They were not happy, I wasn’t that happy either having to climb onto the roof which is over 5m above ground level. I bought a new ladder which folds into many different shapes and forms. It stands at 1.5m to begin with but can extend to 5.8m which is just enough to get me onto the roof.

I tied the ladder to the house but I still wasn’t brimming with confidence, but once I was up on the roof and getting down to business it felt a bit easier……..it’s just the getting on and off the ladder which is a bit dodgy.

I have 6 solar panels lying flat on the roof and another 5 in a row behind angled at 40°. There are three pidgeons in all that frequent my roof and they have made a nest right under the flat solar panels where there is a gap of about 140mm. The amount of shit that was under there was disgusting. There was also a large nest made from mud,sticks and plenty of shit by the look of it. it was in such an awkward place that I could not really get at it and so I had to use some old tongs, small shovel and a stick to try and break it down. I then got the hose and blasted it as best I could. I would have removed about 2 bucket loads of nesting material and the remains of a bird. There were at least two eggs which got washed out onto the lower roof and were then keenly eyed by “Magpie” The debris got washed out onto the lower roof and made it’s way to the water tank where I then had to scrape a few inches of shit and crap of the strainer, much of it over flowing onto the garden.

The first day they did not come too close to the house but did a few laps doing fly overs to see what was going on. Last night however just around dusk I heard them come and land on the roof but I was ready for them. I blasted them with the hose and the three of them took off in hasty retreat and flew west to another roost, but I don’t think the battle is won just yet……..the pidgeons are determined creatures and will try to sneak back when I’m not watching. When I first moved in many years ago there were a pair of pidgeons here and these could very well be the same ones. it took a long time and many hours of fixing shade cloth to areas of the house to prevent them from taking up residence so I am expecting that this will take more than two days of work to discourage them but it is a start. But I’ve been away from the house for four years and so I guess they thought it was as good an opportunity as any to move back.

I am not too keen in getting back up on the roof all that often, especially at this time of the year when the westerly winds are very strong making it difficult to be climbing about and exposed roof, but I think I will have to get back up later in the week to put some shade cloth around the edge of the panels like a skirt to try and prevent them from returning. I don’t want to have to climb up here week after week as it’s not the safest place to be.

If I could maybe make a deal with “Magpie” to patrol the roof top for a small fee, I would be happy to feed him if he sorted out those blasted pidgeons because I have seen him taking a few pot shots at them in the past so it would be a good deal for both of us……………………