Thanks for sharing. This is great, but it does not apply to me. I get the willies just watching videos of people climbing those big towers. Can you say "Acrophobia"? Not just 'no', but HELL no. Nope, nope nope...
I think that's the same thing as moth balls, but much easier to find these days. Good suggestion. I did not know that... ?
Let'em go after THIS puppy;-) (Say hello to EVE--the critter and predator deterrant.) Now if I can just get her to the top of those towers....
Surely climbing with a " large stick" would be dangerouse for anyone on the ground if it was dropped.... It could fall end first with enough force to squewer a person through his plastic hat... Or bounce off parts of the mast and change trajectory at the last moment making it a hard projectile to avoid. Surely a simple bird scarer, would be safer.
Dropped objects are a big concern around tower work no matter what the object being handled. I have seen close calls, one is too many. But the dangers can be mitigated. This is why the pro's at NATE, who produced the #Climber Connection series of videos like the one in the OP or others seen in this thread, made a specific instructional episode to cover "Dropped Object Prevention" (see below). It highlights the use of tool lanyards, tool attachment points, and sealable tool buckets. Items that tower climbing hams should consider paying respect and making more investments in (includes me). This video is also noteworthy for featuring Danielle Meyers, who proves that tower climbing is not just an activity or profession for OM's. 73 and STAY SAFE !! John WØPV
Osprey are protected in NY. One commercial cell tower near the ocean that the State used had a nest on top. Environmental Conservation advised that, during nesting season, besides NO CLIMBING, no one can work ON THE GROUND if the birds on top begin to display agitated behavior. Drones weren't in common use when our antennas were installed, but I would assume today that close-in drone inspections of the nest would be considered illegal harassment.
Humans can be an odd lot. I remember hearing about some of the local RC airplane guys chasing crows around with their planes. It was both humorous and disturbing at the same time. But I'm a fine one to be pointing fingers, as I also remember one tormented cat's futile efforts to catch the dot of a laser pen wielded by yours truly... On a more pleasant note, here's one of the NY state's protected osprey N1YR spoke of atop a perch in the Adirondacks: http://alienjeff.net/osprey_nina.jpg not far from my campsite. (Photo by Nina Karhnak) They are truly magnificent creatures and far better fisherman than me.
I really don't see an issue here. Just post large signs on all sides of the tower top stating: "Warning Bird Nesting or Roosting Prohibited This Structure" and in Red Crayon across the bottom, AND THIS MEANS YOU ! That will take care of those pesky Birdies... Circa 1981 or so my parents home on a Lake South of St Cloud, MN. Family on the deck enjoying Dogs and Burgers off the BBQ when the Father Unit looks up and states in total astonishment and quite colorfully W** is this all about! In the yard our nice shiny new glistening 160' Rohn 55G with assorted antenni sporting 4 levels of guys. PERCHED by we can only estimate at minimum 1000+ to several thousand of the absolutely largest martins we'd ever seen. Ole' Doggy Daddy had moved house to house since we were youngsters proudly installing his Montgomery Ward Catalog Martin House at each home, never to attract martins but skanky breeds that required massive scrubbing and sanitizing each fall before storage. TWICE a day that summer those birds returned to what they probably thought was a perfect STAGING POINT before chow call... It was exciting to watch them take off and feed. a huge swarm swooping across the lake, and along the huge 40 acre pasture that was behind the house... Where they resided at night was an unknown... These things would never have fit inside Dad's 24 room Martin Mansion... Bird notes... Martins eat many times their weight per day in mosquitoes, so supposedly they are desired birds to have around in a state like MINNESOTA where every tourist trap sells Tee Shirts with a picture of a giant Mosquito and the words "Minnesota State Bird" brazened across the breast.... Birds that eat many times their weight, also Take a MASSIVE POO within several seconds of liftoff. When you have thousands of them taking off at once, you can hear Poo hitting the grass coming right at you... I recommend running as fast as you can 90 degrees to their flight path. The Black Roof of the House was WHITE!!!! Sidewalks and deck White, Tennis Court White but a very slippery white.... Tower? GAAK! Key Points... Never look up or you will get splatted in the face. Without looking up you will get splatted anywhere else... Also even with eating several times their weight in Skeeters / Day... Humans are still going to be eaten alive at Dusk by Mosquitoes no matter what. Even thousands of those birds won't even make a dent in the skeeter population... By the end of the summer, Father Dearest removed his BIRD HOUSE, and it was never installed anywhere else again.... Should be a scene from Christmas Story.... Way to ruin a day was getting dumped on while leaving first thing to work, school, JOB interviews, or anywhere else. Spin around go right back in the house and change... Possibly shower & wash hair... or while working on the tower with all your bestest friends over listening to everybody whine... Whenever the birds congregated after that a REALLY big twang of one of the guy wires would create the most spectacular starburst departure... The next year thank goodness they did not return. So I'm sticking with the Warning Bird Nesting or Roosting signs did their job... Once the critters departed did life semi-returned to normal... Two ham locations later we were snagging Crop Dusters instead of Birds . sigh Erika DD
I've witnessed three incredible carpet bombings by Great Blue Herons flying by. It's truly something to behold...and remain out of the line of fire.
