Seriously Disgusting, Help!

[Evansmom]

So every year these trees that line one side of our yard gets little red berries on them and almost every year a huge flock of birds finds them and gobbles them up BUT stay in my yard taking breaks between eating the berries and so my yard, my deck, sand box, toys, EVERYTHING is totally covered in horrible, nasty black bird droppings that stain everything it touches. Like literally everything is COVERED!

There is no telling if/when they will come. Last year it was so great bc the birds forgot about us. And they don't scare, we have tried various things to scare the birds off but nothing shakes these guys.

So needless to say they are back today . Everything back there is totally covered with poop and this year I'm in the middle of interviewing for a daycare spot! There is no use cleaning right now, we just can't go back there. We just have to wait it out and pressure wash or throw away dirty stuff. The worst part is that my back yard is one really impressive part of my business. What in the world am I going to tell my prospective parents?!

[Willow]

Tell them the truth, that you unfortunately can't control mother nature


Have you tried putting out like owl figures? You can find many that are motion activated so if a bird gets brave enough to swoop past they give the birds quite a scare. Hanging old CD's from the berry bushes might be an eye sore but they're a great deterrent too. Ultrasonic devices work well if you don't have pets.

Either that or have you considered doing away with the berry bushes altogether?

[melilley]

Tell them the truth, that you unfortunately can't control mother nature


Have you tried putting out like owl figures? You can find many that are motion activated so if a bird gets brave enough to swoop past they give the birds quite a scare. Hanging old CD's from the berry bushes might be an eye sore but they're a great deterrent too. Ultrasonic devices work well if you don't have pets.

Either that or have you considered doing away with the berry bushes altogether?

Owls work!

[CedarCreek]

I'd either have to get rid of the bushes or get rid of all of the berries.

....Or get a few hungry cats

[kathiemarie]

I would tell them what you told us. Let them peek at your yard so they can see what it looks like, tell them to picture it w/o the poop! . Its just part of life and if they can't go with the follow on this then do you really want them as clients?

[wdmmom]

I got a plastic owl at walmart. It's head swivels and bobbles. After 2 summers of being dive bombed while mowing, I knew something needed to give. The owl has kept everything away. Best $14.97 I've spent!

[melilley]

I got a plastic owl at walmart. It's head swivels and bobbles. After 2 summers of being dive bombed while mowing, I knew something needed to give. The owl has kept everything away. Best $14.97 I've spent!

Sorry, I had to laugh... not funny that you got dive bombed though.::

[wdmmom]

Sorry, I had to laugh... not funny that you got dive bombed though.::

True story...I was screaming like a sissy! It kept coming back and bombing me. After it got about 2 inches from my head, I went and got the BB gun. That must have been enough because I didn't see him again after that!

[Evansmom]

Thanks everyone!

Just texted hubby to stop and get an owl! I'll try anything at this point! The trees are big and really pretty when they aren't attracting birds and they give us privacy from our neighbors so I don't want to cut them down if we don't have to.

It is kinda funny! But I still hate it! I never hated birds so much in my life! We would love to go outside today

I guess I'll just have to explain it to the parents, it just doesn't seem to be such a great first impression does it??! Lol!

[melilley]

True story...I was screaming like a sissy! It kept coming back and bombing me. After it got about 2 inches from my head, I went and got the BB gun. That must have been enough because I didn't see him again after that!

Haha. I would have been screaming too! Birds are one animal that I don't like! Some are pretty to look at, but that's it.

[laundrymom]

Use it!!!!
" there are a few times a year when the migratory birds feed in my bushes. They leave poo. We clean it after they move on but do not disrupt their migration."

Makes you seem green.....

But get the owl.

[laundrymom]

And I can totally see wdw screeching from them. I have blue jays. They chase us during the spring. We had to relocate the nests

[Evansmom]

Ok guys, hubs reminded me the owl didn't work last time. Any other ideas?

[melilley]

Ok guys, hubs reminded me the owl didn't work last time. Any other ideas?

You could put shiny material over the bushes, like those streamers. I know it works for ducks that go on docks or seagulls that like to land on boats. I'm not sure about birds though.

[Evansmom]

You could put shiny material over the bushes, like those streamers. I know it works for ducks that go on docks or seagulls that like to land on boats. I'm not sure about birds though.

Maybe I could go to the craft store and pick up shiny ribbon and mirrors then give them to my daycare kids to build with and hang them in the trees. Then we can do a craft and hopefully get rid of those birds at the same time!!

The only tricky part is hanging them...it's so nasty, if you're out there for a second you get pooped on! Gah! And you can hear it constantly dropping all around you! Ick!

I just told hubs to leave me a loaded BB gun but I'm not sure that will work with these birds, they just don't scare!