[Strawbale] Wood Peckers & Strawbale

[Andrew Morrison]

Dot,
	Be careful that you leave ventilation when replacing the bird
blocks.  I assume that is your plan, but you don't specifically say so in
your email.  If you eliminate your ventilation to the rafters, you will
cause significantly more damage to your hoe than the flickers would have.

Andrew

Andrew Morrison, General Contractor
A.C. Morrison Construction, LLC
Specializing in Straw Bale Construction 
Andrew at StrawBale.com 
(541) 899-1818             
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-----Original Message-----
From: strawbale-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:strawbale-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Dot Rhodes
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 11:21 AM
To: kyle at volsoft.com; Strawbale
Subject: Re: [Strawbale] Wood Peckers & Strawbale

Kyle,
    I have had generations of Northern Flickers attacking the birdboards and

rafters of my strawbale home since I moved in seven years ago. The first 
attempt at keeping them out of the eaves was to replace the original 
screening with 1/8" hardware cloth. A determined Flicker can go through that

in about one week. The next step was to cover the birdboards on the outside 
(not very attractive) with either hardware cloth, 1/8" or 1/4", diamond 
stucco wire or small chicken wire. A determined Flicker will take a month or

two to peck through the latter two types of wire. A friend living at a lower

elevation had some success in discouraging Gila woodpeckers by placing flat 
round stones in the bird board openings until the birds got discouraged and 
left the house alone.
  A couple of years ago I installed a Flicker nest box about 20 feet from 
the house and have left a number of dead oaks for them to drill into but 
they prefer the eaves.  My plan is to enclose the eaves with Hardy cement 
board soffit and either replace or cover the fascia with Hardy fascia.
    Good luck.
Dot 



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