to try and block in the hole in a few weeks when the chicks have left home!
They've nested there for years and it's never been a problem, but they've clearly caused some damage now
Now why did you tell me that. I need to take the afternoon off and get these birds out now. The scuffling and running around I could deal with (although at 5am it's pretty frustrating). Discovering what looked like shredded paper all over the drive was weird, before I realised they had pecked through into the cavity wall and that was our insulation.
But then one day I was in the bath, and heard this weird noise. I totally freaked out thinking something was coming up the plug hole. Properly freaked - needed coaxing out of the bath by my husband.
Tentatively we took the side panel off the bath to discover a bird in there. It had pecked through, fallen down the cavity wall, and popped out in a hole int he plasterboard where the waste pipes go.
I *hate* flappy birds - cue half an hour or so of laurel and hardy style action - me running around panicking, husband trying to corral the bird, both cats chasing it, bird terrified ended up downstairs hiding underneath the AV wiring.
Eventually it flew out, and we've blocked up the plasterboard hole with expanding foam, but sounds like we will need to get someone out to try and block in the hole in a few weeks when the chicks have left home!
They've nested there for years and it's never been a problem, but they've clearly caused some damage now
A little bonus, just to help you sleep better - birds often have wingless bloodsucking flat flies like these parasitic upon them. This one is common on swifts and house martins. When the chicks fledge, any of these things left behind start getting a bit peckish and go off looking for food. I once had house martins nesting outside the window of my room when I was a student. I was stood at the window wearing a dressing gown one morning when one of the fkers ran up my leg. Freaked out doesn't cover it.
kers ran up my leg. Freaked out doesn't cover it.otolith said:
A little bonus, just to help you sleep better - birds often have wingless bloodsucking flat flies like these parasitic upon them. This one is common on swifts and house martins. When the chicks fledge, any of these things left behind start getting a bit peckish and go off looking for food. I once had house martins nesting outside the window of my room when I was a student. I was stood at the window wearing a dressing gown one morning when one of the fkers ran up my leg. Freaked out doesn't cover it.
How big is that freak?kers ran up my leg. Freaked out doesn't cover it.It looks massive, but I guess the camera was well zoomed in?
blueedge said:
It's likely the birds are Starlings.
Starlings are a protected species and interfering with the nest even indirectly with one of these devices could land you in trouble,
That was news to be - living on a farm as a kid we used to shoot them and they were a pest as were crows and pigeons.Starlings are a protected species and interfering with the nest even indirectly with one of these devices could land you in trouble,
Just checked and they were protected in 05 apparently so some time after I stopped shooting.
I can't believe they protect them though it's like protecting rats !
redgriff500 said:
That was news to be - living on a farm as a kid we used to shoot them and they were a pest as were crows and pigeons.
Just checked and they were protected in 05 apparently so some time after I stopped shooting.
I can't believe they protect them though it's like protecting rats !
I think it's because even though there always seems to be dozens and dozens of them, they're actually in decline so I guess the powers that be determined they needed to be afforded some protection. I can imagine they must be a real pest for farmers though.Just checked and they were protected in 05 apparently so some time after I stopped shooting.
I can't believe they protect them though it's like protecting rats !
blueedge said:
redgriff500 said:
That was news to be - living on a farm as a kid we used to shoot them and they were a pest as were crows and pigeons.
Just checked and they were protected in 05 apparently so some time after I stopped shooting.
I can't believe they protect them though it's like protecting rats !
I think it's because even though there always seems to be dozens and dozens of them, they're actually in decline so I guess the powers that be determined they needed to be afforded some protection. I can imagine they must be a real pest for farmers though.Just checked and they were protected in 05 apparently so some time after I stopped shooting.
I can't believe they protect them though it's like protecting rats !
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