Ducks in BCV Quiet Pool

[disney4me4ever]

I'm curious as to if this problem has been addressed by BCV management.

Today was a very hot day; this a.m. I overheard one pool employee call someone because apparently the level of duck "bacteria" was high. A guy then came out with some kind of vacuum-like equipment and took care of "removing" the problem.

Tonight while walking back from dinner, DH and I noticed 3 distinct "piles" (compete with skid marks, so obviously some poor swimmer had an unfortunate experience) in the pool and called Housekeeping. Personally I think this is disgusting; I don't want to swim in a duck toilet. Is there nothing that can be done?

 

[CarolA]

Yes, Disney can hire hunters who will shoot the ducks.

Of course the new head line will be "child shot by Disney hunters" Or "I didn't sleep at all due to constant gunfire"

Or Disney can put chemicals in the water to kill the ducks.

Next post "Child dies after swallowing poisin water at Disney" or "ASPCA sues Disney for animal abuse"

No, realistically there's NOTHING you can do. If you have bodies of water birds are coming to visit.

 

[JimMIA]

Ducks leave very high levels of "bacteria!" In fact, if you visit an area with duck farms, you'll often find traffic warning signs telling you to roll up your car windows. If you don't heed the signs, you'll soon regret it!

When we stayed at BCV, the concept of swimming in duck poop struck me the same way it strikes you. It's not true that nothing can be done, but if Disney tried behavior modification techniques, everyone would howl.

 

[Pinoy]

Perhaps a guest can call the management and persuade them to seek the services (aid) of GATORADE. You know, the alligator hanging around the canal behind the quiet pool. See...GATORADE is there for a purpose.

 

[JenSop]

I saw them clean it regularly (every morning) when we were there last summer. Also saw the ducks. Didn't freak me out. Swam there every day.

Then again, I grew up swimming in ponds and lakes (still do), so it doesn't really phase me.

 

[fishermouse]

First the snakes are trying to eat Mickey now hunters are going to shoot Donald, whats to become of Disney

 

[JimMIA]

Then again, I grew up swimming in ponds and lakes (still do), so it doesn't really phase me.

In a natural body of water, there are abundant plants which filter most of the nasty stuff out of the water. In a pool, you have to depend on the accuracy of the "scoopers" and the chemicals. Big difference.

OP was talking about the quiet pool, but our duck encounters were at SAB, in the sandy beach toddler area...probably not the best place for ducks. That area has shallow, still water that lends itself to localized contamination.

 

[DizGirl20]

I was wondering the same thing. We were staying at WL March '08 and there were ducks swimming in the pool... also saw them in OKW pools as well this past January '09. You're right, it is gross. Disney seems to have a handle on bug/insect control. Why can't they institute duck control!

 

[jade1]

I was wondering the same thing. We were staying at WL March '08 and there were ducks swimming in the pool... also saw them in OKW pools as well this past January '09. You're right, it is gross. Disney seems to have a handle on bug/insect control. Why can't they institute duck control!

Yea, its not just BCV thats for sure.

 

[Anal Annie]

Short of screening in the pools I sorta doubt there's anything that could be done to keep the ducks out (since they fly ya know). We saw the baby ducks swimming at VWL last year. I really don't think there is much to be done. They would have to hire a FT "duck shooer awayer" staff!!

I live in the DC suburbs and there are Canadian Geese that live near a local mall and which routinely cross major roads with their little broods. Traffic just has to stop and wait for them. Not sure what the Mom is thinking that she thinks 5:00 rush hour is a good time to waddle through a 4 lane street. But hey. The local authorities put up crossing signs rather than shoot them. The local deer population also don't seem to think about their actions when they jump into a 12 lane highway either. I'm just not sure what these wild animals are thinking!? I agree that they don't seem to have our best interests in mind tho! It must be a plot!!

 

[Lisa P.]

I have not noticed this problem at other area resorts' pools but it's common at Disney resorts. Just wondering if this is because there's so much food (especially french fries) eaten at the Disney resort pools by children who love to feed the ducks. Or if it's because Disney's Deluxe and DVC resorts are all lakeside, close to duck nesting areas. Is this as much of a problem at the Disney Value hotels or those on the Sassagoula River?

I agree that, while the pool-swimming ducks are lovely to watch, I don't want them actually in the pool where I want to swim too.

 

[Jeremy&Susan]

We were at SSR last December and the Lifegaurds had to close it for Bacterial Issues and there were no Ducks Around.

There were some small kids however. I think the duck hunter policy would not be as well accepted if you applied it evenly to all sources of bacteria.


Oh and BTW, Carol please start up a decaf regiment. I think the boards are getting to you. Keep the love.

 

[Deb & Bill]

People intruded on their environment. The wildlife didn't intrude on ours. And as people continue to toss bread, fries, etc to the widelife, they will hang around.

Pinoy, there used to be a gator at the BCV and I would see the ducks swimming around it all the time. I think they removed it a few years ago because it was getting bigger and a greater threat.

