Saturday, May 31, 2014

Talkin Pool School: Ducks!!!

Ducks!!!

There's always a couple of pools that seem to be nice "vacationing" spots for ducks. There's seem to be more ducks "vacationing" this season than usual.

Remedies:  Actually, the only ones that work are not feasible in a community pool, or are illegal. Based on research, while many swear hanging tin pie plates from trees, using fake animals (owls, snakes, fox) and all sorts of creative methods, the ducks quickly find that they pose no threat and return.

So, since using a pellet gun or some instrument to cause their demise and using a swimming dog to scare or catch them is not an option, they will move on when bather load increases and there's just more activity in the community.

Over the years, I have found another key contributor...homeowners. It only takes one animal lover to be throwing out bread to the cute little duckies before the ducks realize this is a terrific place to hang out.

DO NOT FEED THE DUCKS!!!!

Pool sanitation: It certainly isn't pretty but we keep the chlorine levels a bit high in these instances. Unless it gets unreasonable to manage, we keep the pool open and filtering. It is, however, a judgement call. We clean the deck as best we can, knowing that we clean the pool, five minutes after we leave the ducks return.

If anyone living next to the pool would take every opportunity to make noises and chase the ducks away it would probably help, though with people working, the ducks just lounge during the day if there are no bathers.

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