My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Mark & Juanita wrote:
My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

If you patch, they seem to want to go back to the same spot to peck. I
had them go through a gable end of cedar siding. I stapled 1/8"
hardware cloth on the inside and plastered the holes with Rock Hard.
They almost broke their peckers trying to get through that. Also,
someone must have shot one with an air rifle, and the rest left. Tis
was in Washington State.

I had another that woke me up every morning pecking on the top of a
metal tennis court light in Arizona. A Harris Hawk showed up one day,
and the pecker was gone...

A friend used compact disks (CD's) hung on string or monofilament with
some success. Just blank ones that have not been labelled works fine.
Hang them from the drip edge of the roof. When the disks fell down,
the birds came back.

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:13:45 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:


My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

Doug Winterburn wrote:

Mark & Juanita wrote:
My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having
them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience,
it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close
proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

If you patch, they seem to want to go back to the same spot to peck. I
had them go through a gable end of cedar siding. I stapled 1/8"
hardware cloth on the inside and plastered the holes with Rock Hard.
They almost broke their peckers trying to get through that. Also,
someone must have shot one with an air rifle, and the rest left. Tis
was in Washington State.


Thanks Doug, I'll give that a try for the repairs. Don't think I can make
arrangements to schedule a hawk, so I'll have to try something else to get
them to move on.


--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Tom Kendrick wrote:

A friend used compact disks (CD's) hung on string or monofilament with
some success. Just blank ones that have not been labelled works fine.
Hang them from the drip edge of the roof. When the disks fell down,
the birds came back.


Tom,

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try that on the part of the shop where they
are attacking under the gable.


On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:13:45 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:


My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close
proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

"Mark & Juanita" wrote

Thanks Doug, I'll give that a try for the repairs. Don't think I can
make
arrangements to schedule a hawk, so I'll have to try something else to get
them to move on.

Maybe if you get some big wings, wave them about and make threatening
chirping noises...

Now that I think about it, I was talking to a tree removal expert (urban
logger). He said that woodpeckers just love dead trees. He often leaves a
trunk and a couple branches jusr for the woodpeckers. He has even brought a
dead tree to another location and mounted it on a solid platform, just for
the birds. I don't know if they will leave your garage for a dead tree
though. But it is an interesting idea.

"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--

I had a problem with a flicker, and this worked:
http://www.bird-x.com/irritape-p-15.html
not cheap, nor is anything that this company sells, and may not be any more
effective than the CD idea. They do sell a lot of other options, too. Here
in OR, it's illegal to shoot flickers or woodpeckers.
Best of luck,
Kerry

If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Lee Michaels wrote:
"Mark & Juanita" wrote

Thanks Doug, I'll give that a try for the repairs. Don't think I
can make
arrangements to schedule a hawk, so I'll have to try something else
to get them to move on.

Maybe if you get some big wings, wave them about and make
threatening
chirping noises...

Eee-erp? Or was that before your time?

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--

Woodpeckers don't peck for no reason. They come back to places where tasty
bugs live. Have you sprayed the siding with insecticide?

otherwise -
Have you tried rubber toy snakes and/or owl decoys? Fake owls need a
movable head or even motorized wings. Stationary ones get ignored
eventually. Yellow glass eyes help. Farm supply stores often carry them.
Also - http://www.shopwiki.com/search/Owl+Decoy
Some places also sell hawk decoys.

Axel

Axel Grease wrote:
"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--

Woodpeckers don't peck for no reason. They come back to places where tasty
bugs live. Have you sprayed the siding with insecticide?

I think it is also for a mating call or something. When I was young we
had one rat-a-tatting on our tin roof for days . Nothing tasty there.


otherwise -
Have you tried rubber toy snakes and/or owl decoys? Fake owls need a
movable head or even motorized wings. Stationary ones get ignored
eventually. Yellow glass eyes help. Farm supply stores often carry them.
Also - http://www.shopwiki.com/search/Owl+Decoy
Some places also sell hawk decoys.

Axel





--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Social Security: World's biggest Ponzi Scheme.

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:13:45 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:


My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

Heed the noisy warning. Woodpeckers have detected insect activity
behind that siding. It's not the woodpeckers you need to worry about.
When you fix the real problem, they will go elsewhere to find food.

