To Kill a Mockingbird

National Guard · May 2004

How do you get rid of a Mocking bird? One has decided to make its home in a tree right outside our bedroom window. Every night at 10:30 the bird goes off. Starts talking away and stays noisy until the sun comes up in the morning. My husband and I am not getting much sleep at night. Any ideas how to get the bird to go some where else?

I can't waith to get a full night's sleep.xl-)

Don D · May 2004

Put your husband out there under the tree at night. It's against the law to kill a mockingbird in this state!

mcmel · May 2004

Shadowfax may have some ideas for you . . . he was working on a Groundhog last week. See his post for some tips.

Parabeagle · May 2004

Don't you remember what Atticus Finch said? It's a sin to kill a mockingbird. x:-)

AnneHa · May 2004

Evidently, your bird has not found a mate yet. When he does, he will shut up. Try eHarmony.com.

Anne in Ohio

Cinderella · May 2004

th-up x:P

Gillian3 · May 2004

You and your husband could get night jobs?

System · May 2004

Get a cat.

National Guard · May 2004

Actually, we do have a cat. Alas he seems to prefer bunnies. Quite frequently deposits them at our back sliding glass door. I think I like Don's idea - put my husband out there. Hmmm. I also like getting a night job. I tried throwing apples and whatever I could find at the tree last night. The bird would be quiet for about 5 min and then of course start right up again.

rad · May 2004

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-24-04 AT 02:51PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Can't you just shoot it?

<<edit>>OK, I'm beginning to recognize that may seem a bit abrupt, but I am completely serious, I am not a bird lover at all. Being in the city I deal with a pigeon problem and many people put plastic owls on their roof decks and porches to keep the problem poopers away. Maybe that would work for your mockingbird.

mcmel · May 2004

Is that what those plastic owls are for? Are birds that dumb? x;-)

Parabeagle · May 2004

What would you use, Mel? Plastic lighthouses? x;-)

rad · May 2004

Yes, they are that dumb. Which reinforces my original suggestion.

Don D · May 2004

Pigeons are not real birds. Pigeons are turds. It is against the law to kill a mockingbird. They're our state bird. Mocking birds do not typically sing at night. This may be either a gynocological problem or some sort of urinary tract infection (for the bird of course). See if you can have a vet come by and work this out. A small light in the area will move him/her along to another yard. Or your husband on a cot out there under an appropriate blanket, snoring, will surely convince the peaceful yodeler to move along. My message for the day is, "Shoot a Democrat, not a bird", or if you're averse to that, Shoot a Democrat the bird. x:-)

Parabeagle · May 2004

We conservative Democrats object to your suggestion, Don. x:-)

rad · May 2004

Uh, ya, we sure do. Oh well, I guess I can rest easy knowing where Don WON'T be at the end of July. Oh, wait, Don. Was it your Forum picture I saw with a circle and a slash through it and the warning "Do not let this bottle tree loving, motorcycle riding man off the Mass Pike between July 24-28" all over the Massachusetts toll booths? x;-)

Parabeagle · May 2004

Y'know, Rad, I'm sure glad I'm not in Boston. I got really irritated when John Kerry visited Portland last week and interfered with my commute home to the point where I was pushing through Kerry supporters in a not-very-nice fashion and using not-so-nice language while I listened to Kerry yammer on and on over a loudspeaker.

If I were in Boston during the convention, I'd probably REALLY be in a foul mood! x;-)

rad · May 2004

I am dreading this convention. Luckily I can walk to work but for those who drive or take the T (public transportation), its going to be a nightmare - highways closed, T stations closed, & parking bans. Companies are being encouraged to allow 50% of their workforce to take that week off but how can a business be run that way? Never mind that Boston is home to so many hospitals, certainly hospital workers need to get to work.

I plan on locking myself in my apartment for 4 days, I live in a tourist spot as it is. Our mayor better hope he runs unchallanged again. Boston is way too small for something like this and, to be honest, most Bostonians would prefer to not have so much publicity. We simply want to go about our business with as little fanfare as possible.

Whatever · May 2004

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-25-04 AT 08:22AM (CST)[/font][br][br]I'd tell you to visit NYC, but we're going to have the same problems in August. But, at least, your get the democrats. x;-)

karenosi · May 2004

Cats are no good against mockingbirds. I have seen those birds torture my cats. You could try a plastic snake, but get one that looks real. My dad uses them to keep birds out of his veg. gardens. Mockingbirds are the most irritating birds.

Cinderella · May 2004

I like the idea of the fake snake. Some people who live a couple blocks from me have a wooden cut out of a YETI in their garden (or, my interpretation of a Yeti I suppose...). It works like a charm. It's pretty funny too. x:)

National Guard · May 2004

Yeah, some one at work here suggested a fake snake. Told a hilarious story about when she used to deliver mail and a bird kept insisting on building a nest right in the mail box and one day she opened up the box to put the mail in and saw a snake! She had already jumped out of the mail truck before she realized it was fake. So, I went to WalMart last night to bue a rubber snake but they didn't have one. I'll have to go out again tonight and try to find a rubber snake from some where. Let you all know how it goes. The bird was still busy squaking away last night. I also called the DNR and asked them if it was illegal to shoot him. Haven't heard back from them yet.

I wonder if I put a card board cut-out of John Kerry under the tree - if that would scare the bird away. It certainly would scare me!

safety · May 2004

OK, I think I have the answer, cut down the tree. O=*

Shadowfax · May 2004

Safety, you get the prize! Quick; efficient; sure. I'm embaressed I didn't think of the obvious. Take the rest of the day off!

safety · May 2004

If I didn't have this blasted AAPlan in the works I would do just that but thanks for the suggestion. I think I will take off early though and hit the ol fishin hole. x;-)

swbpr · May 2004

I feel your pain. My boyfriend has had a mockingbird outside his bedroom window, at night, singing away for the past FEW WEEKS...I think he may have finally found a mate or a new yard. Haven't heard him lately, but I also stopped staying over since it started....VERY DISTURBING!!

Don D · May 2004

The 'mothers with sons' on The Forum will caution you that your boyfriend's momma is the one who put that bird outside his window!!!

safety · May 2004

Your boyfriend has found a new mate?x:o

National Guard · May 2004

OK-update- Have had no success in buying a fake snake. Went to several stores - all sold out (a lot of people use them this time of year around their pools!) or don't carry them. They are federally protected - native of all north american states. DNR had no suggestions how to deal with them.

At this point I am hoping either 1)all the cicada bugs will overtake his tree. 2) the cicadas are getting louder each passing day and mayber their steady humming will drown out the bird or 3) maybe the bird will eat too many cicadas and die!

To Kill a Mockingbird

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