"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

I'll jump in on the plastic owl suggestion. We've used them, and they worked very well. We found that they work best when I mounted them so that they would move around a bit. I put four poles in the ground (skinny types that I could just push in by hand) and the owl I was using was hollow plastic. I put the pole up into the owl so that it would swivel around a little and rattle when the wind blew. I moved it from pole to pole each day so that it was in different spots. That entire section of yard was critter free for the whole time I was doing this. No squirrels, rabbits, birds, etc.
 
In my experience, plastic owls and plastic snakes don't fool anything (I presume) because they don't move. But if, as I finish reading Jack's post, they do move, they might work. (Oops, and I didn't see Cory's post either.)
Also a stuffed coyote doesn't deter geese.
I think the roosting boxes might be a good idea too. The peckers in the boxes might drive off surplus peckers wanting to roost in the house.
 
I think the roosting boxes might be a good idea too. The peckers in the boxes might drive off surplus peckers wanting to roost in the house.

I'd be liberally spraying insecticide surface spray around the eves and roof line -yes you will need a lot. When bugs land they die.
The stench of the stuff might drive the birds away too.
Observe the activity of the birds thoroughly as well. Are they just sounding out a new neighbour hood/residence? Or is there a smorgasbord going on?
I'd be interested to find out the results.:)
 
scrteened porch said:
In my experience, plastic owls and plastic snakes don't fool anything...
Click to expand...

When I was a very young child, my grandparents bought me a rubber snake on some trip to the seaside. One day, I was swinging it around in the yard, when I accidentally let go of it, and it flew off somewhere. Only being about three years old, I didn't think too much about it.

A few years later, I was inside the house and heard a shriek from outside. My mother had been cleaning out the gutter below the sloping roof of the kitchen extension (only about seven or eight feet high), and found my old friend! Certainly fooled her! :D
 
In 33 years the only time my wife ever hit me was when I placed a rubber snake in the mailbox. It was very funny however a bit painful.:D
 
Many thanks for the suggestions:thumbup:

It's a tall two storey house but I doubt a mass infestation of insects or rather, the grubs of beetles that woodpeckers like. The wood is sound and I don't fancy spraying litres of insecticide all over the place, difficult and hazardous to humans. Plus winter is coming and it can reach -30c here.

Don't know about the plastic owls either, there are plenty of live owls around and frequent hawk attacks on birds at the feeder:eek::D The snakes we have here are two types one venomous, the non venomous are quite big saw one almost a metre long on the riverbank Thankfully they don't climb up houses.....:barf:

I don't like climbing ladders these days due to eyesight issues and balance, but the boxes idea could work or the reflective tape, don't know if you can get that here though. Old CDs could be used. That, or somebody might forget to miss the Woodpeckers next time I open fire.....:D
 
I haven't been around for awhile. The wife and I were in Santa Fe New Mexico visiting our daughter and grand daughter. We've been going there every other year or so for close to two decades now.
Here's a few pics I took. It's a great place to visit even if you don't have family there.

Here's a street scene from the Santa Fe Plaza, the heart of downtown Santa Fe for the last 400 years.
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Some local artists entertaining on the Plaza.
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Shot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from the Bell Tower of the La Fonda Hotel. There's a great bar there overlooking the city. It's always a stop for a Margarita or two.
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Here's a shot from the Santa Fe Ski Basin, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The mountain range is the southern most range of the Rockies. We were at about 10,000 feet. Santa Fe sits at 7500 feet above sea level (high desert). It takes a few days for me to get used to the altitude. We were a few weeks late for the fall colors. The aspens still had a little yellow color but at the height of the change the reds, oranges and yellows are amazing.
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I saw this parked behind the Inn we stayed at. Quite a trike!
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Any trip is a reason to buy a new knife. Here's a little lockback from a Cutlery Store in the Plaza. Santa Fe Stoneworks made this one. They're located a few miles south of the Plaza.
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Here's a pic of last nights Super Moon from the aircraft window somewhere over Illinois, on the way home.
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It's good to be back home in Upstate New York but I do love New Mexico. I think I could live there.
 
Gary thank you for the pics. It looks like a place I would enjoy seeing one day. Im pretty open to go anywhere with mountain views. Good to hear you all had a good one.
 
Second guessing myself, I sound a little dismissive.
Santa Fe is beautiful and interesting, and well photographed. Thanks for showing us.
 
Great photos, Gary. The commentary really helps. I like that mountain shot the best.

Central New York has its own beauty. I've lived in several places in upstate NY. The finger lakes region is particularly beautiful.
 
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