Mark & Juanita wrote in
:


My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having
them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small
inconvenience, it is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found
something (besides shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to
start) to get rid of them. My folks found the following:
http://www.kabatape.com but it's mighty spendy. I suppose I could
try real electrical fencing to accomplish the same thing by running
the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

As mentioned, the pecking is eiher to find food or to demonstrate that he
is/has the biggest pecker around. Sort of like the 18-year old cruising
around town in his convertible with the bass turned up WAY high ...

I don't know whether a recording of a woodpecker pecking would chase him
away, but that may make the problem worse too.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Mark & Juanita wrote:
My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

You did not say if there is one or several holes. I solved my
woodpecker problem as follows

I went into the antic one day and saw a big bird in a hole in the end of
the antic. I tried to cover it with metal, and the birds made another
hole below it. I though of all sorts of solutions; I liked the
guillotine idea but my wife said NO.

I was out in the garage and saw the cat cage. It was made of wire mesh
and the end opened to put the cat in. I took the cage into the antic
and placed it so both holes were in the opening of the cat cage.
Thinking that would only keep them from the antic, I then added a cookie
sheet with about a quarter inch of motor oil in it. To complete the
solution, I added mothballs to the oil.

The woodpeckers never returned, but I did have a problem explaining it
to the painters when I had the house painted.

"Axel Grease" wrote in message
ns...
"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having
them burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small
inconvenience, it is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found
something (besides shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to
start) to get rid of them. My folks found the following:
http://www.kabatape.com but it's mighty spendy. I suppose I could try
real electrical fencing to accomplish the same thing by running the hot
and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--

Woodpeckers don't peck for no reason. They come back to places where
tasty bugs live. Have you sprayed the siding with insecticide?

otherwise - Have you tried rubber toy snakes and/or owl decoys? Fake owls
need a movable head or even motorized wings. Stationary ones get ignored
eventually. Yellow glass eyes help. Farm supply stores often carry them.
Also - http://www.shopwiki.com/search/Owl+Decoy
Some places also sell hawk decoys.

Axel


They aren't necessarily *finding* bugs. They are searching for bugs as they
tap likely place which sound like there may be bugs there. (symantics) For
instance, My T1-11 siding is perforated everywhere there is a void in the
plywood. Not a flame, Axel. Just a note from my particular experience.
Why they keep returning to certain places is a mystery to me.

Have a look at: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/wp_about/
Cornell University has a lot of information about birds of all kinds.

Walter.


Keith nuttle wrote:
Mark & Juanita wrote:
My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having
them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small
inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.
You did not say if there is one or several holes. I solved my
woodpecker problem as follows

I went into the antic one day and saw a big bird in a hole in the end of
the antic. I tried to cover it with metal, and the birds made another
hole below it. I though of all sorts of solutions; I liked the
guillotine idea but my wife said NO.

I was out in the garage and saw the cat cage. It was made of wire mesh
and the end opened to put the cat in. I took the cage into the antic
and placed it so both holes were in the opening of the cat cage.
Thinking that would only keep them from the antic, I then added a cookie
sheet with about a quarter inch of motor oil in it. To complete the
solution, I added mothballs to the oil.

The woodpeckers never returned, but I did have a problem explaining it
to the painters when I had the house painted.

On Jan 12, 6:31 am, "C & E" wrote:
"Axel Grease" wrote in message

ns...



"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having
them burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small
inconvenience, it is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found
something (besides shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to
start) to get rid of them. My folks found the following:
http://www.kabatape.com but it's mighty spendy. I suppose I could try
real electrical fencing to accomplish the same thing by running the hot
and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--

Woodpeckers don't peck for no reason. They come back to places where
tasty bugs live. Have you sprayed the siding with insecticide?

otherwise - Have you tried rubber toy snakes and/or owl decoys? Fake owls
need a movable head or even motorized wings. Stationary ones get ignored
eventually. Yellow glass eyes help. Farm supply stores often carry them.
Also -http://www.shopwiki.com/search/Owl+Decoy
Some places also sell hawk decoys.

Axel

They aren't necessarily *finding* bugs. They are searching for bugs as they
tap likely place which sound like there may be bugs there. (symantics) For
instance, My T1-11 siding is perforated everywhere there is a void in the
plywood. Not a flame, Axel. Just a note from my particular experience.
Why they keep returning to certain places is a mystery to me.

