October 3, 2003

Fenced Out

Squirrel says "But I like to watch the pigeons!".

Well, the hoomans have been getting tired of the ever-increasing pigeon population, sitting on the roof, eating all the seed, generally making a nuisance of themselves. Originally there was one, then two. Lately it's been as high as six. Squirrel loves to watch them but we're not going to feed them anymore.

So, we built a cage. It's an open-bottomed (4 sides + top) box, made of 2"x4" steel wire mesh from the hardware store. Rich cut the sides and top, then fastened them together — first "basting" them with zip ties, then bending over the wire ends. The box is hinged with heavy-duty staples, flips up for easy access to the bird feeder, and "latches" with a bungee cord.

We installed it last night. As of this morning, we can report great success.

I woke to the warbling of 4 confused pigeons having a confab on the porch rail., "What is it? How did it get there? What happened? I can see the corn".

The puppy biscuits we left out last night were gone. Apparently the raccoons had no trouble reaching in and taking them.

A blue jay flew over, skimmed away, landed on the hot tub gazebo, gave the matter some thought... then flew back and landed on the cage, ducked his head and dove through the mesh like a swimmer. I think he willed it to be nonexistent for a microsecond. He grabbed a peanut and flew straight out through the mesh on the side. Blue Jays are smart.

The little brown birds (finches and sparrows) each considered this "new thing", then decided it was a wonderful addition to their back yard. It provides so many new places to perch! They can drop through from the top or side, or simply walk through where the cage meets the porch rail.

A grey squirrel arrived and considered the situation, then swarmed around the corner and up under the edge of the cage where it hangs out beyond the porch rail (there is no bottom t the cage). He ate a few sunflower seeds, then went out through the mesh at one end. Came back in under the side. He seemed to be trying out different routes.

And all this time, anywhere from one to six pigeons would come back, sit on the house roof, sit on the porch rail, flutter their wings, and eye this weird new thing that was keeping them away from the food.

October 4, 2003

Today we noticed a pigeon who had managed to get inside the cage. Shoo!!! So we added a strip of flexible orange plastic construction fencing along the wider outer edge of the open bottom. That should help. The addition didn't bother the squirrels or the jays. Rich also set up a "super shooter" (air-pressurized water canister) to "shoot" any pigeons.

Rich is calling the wire mesh a "semi-birdieable membrane".

Fenced Out - posted by Vicki at Fri, 03 Oct, 15:06 Pacific | «e»