The Basic Raft
The Basic Raft
The basic raft consists of a base and an avian guard made from trap wire. Plantings can be as minimal (camouflage cloth and nesting materials only) or as elaborate (moss, ferns, sedges and small shrubs growing inside the avian guard) as desired. Chicken wire can be attached across the back as a mammalian guard. Without planting materials, the raft weighs about 35 lbs.
Components
Base
The base for the basic raft measures 32” x 48” x 4.5.” It consists of a trap wire shell that is filled with two layers of 2” x 4” x 32” oyster floats. Extra stiffening is provided by eco composite beams. Securing a plastic mesh to the floor of the raft with edges upturned along the insides of the avian guard protects chicks from getting stuck, and provides a barrier to protect the foam beams below. A materials list and assembly instructions are here.
Extra-wide base: If a wider raft is desired, an additional 4” of width can easily be created by ordering trap wire that forms a box that is 36 x 48 x 4.5 (shown). This gives the birds a bit more room, and allows space for drainage channels around the exterior of the nest in sites where wakes or wave action are a problem. .
Avian Guard
The avian guard is formed by bending a sheet of trap wire over the top of the raft. It is scaled to create a center height of 27” above the floor of the raft. It is first attached to one side of the base using hog rings. Then, placing the attached side against a building, log, or sturdy vertical surface, the wire is bent over the top and hog-ringed in place on the opposite side. Shade can be provided by attaching camouflage shade cloth, live plants and/or cedar boughs to the avian guard.
Mammalian Guard
A mammalian guard may be created by closing off one of the two ends of the raft with chicken wire. On Kezar Lake, we have found this appears to significantly reduce mammalian predation. We have not had any incidences of loons rejecting a platform they had used previously due to the sudden addition of the mammalian guard. In all cases, we left the open side outward facing, so that it is the land-facing side (behind the bird’s back when on nest) that is enclosed.
The guard is made from chicken wire, stretched over the back opening, shaped and trimmed so that the ends of the chicken wire can be wrapped and secured around the trap wire lip to create a sturdy surface. This seam is reinforced with zip ties or sewn in place with additional wire. Excess chicken wire shown in the photo on the left can be trimmed away.