You're absolutely right. They'll find the voids in the plywood siding
and tap away, bugs or no bugs. Tom

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:13:45 -0700, Mark & Juanita wrote:


My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

Find a log full of bugs and put it near your neighbor's house?


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Han wrote:
As mentioned, the pecking is eiher to find food or to demonstrate that he
is/has the biggest pecker around. Sort of like the 18-year old cruising
around town in his convertible with the bass turned up WAY high ...


About the same sized brains, as well.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

"mac davis" wrote in message
Find a log full of bugs and put it near your neighbor's house?

G You're bad!

Got some neighbours that you don't get along with Mac?

Mark & Juanita wrote:
My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.


*disclaimer: I am a bird lover, tree lover, animal lover, etc.*
When I moved into this house I had to repair two holes made by
woodpeckers. Within a month I caught one trying to make another hole.
He did not survive the experience.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Social Security: World's biggest Ponzi Scheme.

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:13:45 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them.

You might try feeding them something besides your shop.

Pecker like just about any suet feeder and anything that will hold
large sunflower seeds or peanuts.

We have a couple of wire tube feeders that we fill with mostly
sunflower seeds and peanuts. We get three different kinds of peckers
on them (not at the same time) and they never bother the house.

These feeders tubes are made of galvanized welded wire with about 1/4"
x 1/4" square holes about 18" long and bent into about a 3" tube.
There is a block of 2x wood at the top and bottom with a 3" hole saw
hole drilled about 3/4" deep into one side of each block. The wire
tube is tied together in the middle and the top and bottom inserted
into the slot made by the hole saw. A piece of cable runs through
the bottom block through the middle of the tube and through the top
block far enough for a hanging hoop to made at the top and far enough
so the pieces slide apart for filling.
Very simple but the peckers sure like it. It might be worth a shot.

Mike O.

wrote:
You might try feeding them something besides your shop.


Isn't that how the Mob works? :-)


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

I had this exact problem. I called the Audobon society and it has happened
enough that they connected me to a recording. The recording suggested
either hanging CD's near where the Woodpeckers did their damage or to put
aluminum foil on a 12" pizza cardboard and draw a pair of eyes and a mouth
with a marker on the aluminum foil. Not wanting my house to look like a joke
I chose the CDs and I have not had a problem since. I had two areas where
the woodpeckers did their damage so I hung two cds in each area. The CDs
were attached to each other in that CD number one hung from a string
attached to the house and CD number two hung from a string attached to CD
number 1. I assume the sun or light flashing off of the rotating CDs is what
scared them away. Given how may CDs are lying around my house, the cost was
$0.

On Jan 11, 11:13*pm, Mark & Juanita wrote:
* My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. * This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. *Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. *My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. *I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

* Any experience or ideas would be welcome. *

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

In Jacksonville, Fl. where I live the pileated woodpeckers (think
large woody the woodpecker size) can break hunks of cedar fascia
(rough cut 2x4 and 2x6) and siding off looking for something to eat.

I remember the 1st time I came home and found pieces of wood 2' long
laying on the ground and thinking kids must of been playing with
(sharp pointed) make believe swords. When my neighbor told me what
really happened I couldn't believe it until I went home and looked up
overhead and saw the damage.

Now to the point, The woodpeckers are drilling for carpenter bees
(large black and yellow bumble bees). The carpenter bees burrow holes
up into the center of the wood about 1/4" round and then they turn and
drill 8-10" into the length of the cedar.
Every spring when the larvae hatches the woodpeckers can hear them
because they eat their way out of the tunnels filled with whatever mom
packed for them to eat.The woodpeckers just bust pieces of wood off
until they get to their meal.
Since the carpenter bees return to the scene of the crime year after
year it gets worse not better.
We tried all sorts of poisons and none of them worked. We tried some
stuff that was guaranteed to kill the hatchlings because you stick a
nozzle in each tunnel opening (100's of them and not easy to get to
either. Lots under gutters.) and spray this goop in there and when the
hatchlings eat their way through it they will die. WRONG! Didn't work.

The next to best thing we did was stationed bad mitton rackets at
every exterior door. When the moms come to lay eggs you kill as many
as you can for about a 2 week period. Then when the eggs hatch and the
bees come out you can kill some more with the rackets until they
disappear to wherever they go to plot their revenge for you next
spring.

