By: Wendi Tremblay
Several attendees at last summer’s meeting asked how to deter Canadian geese from resting on their beaches. While beautiful, the geese leave large amounts of droppings, which will easily ruin the better part of a Saturday morning, picking them up, before your refreshing swim.
Various forms of scarecrows don’t work well, unless the property owner is willing to move them to different locations on a daily basis. These ceramic statues take the form of owls, wolves, and other predatory wildlife. Unfortunately, although this is not an expensive solution, geese quickly learn that these statues don’t chase them.
Wire fencing along the water’s edge is commonly seen, and although it works, it can make entering the water difficult for some. It can also be unsightly to those who don’t wish to view a fence between them and the lake. The good thing about it is that it is not an expensive solution, with the property owner incurring only the cost of the low wire fence, and stakes to hold it up.
Some residents put up one wire across their beach. A few say this works, others say it does not. This is also an inexpensive solution, however, there is always the danger that children, adults and pets may run towards the water and not see the wire.
A more costly, but effective deterrent is a motion activated device that sprays water when the “eye” senses anything moving. Called “Scarecrow,” it is made by Contech, and costs $60 on line at Amazon.com. The 9 volt battery needs replacing every 6 months. Another motion-activated sprinkler, the “Orbit Yard Enforcer,” is available at Lowes for $72.39.
An additional cost with the above method, is a good quality, sturdy, water hose. With both these devices, your water must be left on so that the sprinkler can do its job. An inexpensive hose of lesser quality may not take the constant pressure of the water, and burst. If the hose were to rupture, you could return to your home on the weekend to find a dry well, and possibly worse.
If any readers have discovered a foolproof method to get geese to pack their bags and move on, let us know on our Swains Lake Facebook page, or contact a board member or your area representative. Wishing everyone a happy summer without feathered freeloaders on your beach!