Seagulls and solar panels question

[Mike GB32]

For the second summer season, a large seagull has taken up residence on our flybridge bimini. I can't blame him, its a great location with and excellent view but the navy blue sunbrella material is turning white. Streamers didn't help. He seems to be completely indifferent to the bobble head owls that I mounted on posts. Execution is out of the question so, for now, I think I'm going to admit defeat and just clean it and roll it up until we leave the dock.
I do plan on installing solar panels on the bimini and I'm wondering if he'll be back to whiten the panels when I do.
Do seagulls hang out on solar panels?

 

[Lollygag1]

I have seen some propeller like devices that are used to deter them. Not harmful

Had a seagull picnic on my hardtop last year ��

 

[utclmjmper]

Bring a hawk aboard for a few days,,<<<Dan

 

[Lollygag1]

Get a falcon. Cool hobby no iterlopers

 

[koliver]

Seagulls love boats. Anywhere that they can roost undisturbed works for them. Then when they decide to leave, they invariably lighten their load, painting whatever they leave and whatever is immediately below. Solar Panels are no different than bimini sunbrella to the gulls.
The best solution I have found is a more attractive boat nearby. Sorry, none of the other things I have tried has been a solution.

 

[BruceK]

The "Bird Busta" is popular here:
https://www.whitworths.com.au/bird-busta-2m

https://birdbusta.net/

 

[Simi 60]

Been out here for six years and never cleaned the 9 X 275w solar panels yet
Very rarely get birds on a boat being used.

One thing I will say about the deterents mentioned, we see them on various boats as we come in to reproviion in the tender.

Birds love them
Especially the plastic predatory birds, I am convinced that the birds all line up and pray to their plastic deity.

 

[ScottC]

I have 6 panels on the roof. I get occasional seagull landings and an isolated poop to clean up in Scandinavia. None seem to take up residence, however. I get even less seagull action in the Med, where I’m cruising now. My guess is that it’s because the panels are simply too hot to be attractive to seagulls.

 

[socalrider]

I have the same problem with my bimini & flex panels. I've got a couple of "spiders" but the seagulls seem to ignore them after a while. Not sure what my next move is, as I can't move onto the boat full time or take up falconry.

After our last season I pulled the bimini to wash it & covered the entire boat with bird netting which worked, but not practical while the boat is being regularly used.

 

[Hippocampus]

Depends upon where you are. We lived on our prior boat and would have bird troubles time to time. Especially cormorants which won’t fly off until you get real close to them.
Fish line seems to work quite well. Birds want to be able to fly away from danger so like a open path in all directions. You rarely need to shut off all directions but just enough to make them uncomfortable about escape. Doesn’t seem to matter if it’s cormorants, gulls, pipers, or whatever. Fish line is clear enough it doesn’t seem to shut down solar panels with shadow. It does degrade (?UV) so replace as soon as it’s not clear but slightly milky. We set up ours with bungees with hooks so easy on and off. Never seen one on the actual panels. Guess too slippery or hot. But do get poop on them. Current boat has enough antenna whips high enough you can go side to side above the Bimini in several places. Haven’t had a problem yet but if I do I’ll rig some fishing line

 

[Comodave]

I like the spyders, S/S wires on a sandbag or mount. We tried the Gull Sweep and it didn’t work but it did cut a nice arc in my $2K bimini. The spyders seem to work very well and they can be laft deployed at slow, trawler, speeds.

 

[BruceK]

Seagulls are odd creatures, they take a liking to a boat and plaster it. Others they won`t touch. What goes on in a seagull`s mind? Not a lot. We sometimes have trouble with swallows finding protected spots to build a nest.

 

[AnsleyS]

We have found that seagulls do not like snakes. Order rubber snakes from Amazon.com and leave them around your decks. No seagulls. But... the ospreys will come down and take them away. We have to replace them every couple of years.

 

[Delta Riverat]

I like the rubber snake thing, easy to deploy!

 

[socalrider]

We have found that seagulls do not like snakes. Order rubber snakes from Amazon.com and leave them around your decks. No seagulls. But... the ospreys will come down and take them away. We have to replace them every couple of years.

Surprised to hear that works! One dock neighbor a few years ago had a couple of rubber snakes on their bimini & I remember chuckling seeing it painted white with seagulls roosting right next to the snake. Is there a particular brand you found that works well?

 

[BruceK]

If execution wasn`t out of the picture for the kind OP, with that degree of mess I`d be thinking the real thing over a rubber snake.

 

[Mike GB32]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. It seems some devices work for some folks and not for others.
What I was hoping to hear is that the heat generated by solar panels would be enough to fry the little buggers feat. That would also give me a bit more inspiration to finally start that solar project.

 

[ablegen]

If you have anything higher then the Bimini, such as antennas and radar mast, string fishing line between them and over the Bimini as best you can. It has stopped all birds from landing on ours.

 

[Deckape]

I found that a C D disk on mono works if allowed to rotate in the wind . The shiner the better . If that don't work , throw some crackers on the bimini of the boat next door .