The rackets really did cut down on the numbers of bees and it was good
therapy to smash 4 or 5 of them every time you went outside. I
especially liked it when pieces of the bees were stuck in the racket.
(Not PC but what else can I say but the truth.)

We finally replaced all of the fascia boards that were so riddled with
holes when we had our shingles replaced. We actually replaced the
shingles sooner than we needed to just to get rid of the bee problem.
We timed it to remove the boards after the larvae had been laid.
(Almost) All of the trim was replaced with treated lumber stained
reddish brown to match the cedar.
I say almost because in spring some bees returned. They were supposed
to be hauled off to the dump with the larvae still buried in the wood
but I found out the following spring that the roofing company didn't
replace two of the fascia boards. When I talked to the contractor he
remembered that out of all of the fascia boards they removed there
were 2 that weren't riddled with holes to bad so he flipped them over
and used them again.
I felt like supergluing a woodpecker to his head.
In the end he did r & r those fascia boards for me.
Damn what a story! I wish I didn't know this story.
Robb Smith

"Knotbob" wrote

In Jacksonville, Fl. where I live the pileated woodpeckers (think
large woody the woodpecker size) can break hunks of cedar fascia
(rough cut 2x4 and 2x6) and siding off looking for something to eat.

I remember the 1st time I came home and found pieces of wood 2' long
laying on the ground and thinking kids must of been playing with
(sharp pointed) make believe swords. When my neighbor told me what
really happened I couldn't believe it until I went home and looked up
overhead and saw the damage.

Now to the point, The woodpeckers are drilling for carpenter bees
(large black and yellow bumble bees). The carpenter bees burrow holes
up into the center of the wood about 1/4" round and then they turn and
drill 8-10" into the length of the cedar.
Every spring when the larvae hatches the woodpeckers can hear them
because they eat their way out of the tunnels filled with whatever mom
packed for them to eat.The woodpeckers just bust pieces of wood off
until they get to their meal.
Since the carpenter bees return to the scene of the crime year after
year it gets worse not better.
We tried all sorts of poisons and none of them worked. We tried some
stuff that was guaranteed to kill the hatchlings because you stick a
nozzle in each tunnel opening (100's of them and not easy to get to
either. Lots under gutters.) and spray this goop in there and when the
hatchlings eat their way through it they will die. WRONG! Didn't work.

The next to best thing we did was stationed bad mitton rackets at
every exterior door. When the moms come to lay eggs you kill as many
as you can for about a 2 week period. Then when the eggs hatch and the
bees come out you can kill some more with the rackets until they
disappear to wherever they go to plot their revenge for you next
spring.

The rackets really did cut down on the numbers of bees and it was good
therapy to smash 4 or 5 of them every time you went outside. I
especially liked it when pieces of the bees were stuck in the racket.
(Not PC but what else can I say but the truth.)

We finally replaced all of the fascia boards that were so riddled with
holes when we had our shingles replaced. We actually replaced the
shingles sooner than we needed to just to get rid of the bee problem.
We timed it to remove the boards after the larvae had been laid.
(Almost) All of the trim was replaced with treated lumber stained
reddish brown to match the cedar.
I say almost because in spring some bees returned. They were supposed
to be hauled off to the dump with the larvae still buried in the wood
but I found out the following spring that the roofing company didn't
replace two of the fascia boards. When I talked to the contractor he
remembered that out of all of the fascia boards they removed there
were 2 that weren't riddled with holes to bad so he flipped them over
and used them again.
I felt like supergluing a woodpecker to his head.
In the end he did r & r those fascia boards for me.
Damn what a story! I wish I didn't know this story.
Robb Smith
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Which explains the popularity of plastic and cement based fascia boards now.
Particularly in warm climates. Anything an insect can eat into is a
candidate for some kind of subsitute that the bugs don't like. These non
wood items don't rot either.

Lee Michaels wrote:
"Knotbob" wrote

In Jacksonville, Fl. where I live the pileated woodpeckers (think
large woody the woodpecker size) can break hunks of cedar fascia
(rough cut 2x4 and 2x6) and siding off looking for something to eat.

I remember the 1st time I came home and found pieces of wood 2' long
laying on the ground and thinking kids must of been playing with
(sharp pointed) make believe swords. When my neighbor told me what
really happened I couldn't believe it until I went home and looked up
overhead and saw the damage.

