Device to keep birds off the top of the mast

[relamb]

I was in a marina with hundreds of barn swallows that made their mud nests up under the concrete docks.  They would set on my lifelines and poop all over the boat.  Nothing worked to keep them away except....
Tying some lines between the pilings away from the dock.  They would then set on those lines and poop in the water, instead of on the boat.  They had a better view from there, and I wasn't always disturbing them.  I've noticed in FL there's a problem with ospreys sitting on peoples masts and breaking their windex and of course pooping all over the boats.  Seems they prefer the tallest mast in a group.  So dock next to a boat with a much taller mast, and they don't set on yours!

[Mas]

Guess we have been fortunate as no bird or other critter issues so far. I also presume that the critters don't like "mobile" homes, i.e. those that move a lot. Seems a good preventive measure might be sailing frequently. Thats my plan and I'm sticking to it!

[relamb]

Read an article about a guy making a southern ocean passage, and a bird stayed with him and rested on his lifelines for a couple of weeks.  But by that time, maybe you could have the bird potty trained.

[HeaveToo]

If he was single handed he probably talked to that bird for the entire time.  LOL.  After a while with little to no contact with other people you will start talking to everything!

What really sucks is that the owner of my marina LOVES ducks.  He feeds them.  There is so much duck crap on the docks at times it is nuts.