You mean you didn't invite him aboard for a bit? One of the most amazing
experiences during our shakedown cruise was the visitation of the adolescent
barn swallow (click my URL below and then click the Swallow pic) way
offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

However, I agree I'd just as soon keep my avian encounters to that type :{))

L8R

Skip and Lydia, entranced with small living creatures of all sorts (go up
the tree in the gallery to the guestki folder and see the kits she's
rescued...)

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig
http://tinyurl.com/384p2

"And then again, when you sit at the helm of your little ship on a
clear night, and gaze at the countless stars overhead, and realize
that you are quite alone on a great, wide sea, it is apt to occur to
you that in the general scheme of things you are merely an
insignificant speck on the surface of the ocean; and are not nearly
so important or as self-sufficient as you thought you were. Which is
an exceedingly wholesome thought, and one that may effect a
permanent change in your deportment that will be greatly appreciated
by your friends." - James S. Pitkin

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
(Matt Koch) wrote:

Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions. I will
definitely try a few over the next few days.

The other thought I had was to use one of those motion ativated
sprinklers they sell for keeping the dogs/cats from using your
backyard as a toilet. Problem is that I think our dock neighbour
would not be too pleased if I did not get the sensitivity setting
right GRIN


The guy two slips over in Marathon had those little shore birds on his
deck, and he tried an owl, but it didn't work.

I suggested a grid of string or wire or tape across the deck - or on
the lifelines- but a few inches up so that they couldn't get to the
deck. Bob said it would be too much trouble to put up or remove. But
I think you could do it with masking tape or duct tape pretty easily.

I also thought about putting fly paper or a cayenne pepper paste on
the deck where they sit. Or maybe just cover the deck where they like
to sit with butcher paper, and then throw it out when you come aboard
and replace it when you leave.

I know when we were anchored in the Dry Tortugas, the pelicans didn't
land on our boat because there was no place for them to sit. They
preferred the boat behind us with the hard bimini.

And when a sparrow hawk tried to sit on our boat offshore to rest, he
had a heck of a time. Of course we were in a seaway - he couldn't sit
on top of the mast because it was making big arcs back and forth, the
life lines didn't give him any purchase, the jib sheets were slanted,
the deck was slippery, and there was no place to hold onto on the
solar panel. (He tried all of them)

"Tom Hunter" wrote in message
news:yknGc.30320$IQ4.2773@attbi_s02...
Birds tend to dislike movement. Strands of loose rope hanging from the
boom,
a pickup bouy suspended from a halyard, anything else that is over the
spot
they like to sit and moves will help drive them away.

Of course if your boat is in a very quiet spot with no wave action or
breeze
to cause motion your out of luck but it works for me on my mooring and
for
friends as well.


"Matt Koch" wrote in message
...
The ducks at our club have taken to roosting on our boat, making a
really nice mess of the boat. I have tried a plastic owl but have
had
no luck in dissuading the ducks. Funnily enough, these are ducks ith
a sense of politics as this only started happening after my darling
wife became commodore.

Any advice for getting rid of the ducks would be greatly appreciated.
If all else fails, please send recipes (just kidding).

Thanks in advance

Matt

grandma Rosalie