Tuesday, January 10, 2012

This one is for the birds....

The running joke in my house the past couple of months is that the husband hears things (as opposed to seeing dead people). He asked me if I heard what sounded like birds chirping. I did not, and chalked it up to my husband loosing his mind earlier then expected (and who would blame him, right?) He said it sounded like it was coming from the vent above the microwave/stove and usually started when he turned on the fan while cooking.

While sitting in my living room this morning, I hear this big THUD above the microwave/stove. The sound of one, if not more, birds trying desperately to get out of an area they don't belong in. As if on queue, my 85 pound German Shepherd chimes in and makes his feelings of disapproval known by barking hysterically. I have birds chirping, a dog barking at a bird chirping, a bird banging itself into the walls. It had to be something out of a comedy movie.

So you might as yourself: "Who would I call to get a bird out of my walls?" No, not Ghostbusters. After Googling just that, I called a local pest place. They do not "do birds". I asked if she knew of anyone that did, she did not.

After another Google search, I found a semi-local company with raving testimonials on their website for the removal of birds in walls. I called and was able to get an apt. in the afternoon.

The "bird man" showed up,and we determined what vent the bird may possibly be flying into. He hoisted up on a ladder against the house and with a camera shoved down the vent, saw only minimal nest making material. He commented multiple times about how it's "early" in the year for birds to be nesting in vents of homes, and I was actually his first "bird" call. One thing I didn't think of to prove that a bird was indeed flying in this vent to make a home, while not paying rent, was bird droppings on the side of the house where the vent is. There was a little, which indicated that the birds hadn't been visiting long. We decided the best course of action would be to put some mesh wiring over the vent and that should be enough to keep it out (there was no evidence that a nest/eggs had been set up yet, therefore trapping potential baby birds).

Within 10 minutes of the bird man leaving, I hear pecking on the side of the house where the vent is. I sneak outside, very quietly, to try to catch said bird in action and sure enough..there was a bird trying to peck through the mesh which is now blocking its attempt at squatting in my walls.

Non-rent paying, squatting birds: 0 Owner of the Big Red House: 1

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