The birds' personal water fountain

[Eric618]

I am constantly cleaning off poop of the walkway that surrounds my spa around the spillover, as the birds have decided it's their pool/spa and they can do whatever they please.

Yesterday, I bought a fake owl with a bobble head from Home Depot. Within about an hours I saw a bird STANDING ON THE OWL'S HEAD - it's version of the middle finger apparently.

Outside of the stupid owl, what have you all found that at least helps keeping the birds away? I don't have the heart to shoot them, nor to I want anything really covering the pool area. Any other ideas?

 

[DrewLG]

If I'm watching, I just turn the air blower on for a second.



This may be an option, too, if you need an unattended solution and you can aim it appropriately (it uses a passive infrared sensor, so it detects motion of animal body heat -- which may or may not work against a background of hot concrete). Just have to remember to turn it off when you want to use the pool:
Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler

 

[swamprat69]

When I first purchased my current home I would have 40-50 pigeons sitting on my roof peak in the morning waiting for their turn to get a drink from the spa/spillover and pooping on the deck. When it rained, all of the accumulated poop from my roof would wash down onto my patio. This solution worked like a miracle for me. A piece of slate over the spillover made it too high to drink from and the 4" tinsel garland (doubled) across the pool spa barrier kept the pigeons from landing on the common pool/spa wall. It seems they don't like to take a chance on getting their feet tangled when they land and the tinsel garland moves in the slightest breeze making them very aware that it is there.

 

[koffey]

I installed a bird bowl on a pedestal stand and purchased a small solar powered fountain for like $12 on amazon (shoots the water up) and birds flock to that.

 

[Eric618]

I installed a bird bowl on a pedestal stand and purchased a small solar powered fountain for like $12 on amazon (shoots the water up) and birds flock to that.

That sounds like a great idea. The only thing I wonder is if the water would get too warm/hot for the little jerks. I live in Phoenix. Even the pool is up to 93 at present. The fountain water would def. get hotter than that.

 

[koffey]

That sounds like a great idea. The only thing I wonder is if the water would get too warm/hot for the little jerks. I live in Phoenix. Even the pool is up to 93 at present. The fountain water would def. get hotter than that.

I have hot weather here in Toronto, just have to scrub it up every few days due to algae and refill it, so it getting way too hot shouldn't be an issue. Works amazing.

 

[Eric618]

I have hot weather here in Toronto, just have to scrub it up every few days due to algae and refill it, so it getting way too hot shouldn't be an issue. Works amazing.

The forecast here tomorrow is 115 and mostly sunny (which usually means full blown sunny lol).

I've wanted a birdbath anyway though, so it's worth the shot!