Now to the point, The woodpeckers are drilling for carpenter bees
(large black and yellow bumble bees). The carpenter bees burrow holes
up into the center of the wood about 1/4" round and then they turn and
drill 8-10" into the length of the cedar.
Every spring when the larvae hatches the woodpeckers can hear them
because they eat their way out of the tunnels filled with whatever mom
packed for them to eat.The woodpeckers just bust pieces of wood off
until they get to their meal.
Since the carpenter bees return to the scene of the crime year after
year it gets worse not better.
We tried all sorts of poisons and none of them worked. We tried some
stuff that was guaranteed to kill the hatchlings because you stick a
nozzle in each tunnel opening (100's of them and not easy to get to
either. Lots under gutters.) and spray this goop in there and when the
hatchlings eat their way through it they will die. WRONG! Didn't work.

The next to best thing we did was stationed bad mitton rackets at
every exterior door. When the moms come to lay eggs you kill as many
as you can for about a 2 week period. Then when the eggs hatch and the
bees come out you can kill some more with the rackets until they
disappear to wherever they go to plot their revenge for you next
spring.

The rackets really did cut down on the numbers of bees and it was good
therapy to smash 4 or 5 of them every time you went outside. I
especially liked it when pieces of the bees were stuck in the racket.
(Not PC but what else can I say but the truth.)

We finally replaced all of the fascia boards that were so riddled with
holes when we had our shingles replaced. We actually replaced the
shingles sooner than we needed to just to get rid of the bee problem.
We timed it to remove the boards after the larvae had been laid.
(Almost) All of the trim was replaced with treated lumber stained
reddish brown to match the cedar.
I say almost because in spring some bees returned. They were supposed
to be hauled off to the dump with the larvae still buried in the wood
but I found out the following spring that the roofing company didn't
replace two of the fascia boards. When I talked to the contractor he
remembered that out of all of the fascia boards they removed there
were 2 that weren't riddled with holes to bad so he flipped them over
and used them again.
I felt like supergluing a woodpecker to his head.
In the end he did r & r those fascia boards for me.
Damn what a story! I wish I didn't know this story.
Robb Smith
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Which explains the popularity of plastic and cement based fascia boards now.
Particularly in warm climates. Anything an insect can eat into is a
candidate for some kind of subsitute that the bugs don't like. These non
wood items don't rot either.


Several years ago I was on the Girl Scout Council when they were redoing
the Scout Camp. We finalized all of the contracts and started to
work, when the State got involved and told us we must do an
environmental survey.

The State found we had Red Cockaded woodpeckers nesting on the site and
they were endangered. They told us how sensitive these birds were and
how the birds had to be protected from excess noise while nesting. They
gave us a long list of the things we could do and the times of day we
could do it.

We complied, after all the bird was on the endangered species list. We
told the contractors the conditions, and the job was completed, the
state was happy, the contractors were happy, we were happy, and the
girls had the renovated camp.

Later that summer, we got the news that there was a new nesting colony
of red Cockaded woodpeckers on the site. At that point we realized we
had forgotten to tell everyone about the state requirements for nesting
woodpeckers.

Not knowing the the requirements, the Red Cockaded woodpeckers decided
that a perfect place for a new nesting colony was in the tree outside of
the camp dining room where hundreds of little girls ate their daily
meals.

Axel Grease wrote:

"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having
them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience,
it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish
the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--

Woodpeckers don't peck for no reason. They come back to places where
tasty
bugs live.

In this case, they are pecking away for no reason. This is particle board
siding, there are no bugs inside or out. Some of this is the pecking to
attract a mate by making loud noises.

Have you sprayed the siding with insecticide?



otherwise -
Have you tried rubber toy snakes and/or owl decoys? Fake owls need a
movable head or even motorized wings. Stationary ones get ignored
eventually. Yellow glass eyes help. Farm supply stores often carry them.
Also - http://www.shopwiki.com/search/Owl+Decoy
Some places also sell hawk decoys.


I'll have to look for an owl with moveable head, they certainly aren't
intimidated by the stationary one. I won't keep rubber snakes about --
we've got too many of the real ones and I don't want anyone to become
complacent.


Axel

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

wrote:

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:13:45 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:


My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close
proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

Heed the noisy warning. Woodpeckers have detected insect activity
behind that siding. It's not the woodpeckers you need to worry about.
When you fix the real problem, they will go elsewhere to find food.

