Nightguard lites - progress report

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

This year I am trying the Niteguard lights to stop the owls. This is the first year that I am trying them. We have many many owls around here, and I had owl problems for many years. These lights are solar powered, quite small, about 1 x 1 x 4in, and hang from one hole.

I must admit that I did not originally think that Niteguard lights would work. Something told me it has to be a gimmick of some sort. It just didn't seem like the owls would continuely be afraid of them, and that eventually they would get used to them. I usually would see 3 or 4 owls by this time, but not this year! Haven't seen an owl since I raised the lights about 2ft above the perches.

I took the chance and purchased them because its so costly and time consuming to make the housing owl resistant. Its unreal how much time I spent doing the owl resistant mods.

I can also say that I did not think that they would help the hawk problem, but just maybe they do. In other years, I have had hawk attacks early in the morning or late in the evening, but not this year. The Niteguard lights may actually be helping. Now I am wondering if the hawks give up on our place if they cannot attach at daylight or right before dark, its a question mark??????? The lights come on quite a while before dark, and stay on until it is bright daylight. They are red blinking lights. I have 4 of them, pointing in 4 different directions.

Now an added benefit is that the martins are so RELAXED! They are sitting outside early in the morning, during the day, and late at night. Then when its nearly dark, they do all get into the gourds, and they come out at the normal times. In prior years, the martins did not sit outside late at night or early in the morning. I think that we now have happier martins.

Please remember, its still early in the season, and things may change, and I may not think that they work, but for now, they certainly are looking good. I hope that the hawks and owls do not get used to seeing them.

An added benefit is that I don't need to try to chase away the owls at night, its nearly impossible to keep them away. Maybe, just maybe, these are the answer that I have been wishing for

[Spiderman]

Your report is very encouraging. We have had at least one hawk attack 5 out of the last 7 days. To have Happy Martins would make raising Martins a much more enjoyable experience. If they leave at daylight and return at dark it's just not the same.

I know the lights are fairly expensive but if they continue to work for you they would be a good investment.

[Guest]

That's wonderful news Emil- thanks for posting the information.

[ccarlin]

i have proof that the niteguards work... two years ago we lost all out martins to owls. last year we got the nitegaurds. we haven't had any owl problems at all.best of all the martins seem to like them.. sometime after the lights start flashing the martins will land on them and perch for awhile before going in for the night.

[Guest]

So the lights are activated by low-light conditions, and they flash throughout the night? Do you just need one set per colony, or one set per house/pole? Where do you buy them?

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

HOLD IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night, an owl was sitting about 15 ft from the lights. I sure hated to see that but I want to tell you about it! I was one day too early with this thread! Sorry about that.

It may be that they reduce the number of visits, but it sure doesn't stop the owls

EDIT: I plan to keep the lights, as they do seem to help in some respects. If they help a little bit, then they are worth keeping.

[Trishy]

They do seem to keep the bear and raccoons away though. I used the lights last year for the first time and had no visits to the bird feeder by either varmint. The feeder is about 30 ft from my bedroom window and prior to that I would hear coons fighting at night and the bears would wake me also trying to push the pole over. I did still get owls in the yard, but only had 1 nesting pair so didn't have any trouble with them. I will use owl guards this year as I do not want to take a chance. I believe it was wishful thinking on our part or at least mine.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Liz, I have 4 lights for 5 poles, so I don't know how many you need, but that is what I am trying.

I am not permitted to tell you where to purchase them, thats against this forums rule. Do a google search for "Nite guard". Sorry!

[terrapincove]

here is a black bear yanking away at the feeder..

[Guest]

I know we have owls where we live, but fortunately they have not discovered my colony in the 8 years I have been a landlord. A while back I read something Steve Kroenke posted about owls. He said if owls had not found your colony, then you could try playing a radio close to your housing all night. I put it on a station that plays static instead of music or talk radio. It is supposed to make it harder for the owls to hear your birds at night. After I read his post I gave it a try and have been doing it ever since.

[blanchar40]

I mounted 4 lites on a 10' 4x4 in the middle of a 4 rack colony. My experience has been similar to Emils's.
I have had a resident pair of RedTails nesting in the area for years and they only become a problem during fledging time. However, the female has decided to try and rip the cap of off each one of my 8 new Bo elevens. She has had no success but she is still trying. I would feel a lot better if they were screw ons. She is coming in at dark after I have put the colony to bed. My nite lites are blinking away
about 15' from the rack she is attacking. I have convinced myself that the evening attacks from transient Coopers are down but I better wait until the years is over to reach any conclusions about the lites. Plus, I am going to have to find a way to mount these lites to keep the birds from pooping on them.

[1 Ron Vasser]

I've tried music and bright lights. I had 4 sets of bright construction lights beaming on the colony and watched an owl fly up and take a martin. I was hoping Emil's report was good news but I was skeptical about any kind of light. I'll keep searching for an answer and hoping someone finds one soon.

[Peggy Riley]

Well last night I saw the GHO fly in and land on one of my
racks not 15 feet from the niteguards. It was almost dark
and the lights were just blinking away.

I do agree with Emil that they probably will help. I think
they will do better after dark.

Peggy

[Ron Shaffer]

I read somewhere that the lights only work to frighten off migratory species....have a couple myself that I'm gonna try this year. So far, keeping music playing at night from mid-April through July has done the trick..keeping my fingers crossed.