Keeping bird droppings off your boat or dock
Harbors seem home to every flying 'dumpster' there is - gulls, cormorants, Canada geese, mallards, and a variety of other little chirpsters that love to park on the boat. I have seen all kinds of remedies that don't work (rubber owls, snakes, scary faces, etc) - but never thought much about it, as the birds never seemed to bother our spot - until this last summer. We were invaded by a flock of English Sparrows that had taken up residence in an abandoned boat house near our slip, and they relished in leaving the boathouse, flying the short trip to our starboard rail, parking, and (you know the rest!). The owner told me many times that during the week, there were often so many birds on this rail, there wasn't room for any more - and the rail is 35' long!
Here’s a solution that I found works better than most I’ve tried, a simple, easy to install, and inexpensive gimmick that really works - PINWHEELS. You know - those little spinning things on the end of a stick you had as a child, that would spin in the breeze. They cost all of a dollar (or less) each, and I use 2-3 on each side, plus one on the bow pulpit. Figure out a way to attach them to the rails (I use Velcro cable ties), and just stick them on before you leave the boat -takes about 2 minutes total. The lightest breeze will make the little buggers spin like crazy - and the birds hate them. It worked so well that the marina uses them too around the marina, and the idea has caught on with other boaters in the area.
This won't prevent the flying bombers from doing their fly-bys, but it will and does keep roosting birds off the boat, especially decks and topsides. It might also work on swim platforms and transoms - haven't tried.