Nope, no bugs. This is a misconception regarding the idea that
woodpeckers only go after places with bugs inside. I've had them poke
holes through siding in a storage shed where there was absolutely no place
for bugs to be ensconced (i.e, composite board siding with nothing behind
it. As someone else pointed out, they peck for several reasons, one of
which is to attract a mate (not all of them can use the metal chimney at
the same time) and also because they hear voids or other returns that
indicate to them that there might be a bug inside that wood.


--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Keith nuttle wrote:

Mark & Juanita wrote:
My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having
them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience,
it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them. My folks found the following: http://www.kabatape.com but it's
mighty spendy. I suppose I could try real electrical fencing to
accomplish the same thing by running the hot and a ground wire in close
proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

You did not say if there is one or several holes.

Unfortunately, lots of holes, they are using the molding board along the
base of the trusses as a rest and pecking along the length of the shed.
They are doing similar things on my storage shed door and using the
vertical corner molding on another part of the shed. There are numerous
woodpeckers (it looks like about 1/2 dozen woodpeckers are involved in this
destruction).

I need to start looking at good filler material to repair the damage, but
I need to get rid of the pests first.


--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

wrote:

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:13:45 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having them
burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small inconvenience, it
is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found something (besides
shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to start) to get rid of
them.

You might try feeding them something besides your shop.

Pecker like just about any suet feeder and anything that will hold
large sunflower seeds or peanuts.

We have a couple of wire tube feeders that we fill with mostly
sunflower seeds and peanuts. We get three different kinds of peckers
on them (not at the same time) and they never bother the house.


Given that they seem to be attracted to the dog's food, I don't think food
is the issue here. I'm almost thinking that they are coming for the dog
food and staying for the entertainment provided by poking holes in my
buildings.





--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

"C & E" wrote in message
...

"Axel Grease" wrote in message
ns...
"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having
them burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small
inconvenience, it is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found
something (besides shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to
start) to get rid of them. My folks found the following:
http://www.kabatape.com but it's mighty spendy. I suppose I could
try
real electrical fencing to accomplish the same thing by running the hot
and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--

Woodpeckers don't peck for no reason. They come back to places where
tasty bugs live. Have you sprayed the siding with insecticide?

otherwise - Have you tried rubber toy snakes and/or owl decoys? Fake
owls
need a movable head or even motorized wings. Stationary ones get
ignored
eventually. Yellow glass eyes help. Farm supply stores often carry
them.
Also - http://www.shopwiki.com/search/Owl+Decoy
Some places also sell hawk decoys.

Axel


They aren't necessarily *finding* bugs. They are searching for bugs as
they
tap likely place which sound like there may be bugs there. (symantics)
For
instance, My T1-11 siding is perforated everywhere there is a void in the
plywood. Not a flame, Axel. Just a note from my particular experience.
Why they keep returning to certain places is a mystery to me.

Not read as a flame.. no problem.

It might help if we knew what kind of woodpeckers are at work drilling on
their shop.
Around here, we get everything from the huge Piliated woodpeckers to cute
little Downys.
In 50+ years in the hardwoods of the frozen North , I have never noticed
woodpeckers drilling deeply unless hungry.
Up here, they must eat a lot to stay warm and alive. Luring mates usually
has other forms of behaviour... nest making high up in trees, dances, or
shallow drumming on hollow limbs high up in trees... which resonate much
better than T-111 siding. Maybe Mark and Juanita don't have enough big
trees with dead limbs as an alternative for the local birds.

As for Gerald Ross, whose woodpeckers were banging on a tin roof... we do
get some birds doing odd things here too. Robins and Chickadees often fight
with their reflections in windows or even chrome vehicle bumpers... ducks
occasionally fly straight into picture windows too. But I always figure
those are exceptionally dumb individuals, or birds with bad eyesight.

Axel

Mark & Juanita wrote:

In this case, they are pecking away for no reason. This is particle board
siding, there are no bugs inside or out. Some of this is the pecking to
attract a mate by making loud noises.

That doesn't sound like a non-reason - humans do a lot of less than
reasonable things to attract mates...

Have you considered building a woodpecker/flicker drum for then to
hammer on?

:-)

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

Axel Grease wrote:


"C & E" wrote in message
...

