I have a double gourd rack from S&K which the PMCA tells me will not accept the owl guards that PMCA sells. I need to come up with my own design of owl guards that are functional and reasonably attractive as my setup is in a prominent spot in a well cared for neighborhood. I am asking my fellow Forum members to assist me in coming up with a design, made from materials available around the neighborhood stores, that will prevent large owls, crows and gulls from getting to the entrances of my crescent shaped entrances in the Supergourds. I would like to assemble a few possibilities and choose the best one for me to make.
Thanks in advance my friends.
Carlton in DE
Request For Ideas on Homemade Owl Guards
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Carlton
- Posts: 1959
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
- Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
- Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Carlton,
You're going to need to use aluminum rods or similar materials and fasten them to the pole or the gourd hanging arms, not to the gourds themselves. Have you checked the forum's archives? There are articles there with photos & how-to info; here is one of them:
http://purplemartin.org/forumarchives/archives.html
Also take a look at the online Update issues - there is info about owl guards there too; here's the basic idea:
http://www.purplemartin.org/update/9(4)owlguards.html
It's a good idea to add owl guards BEFORE owls try to raid your housing - if they are not successful the first time they may look elsewhere for a meal.
Louise
You're going to need to use aluminum rods or similar materials and fasten them to the pole or the gourd hanging arms, not to the gourds themselves. Have you checked the forum's archives? There are articles there with photos & how-to info; here is one of them:
http://purplemartin.org/forumarchives/archives.html
Also take a look at the online Update issues - there is info about owl guards there too; here's the basic idea:
http://www.purplemartin.org/update/9(4)owlguards.html
It's a good idea to add owl guards BEFORE owls try to raid your housing - if they are not successful the first time they may look elsewhere for a meal.
Louise