Working around gull nests on flat roof ?

Dave Carpentier

Any tips on dealing with swooping gulls that are defending eggs or chics ? Need to go on roof to change hvac filters.

I held an umbrella once, they were certainly whacking the umbrella hard. That visit was just to check/reset a controller. Pretty hard to hold an umbrella and change out 36 filters on pull-out trays, so I dunno if this will work for my next visit. Attach umbrella to a body harness maybe ?

Fresh ideas welcome.

Jamie Hall

Hat. For starters. Easier to wash after they've dive bombed you. Then take an assistant to hold the umbrella. Or just wait until they've flown…

EdTheHeaterMan

If it's the Gull's Nest I'm thinking of in Two Rivers WI, then I would rate it with 5 green eggs. Best "Seabreeze" in town, Their Margaritas are pretty good too. I would go with @Jamie Hall and just wait it out. …especially if it's Happy Hour!

hot_rod

full face motorcycle helmet, leather jacket to fill out the ensemble :)

EBEBRATT-Ed

Shotgun

Larry Weingarten

Hi, When is their nesting season over? 🤔

Yours, Larry

Matt_67

hardhat and a 12’ piece of 1” PVC pipe to prop up next to where you are working. It seems to confuse them

Dave Carpentier

Nesting period is ~ May 18 - July 18. I'd be afraid of running with dirty filters in the hot weather coming up, probably not good to wait it out (shoulda done pre- May 18, but had no filters on hand or maybe we just got em but I was tied up with other things.. forget exactly. Next year different plan.

I do have an old snowmobile helmet. Hmm…

Matt, one tech told me to just have a stick. As long as it's higher than your head they will focus on that. Last time (with the umbrella) there had to be like 20 attacking me… the umbrella took many hits, some surprisingly strong. (and then the umbrella popped inside out.. took me about 1/4 second to fix that, very motivating). Not sure how I feel about just holding a stick.

Intplm.

Try spraying pepper spray into the air in the general area where you will be working. Don't spray the birds, just spray in the area all around you setting up a barrier/perimeter.

Mad Dog_2

Piles of French Fries away from your work area. They always swarm me at Jones Beach for my Fries...Mad Dog

Matt_67

The pipe or a stick works surprisingly well, I'm thinking it would work better than an opened umbrella. It does kind of depend on how long it takes them to get all their friends together. If you're working really close to the nest though you won't get any peace, you might need an assistant up there with you.

mikedo

shotgun ?

Dave Carpentier

Leaning towards the helmet. The shotgun would attract waaay to much attention. lol

Maybe tape a rubber chicken (yes, the noise ones) to it, just so they think they're doing something productive.

retiredguy

I live in Pennsylvania and I know how I would handle that nest. Tomorrow, they would be nesting on the ground unless that is illegal

gunn308

Dump Ducks are a federally protected species blanks in a "9" ????????

Intplm.

Maybe get into a silver coverall-type suit that looks like flashing compact discs. (Use your old CD collection. You know, the one you never listen to anymore. Attach it to the suit.) Makes things flash in the sun. Gulls don't like that.

Attach one of these to your helmet like an umbrella helmet.

Have one of these working nearby.

With a Parliament of these fine feathered friends standing by?

I'm worried that the french fries suggested, although a good idea, will create an issue similar to an old Alfred Hitchcock movie.

Jamie Hall

Yes. Sea gulls — and most shore nesting birds — are federally protected.

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1803396#Comment_1803396

According to some in this thread, that doesn't matter.

Apparently.

Dave Carpentier

Ya they're protected here, when they're nesting and hatchlings.

Before I go thru the effort of pushing all the boxes of filters up thru the hatch and onto the roof (then I'd be committed to the task), maybe I'll make a "Staff of Confusion" (tm?) pole with a bunch of blank dvd (that Im never going to burn with my computer, apparently). Then wait for a sunny (hot) day and put on my snowmobile helmet and thick-ish jacket, and go up for a test.

No doubt my "that guy is stranger than we thought" points will go up higher at work.

Larry Weingarten

Get video. You'll be a star! 🤩

Yours, Larry

Intplm.

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1803468#Comment_1803468

Ill bring the pop corn.