On Fri, 17 Jun 2005 03:06:38 GMT, Jon Kraus
wrote:

Just had our annual last month and I dug what seemed like 10 pounds of
birds nest out of the tail of our Mooney. I can't believe that the damn
birds can even get in there but they did.

Tonight I was getting ready to punch some holes in the sky and had my
little Jack Russell Terrier with me. She loves to go out to the airport
and search for chipmonks and such. This time I was almost done with the
preflight when I noticed Jackie freaking out back by the tail. I looked
in where she was pointing to and saw 4 little mouths open waiting for
some worms or what ever the hell baby birds eat. Luckily they were
right where an inspection cover is so I removed it and sure enough 10
more pounds of crap shaped like a nest and 4 baby birds are in there. I
removed the mess and buttoned up the tail and went flying.

If the nest is like crap, or more precisely, like clay, they are Barn
Swallows and once those suckers find a spot they like there is
absolutely nothing you can do to keep them out except eliminate them.

Although, if you had a way of just putting a single mothball back
there it would most likely keep them and any bees out.

OTOH I don't know about the advisability of mothballs (Naphtha) in an
Aluminum, or fiberglass tail cone.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com


When I landed I made a post flight amendment to my pre-flight checklist.
It now reads:
Check with Jackie for no birds

:-)

Jon Kraus
Birdless '79 Mooney 201