Oh, and I've also found that a hard whack of a large bamboo cane on the side of the house soon shoos them away - even if they do decide to come back later. Maybe they'll get fed up of being shooed away and once they're forced to find somewhere else when the mesh is up hopefully it'll keep my garden cleaner and quieter!!
Ok, so here's an update on the pigeon problem!! I had some guys from a company called Renergy solutions come and fit some wire mesh to the underside of my solar panels. All seemed well, it hardly took them any time at all and they did it efficiently. However!!!!! The little critters are finding a solution to get back underneath even after the mesh has been fitted. They are more clever than I thought! They found a weak spot in the mesh and seems they have pushed and pushed until the mesh gives a bit in the middle where there are no ties and yes they have now managed to get back under. You can only tie in the mesh at given points along the solar panels so not to damage them. There are only one or two birds but in time I will have a colony of birds like before. So the company are coming back in two weeks to refit it and try to problem solve to avoid the issue happening again. But at least there is less noise and mess even though the problems are not completely solved! I have seen many perplexed pigeons now trying their luck under next doors solar panels so the issue is just one house away! If anyone is thinking of getting solar panels make sure you think of potential issues before putting them up and protect your roof, it becomes a bit of a nightmare otherwise!!! In my opinion pigeons are as much a pest as rats!! Rats with wings!! If they didn't breed so rapidly and cause so much mess maybe I'd like them a little bit more??
In France, new rules state that solar panels have to be flush with the roof tiles. Apparently it's less obtrusive, less liable to damage in strong winds and the newer PVs have heat exchange thingummies incorporated to extract energy from air trapped under the panels.
Not helpful for your pigeon problem but worth considering by anyone considering PVs.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Mine are pretty tight up to the roof tiles but as the tiles are ridged there are gaps for pigeons to get under, finding a nice cozy place to nest. But if the roof tiles were flat like slate then it would be easier to get it flush on the roof to prevent gaps for rats with wings!!
I find it odd. We had PVs in Belgium and no starlings and no pigeons. They were fitted above the roof tiles.
We've enquired here and the whole system of permissions, installation, specs is different and much more logical and has the extra feature of heat exchange. Clever stuff. Just waiting for techy reports on feasibility. I shall ask about pigeons.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Pigeon update: since last year I've had an issue with pigeons under my solar panels. A little while ago I had someone come to fit (a so called permanent solution!) Plastic spikes that I have since seen in wickes as a cheap option for bird control. However, this so called permanent solution had pigeons back under in in less than a week! We watched them easily push their way through the spikes! They didn't even need a gap. I think this solution would probably work on a flat roof but mine has deep ridges in the tiles so they can easily push the spikes in the lowest dip of the tiles to get in. Hence the guys are due back next week to problem solve this again. It is a nightmare, poop everywhere, noise that can send even the most patient of people to go insane. 😥 I'm hoping the guys can fit something else on top to make it pigeon proof. Has anyone else had a similar issue with pigeons and if so how did you deal with it?
I would think hardware cloth cut to shape and held in by silicone glue, etc. would be a good DIY solution. This image doesn't account for your tiles, but you could trim the wire to fit.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
There are only one or two birds but in time I will have a colony of birds like before. So the company are coming back in two weeks to refit it and try to problem solve to avoid the issue happening again. But at least there is less noise and mess even though the problems are not completely solved!
I have seen many perplexed pigeons now trying their luck under next doors solar panels so the issue is just one house away! If anyone is thinking of getting solar panels make sure you think of potential issues before putting them up and protect your roof, it becomes a bit of a nightmare otherwise!!! In my opinion pigeons are as much a pest as rats!! Rats with wings!! If they didn't breed so rapidly and cause so much mess maybe I'd like them a little bit more??
Not helpful for your pigeon problem but worth considering by anyone considering PVs.
We've enquired here and the whole system of permissions, installation, specs is different and much more logical and has the extra feature of heat exchange. Clever stuff. Just waiting for techy reports on feasibility. I shall ask about pigeons.