Where I work, we have a problem with pigeons roosting in areas where their deposits cause a worksite hazard. We installed a sound system of sorts that makes various noises throughout the day. You can reset the sounds to different ones every so often, but it only takes the pigeons a few days to figure out they aren't going to be attacked and killed by that eagle or whatever.

 

[Conan the Librarian]

The answer is stop feeding them. (as posted above) If people would stop feeding the birds, they would go somewhere else.

It's cute to feed the animals, but, not only does it bring them around and cause a problem, it changes thier feeding habbits and can actually harm them.

It's like I told the guy on the Boardwalk the other day "If you want to Kill the bird, don't feed it, just strangle it, it's quicker and less painful." He stopped and actually thougth about it.

 

[JimMIA]

They would have to hire a FT "duck shooer awayer" staff!!

That's pretty much what you'd have to do -- haze the ducks. Hazing works well in some situations, but it works much better on individual animals (sometimes too well) than on a whole bunch of mobile birds like ducks. They wouldn't need additional staff, probably, but it would be very time-consuming...and almost certainly would not be well-received by guests.

The other option would be owl or hawk decoys like you see in marinas, but I don't know how well they work with ducks.

If you did get rid of the ducks, we'd likely be reading "Where have the cute duckies gone?" threads!

 

[CarolA]

There were some small kids however. I think the duck hunter policy would not be as well accepted if you applied it evenly to all sources of bacteria.


:

Well, think how much more peaceful the pools would be!

The office park I used to work in tried "hazing" Geese. It was HYSTERICAL! They had people trying to chase the geese off. Geese are rather agressive. The geese not only didn't leave they started attacking the hazers.... kind of a reverse action occured here. (They actually started with "shooting the geese" which is legal during hunting season but NOT in the city limits as someone pointed out.)

I do think that "feeding" is a huge problem at Disney. People visiting Disney just love to feed the birds... Birds aren't that dump. They come where the food is easy to find (and bring friends LOL!)

 

[JimMIA]

The answer is stop feeding them. (as posted above) If people would stop feeding the birds, they would go somewhere else.

It's cute to feed the animals, but, not only does it bring them around and cause a problem, it changes thier feeding habbits and can actually harm them.

It's like I told the guy on the Boardwalk the other day "If you want to Kill the bird, don't feed it, just strangle it, it's quicker and less painful." He stopped and actually thougth about it.

Yep. "A fed animal is a dead animal."

To give you an example, I was out in the heart of the Everglades in an airboat on Monday. In an area where commercial airboat tours operate, I spotted a medium-sized alligator (8-9 feet) sunning on the bank of a canal. As soon as I got close, he came into the water and swam right up to the boat (within 1 foot). He'd obviously been fed because alligators usually flee airboats.

A little further down the canal, we came upon a mother alligator with babies. The babies did the same thing -- swam to within inches of the boat. Again, that just doesn't happen in the wild.

And just a few yards further, I stopped because I spotted a Purple Gallinule in the bushes. Birders know Purple Gallinules as incredibly beautiful, but very shy, birds.

Gallinules walk on top of water plants, and that darn bird walked right over to the boat. He was soon joined by another gallinule, and then they both jumped onto our airboat! We had to chase them away.

I had a whole load of rangers on the boat, so we obviously were not feeding the wildlife. But somebody is.

I'd be willing to bet that within a few months, we'll have to go back out there and destroy that adult alligator because it has gotten too aggressive and has become a threat...all because people fed it to get a picture that was easy to get without feeding the animal. It won't be the first fed animal to be destroyed, and it won't be the last.

 

[spiceycat]

First the snakes are trying to eat Mickey now hunters are going to shoot Donald, whats to become of Disney

needed a laugh - thanks!

 

[spiceycat]

Disney could do what the airport do - hire a few dog handler - sheppard would well at getting rid of birds

or bird handlers - a real eagle or hawk - especially if it looks like it is hunting - would work.

these birds are well trained and generally don't really kill their 'prey'. just scare them.

golf course use them too. haven't noticed a bunch of birds on Disney's golf courses?

think they use feeders to keep them away? okay that make no sense.

 

[CarolA]

Disney could do what the airport do - hire a few dog handler - sheppard would well at getting rid of birds

or bird handlers - a real eagle or hawk - especially if it looks like it is hunting - would work.

these birds are well trained and generally don't really kill their 'prey'. just scare them.

golf course use them too. haven't noticed a bunch of birds on Disney's golf courses?

think they use feeders to keep them away? okay that make no sense.

So now we have dogs roaming the resorts chasing the birds? And really as was shown recently airports haven't exactly solved the problem.

(And response will be "my child is terrified of dogs and the bird dogs terrorized him and I want a million dollars" Remember that at airports there are not suppose to be humans out there)

Disney does feed the birds.. Look at AK, but they seem to like French Fries and chips better!