Author Topic: I have aerial bombardment going on in my back yard (Read 839 times)

Ripsnort · « **on:** April 12, 2001, 02:27:00 PM »

Okay, help me here....

You know what a Blue Heron is? If you don't , let me describe it for you:

Its a bird whos habitat is near water where it hunts for small fish. Its on the "Protected species" list apparently. It also takes an inflight dump that is similiar to that of a bucket of water being thrown off a house!

Well, I have these towering 80 foot Douglas Fir trees on the fenceline of my property, the otherside of that fenceline is an Elk preserve, and a 100 foot embankment going down 45 degrees to whats called the "White River Valley" that gently rises to meet Mt.Rainier...I suppose that is where the birds do most of their hunting, near the pools of water and the river itself.

Well, its spring. Blue herons like to 'get together' and have this little courtship competition high in the tree tops. They take turns flying around the females perched up on the tops of the trees, and the males just fly around them, like their saying "Look at me,squeak, I got the biggest beak!"...well, there is where my problem lies. As I'm walking along my fenceline, 14 of these huge friggin' dinasaur-wannabe's(Dinasaur were-be's) are crapping 80 feet up in the air, and with the natural force of gravity and the right wind speed, these airborn bombadiers are getting awefully close when I'm out doing yardwork everyday (its a hobby, I enjoy it...nough said).

Well, I have a shotgun, but thats not the answer...I only shoot what I can eat...and fish birds don't taste all that well...not only that, but I don't think I'd like the fine involved in shoooting a protected species.

I have a rain coat with a hood, but alas, I'm starting to get the feeling these birds know when I get too hot and take it off, that's always the time that a big KER_PLOOSH hits the ground very suspiciously near me.

What other options can you suggest? Wait till the 'love fest' is over? Stay indoors?

Thought I'd share this with you since I received a direct hit yesterday, twas my favorite hat too, has the B17 stitched on the front..now it smells....fishy....

[This message has been edited by Ripsnort (edited 04-12-2001).]

Eagler · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2001, 02:31:00 PM »

firecrackers

Eagler

skernsk · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2001, 02:43:00 PM »

LOL Rip...I am an exterminator and fortunately don't deal with Blue Herrons.
On the other hand I get calls for Pigeons and other "pest birds" all the time.
Many times shooting or trapping is not an option so all that is left is HARASSMENT. Firecrackers are a good one. I'm not sure if Herrons have a natural predator like an Eagle or Falcon, but you can usually pick up a decoy of these for pretty cheap.

The only other thing is to change the environment.....which I'm sure is not an opition either.

Oh yeah....it sounds stupid but some protected species are also protected from HARASSMENT and you may get in trouble for that also. Reason for this is that you scare the hell out of them and they are too scared to mate.......

You better wear a helmet when doing yardwork for the next while

[This message has been edited by skernsk (edited 04-12-2001).]

skernsk · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2001, 02:54:00 PM »

Here is a link on the Blue Heron.
http://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/Species/English/SearchDetail.cfm?SpeciesID=292

Ripsnort · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2001, 03:01:00 PM »

Thks guys, I do have some bottle rockets, but I just thought I'd share a story of getting toejam on (which I'm sure a few Dems on this boards are chuckling about!

)...I'll continue to let them do their 'thing' and stay indoors until the 60's love fest thing is over...Eagles don't scare the Herons, watched a pair of Bald eagles (probably mating as well!) fly right over their perches the other day, they wouldn't even look at them, almost if saying "I'm a BALD eagle, I don't have to even give you the time of day!"

[This message has been edited by Ripsnort (edited 04-12-2001).]

Zippatuh · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2001, 03:02:00 PM »

80 foot trees! Got a fire place

Zippatuh

Ripsnort · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2001, 03:03:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Zippatuh:
80 foot trees! Got a fire place

Zippatuh

Old growth trees, they're protected too!

Staga · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2001, 03:07:00 PM »

Rip you should be able to buy a special-rounds to your shot-gun. Some duck hunters use those shots to scare ducks away from bushes here.
http://www.realammo.com/realammo5.html

Staga · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2001, 03:12:00 PM »

Another site: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/birdpred.html

Ripsnort · « **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2001, 03:12:00 PM »

Hey wow Staga, never knew these exited, and I'm a hunter! Thks!

Actually I feel very lucky having the wildlife I have in my back yard, I just don't like to 'put up with their toejam' everyday.

Eagler · « **Reply #10 on:** April 12, 2001, 03:14:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Ripsnort:
Thks guys, I do have some bottle rockets, but I just thought I'd share a story of getting toejam on (which I'm sure a few Dems on this boards are chuckling about! )...I'll continue to let them do their 'thing' and stay indoors until the 60's love fest thing is over...Eagles don't scare the Herons, watched a pair of Bald eagles (probably mating as well!) fly right over their perches the other day, they wouldn't even look at them, almost if saying "I'm a BALD eagle, I don't have to even give you the time of day!"

[This message has been edited by Ripsnort (edited 04-12-2001).]

Post some Eagle photos if you have any.
I'm almost as crazy about AH as I am about Eagles

Eagler

Staga · « **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2001, 03:14:00 PM »

Jezus that realammo site got some fancy shots!

Edit:hmmm... More strange ammos... http://www.aabranch.com/shotgun.htm

[This message has been edited by Staga (edited 04-12-2001).]

Brat · « **Reply #12 on:** April 12, 2001, 03:59:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Ripsnort:
Old growth trees, they're protected too!

Move to Los Angeles...we only have crackheads and I think it's legal to shoot them...

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2001, 04:30:00 PM »

I wouldn't recommend pointing a shotgun at a blue herron. In that area the cops would be on you faster than a crack house.

The firecracker idea sounds good.. but I do believe you need to accept that the toejam will be falling about you until the heron just decide to leave on their own.

Also, a good idea would be to wash your car prior to going into your back yard. All crap should, by default, hit the clean car making the rest of the yard somewhat safe.

AKDejaVu

Tac · « **Reply #14 on:** April 12, 2001, 04:54:00 PM »

Invite Citabria to your house for a week. That alt monkey will clean em out for you

Tried an ultrasound device? I've hear that putting those things in trees/backyards makes birds, raccoons and other pests keep their distance from your property.