"Axel Grease" wrote in message
ns...
"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

My shop has become a target for woodpeckers and I'm fighting having
them burrowing holes in the siding. This isn't just a small
inconvenience, it is becoming a major damage issue. Has anybody found
something (besides shooting them -- not wanting to try that method to
start) to get rid of them. My folks found the following:
http://www.kabatape.com but it's mighty spendy. I suppose I could
try
real electrical fencing to accomplish the same thing by running the
hot and a ground wire in close proximity.

Any experience or ideas would be welcome.

--

Woodpeckers don't peck for no reason. They come back to places where
tasty bugs live. Have you sprayed the siding with insecticide?

otherwise - Have you tried rubber toy snakes and/or owl decoys? Fake
owls
need a movable head or even motorized wings. Stationary ones get
ignored
eventually. Yellow glass eyes help. Farm supply stores often carry
them.
Also - http://www.shopwiki.com/search/Owl+Decoy
Some places also sell hawk decoys.

Axel


They aren't necessarily *finding* bugs. They are searching for bugs as
they
tap likely place which sound like there may be bugs there. (symantics)
For
instance, My T1-11 siding is perforated everywhere there is a void in the
plywood. Not a flame, Axel. Just a note from my particular experience.
Why they keep returning to certain places is a mystery to me.

Not read as a flame.. no problem.

It might help if we knew what kind of woodpeckers are at work drilling on
their shop.

I've got to research the species, but these are native to the Sonoran
desert.

Around here, we get everything from the huge Piliated woodpeckers to cute
little Downys.
In 50+ years in the hardwoods of the frozen North , I have never noticed
woodpeckers drilling deeply unless hungry.
Up here, they must eat a lot to stay warm and alive. Luring mates usually
has other forms of behaviour... nest making high up in trees, dances, or
shallow drumming on hollow limbs high up in trees... which resonate much
better than T-111 siding. Maybe Mark and Juanita don't have enough big
trees with dead limbs as an alternative for the local birds.


Yep. Not a lot of dead trees and branches, even in our desert (definitely
more lush than the Chihuahuan desert or Mojave, but buildings and yards are
more attractive to the birds.

As for Gerald Ross, whose woodpeckers were banging on a tin roof... we do
get some birds doing odd things here too. Robins and Chickadees often
fight with their reflections in windows or even chrome vehicle bumpers...
ducks
occasionally fly straight into picture windows too. But I always figure
those are exceptionally dumb individuals, or birds with bad eyesight.


Ours do that consistently during the spring and early summer.

Axel

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Morris Dovey wrote:

Mark & Juanita wrote:

In this case, they are pecking away for no reason. This is particle board
siding, there are no bugs inside or out. Some of this is the pecking to
attract a mate by making loud noises.

That doesn't sound like a non-reason - humans do a lot of less than
reasonable things to attract mates...

Have you considered building a woodpecker/flicker drum for then to
hammer on?

:-)


Got any plans?


--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

Mark & Juanita wrote:
Morris Dovey wrote:

Mark & Juanita wrote:

In this case, they are pecking away for no reason. This is particle board
siding, there are no bugs inside or out. Some of this is the pecking to
attract a mate by making loud noises.
That doesn't sound like a non-reason - humans do a lot of less than
reasonable things to attract mates...

Have you considered building a woodpecker/flicker drum for them to
hammer on?

:-)

Got any plans?

I'm willing to give it a try - but I'd bet that anyone with instrument
(for sound board) and/or speaker enclosure experience would be able to
do a lot better job.

Hmm - I haven't played with SketchUp for a week or so. Could be
interesting...

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

Mark & Juanita wrote:

Got any plans?

I gave it a shot. 'PeckerDrum drawing posted to ABPW.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

"Morris Dovey" wrote

I gave it a shot. 'PeckerDrum drawing posted to ABPW.

PeckerDrum??

Sounds painful.

Lee Michaels wrote:


"Morris Dovey" wrote

I gave it a shot. 'PeckerDrum drawing posted to ABPW.

PeckerDrum??

Sounds painful.

Everyone beats to a different drummer.
;-)
--
Froz...

Lee Michaels wrote:
"Morris Dovey" wrote
I gave it a shot. 'PeckerDrum drawing posted to ABPW.

PeckerDrum??

Sounds painful.

Personal problem. If it sounds painful, you probably shouldn't.

:-]

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/