I figured I'd try a post here because I don't know where else to turn. I live on Long Island and my pool is in the center of my wide open backyard. The yard is surrounded by tall trees and most have a large number of birds living in them. Over the last few weeks there has been an absurd amount of bird poop in and around my pool. I've spent a good amount of time watching the birds, and most of them are flying overhead and pooping mid flight, not landing in or near the pool. They seem to be aiming for the pool since there is no poop anywhere else in the yard.
Here's what I've tried and the results:
1- Hanging shiny objects in trees and around the yard - Despite always believing birds were attracted to shiny objects, I tried this. Birds are attracted to shiny objects.
2- Fake, motionless owl and hawk - the house came with the owl, I bought the hawk. We move them at least once a day. Birds poop on them at least once a day.
3- Fishing line strung high above the pool - This seemed brilliant, I nearly fell off the ladder twice, the wind broke the line three times, the poops just kept on coming.
My neighbor has one of those stupid TerrorEyes balloons hanging near his pool, but he tells me it might as well be a bird feeder. I didn't even know what it was until I asked him if he was having a party he didn't invite me to, so that's how good it looks in his yard.
I'm sure someone will tell me to start shooting them with a pellet gun. I made that joke too, except A- they rarely land in the yard and good luck taking out a sparrow mid flight, B- I really don't want to start killing things and C- there are dozens, if not hundreds of birds involved and I'm pretty sure people call the cops if you kill that many animals.
Any suggestions within reason would be very welcome. I'm getting sick of scooping poop out of the pool and getting concerned it will get us sick.
Here's what I've tried and the results:
1- Hanging shiny objects in trees and around the yard - Despite always believing birds were attracted to shiny objects, I tried this. Birds are attracted to shiny objects.
2- Fake, motionless owl and hawk - the house came with the owl, I bought the hawk. We move them at least once a day. Birds poop on them at least once a day.
3- Fishing line strung high above the pool - This seemed brilliant, I nearly fell off the ladder twice, the wind broke the line three times, the poops just kept on coming.
My neighbor has one of those stupid TerrorEyes balloons hanging near his pool, but he tells me it might as well be a bird feeder. I didn't even know what it was until I asked him if he was having a party he didn't invite me to, so that's how good it looks in his yard.
I'm sure someone will tell me to start shooting them with a pellet gun. I made that joke too, except A- they rarely land in the yard and good luck taking out a sparrow mid flight, B- I really don't want to start killing things and C- there are dozens, if not hundreds of birds involved and I'm pretty sure people call the cops if you kill that many animals.
Any suggestions within reason would be very welcome. I'm getting sick of scooping poop out of the pool and getting concerned it will get us sick.
