SOLAR NITE GUARD

Two Gourds · Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:21 pm

My husband and I purchased a NITE GUARD. It is a small solar device that can be put on a pole. We are going to experiment to see if it keeps owls away from our Martins and deer out of our garden. Has anyone had any experience using these devices?

Louise Chambers · Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:07 pm

I'm sure you'll get some replies from landlords who have used the solar nite guards, but in the meantime I will summarize what others have said. There are landlords who have installed them and feel it has made a difference for them. There are others who found that owl attacks continued or occurred after they installed the guards.

Maybe best way to use them, if you decide to, would be to use the solar guards along with other methods that landlords have found helpful - deeper compartments and external guards on houses and gourd racks.

Louise

Two Gourds · Fri Jan 30, 2009 7:22 pm

Thanks for you reply. My husband also uses owl guards on his gourds and the compartments in his house are deep.

Guest · Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:42 pm

I looked into those but found that they suggest placing a niteguard facing each of the 4 directions (East, West, South , North)
One is doable for me but 4 units-not so much.
IF I was handy I would mount it on a rotating platform so that it would go around (also solar...hmmmm) and thus 'cover' all 4 directions vs one unit for each direction.

I have also heard mixed reviews.

Let us know.

klcretired · Sat Jan 31, 2009 5:50 am

Two Gourds,
Mount a powerhorn speaker on top of your housing/and or gourd rack , run the wires to a stereo or boom box , play any type of music, it will not bother the martins , but will muffle the martins night time vocalizations.
The martins Vocalizations is what attracts The Owls during the night and if the Owls can't hear the martins they can't find the Martins.
you can buy a Powerhorn Speaker at Radio Shack they are for Outdoor use. I hope this helps you and I wish you alot of Martins This Year.
Your Martin Friend,
Kenny

Two Gourds · Sat Jan 31, 2009 9:04 am

klcretired,
You are right music does help. When our martins arrive, my husband plugs a radio into a timer and the music comes on at sun down and goes off about 6:00 a.m. We have a shed next to our martin poles and it's a great place to keep the radio out of the weather. We don't have as much trouble with owls as with hawks. The only thing that helps us with the hawks are the crows that live in the woods behind our house. They give hawks fits.

trank · Sat Jan 31, 2009 12:25 pm

I agree with using a powerhorn to play music at night, I use mine every night when the martins are here. Make sure to use it before you have a successful owl attack, because if they are successful not even music will deter them.

Lawrence Berger~MI · Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:22 pm

I have had the solar guards up for about 4 years now. I have them on top of one of my gourd racks facing the four directions and have not had an owl attack. Now I can't say that is the reason I've had no attacks, it could be just luck. It was advertised as being used on pheasant farms to keep predatory birds away. I really am surprised that they have been working twenty four seven for four years.

Guest · Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:57 pm

good report Lawrence.
It would be interesting to see if it worked with someone who had previous issues with Owls. That would be the real proof in the pudding.