generator12
Senior Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2010
- Messages
- 666
Some time back I posted about using a bb pistol to discourage mourning doves from ravaging my bird feeder. They get up there and throw a couple of ounces of sunflower seed onto the ground for every one they eat. It appears that they're sorting through and selecting the specific seeds they want. I watched this day after day after day while continuing to put about $30 worth of seed - sunflower and finch blend, each in its own compartment - every month.
Finally I had a bright idea..! I gave up on the pistol and went to O-Reilly's Auto Parts and bought a small car horn - just a flat disk with a mounting bracket attached - for about ten bucks. Dropped a two-wire hookup out the kitchen window between the horn (which resides right in the seed, facing the perch rod) and a 12 volt battery charger which sits on a small table next to the window in the kitchen.
Well I never thought a dove could move so fast..! One short honk and it's gone - and I don't mean twenty feet to the nearest tree, I mean out of sight! I've used it three times and no longer have an issue with doves on the feeder. It's amazing, almost as if they've communicated with each other about it. I've gone almost a week and not seen one up there. I don't think I've ever gone more than a couple of days between visits.
Of course a squirrel discovered the cable running from the ground up to the feeder and decided to give it a try. Gadzooks! He didn't just jump off. He vaulted off, landed at least ten feet away, and hit the ground running.
I'll leave the setup in place for another week and see what happens.
Finally I had a bright idea..! I gave up on the pistol and went to O-Reilly's Auto Parts and bought a small car horn - just a flat disk with a mounting bracket attached - for about ten bucks. Dropped a two-wire hookup out the kitchen window between the horn (which resides right in the seed, facing the perch rod) and a 12 volt battery charger which sits on a small table next to the window in the kitchen.
Well I never thought a dove could move so fast..! One short honk and it's gone - and I don't mean twenty feet to the nearest tree, I mean out of sight! I've used it three times and no longer have an issue with doves on the feeder. It's amazing, almost as if they've communicated with each other about it. I've gone almost a week and not seen one up there. I don't think I've ever gone more than a couple of days between visits.
Of course a squirrel discovered the cable running from the ground up to the feeder and decided to give it a try. Gadzooks! He didn't just jump off. He vaulted off, landed at least ten feet away, and hit the ground running.
I'll leave the setup in place for another week and see what happens.