🦫 Kawartha Lakes

Regional Overview:

Kawartha Lakes is a sprawling region filled with interconnected lakes, scenic rivers, winding forest roads, and charming towns. It’s a popular destination for seasonal residents and cottagers from across Ontario, but many also live here year-round. With its abundance of waterfront properties, seasonal cottages, farmland, and forested landscapes, the region provides ideal conditions for wildlife to thrive — and often, to enter homes unnoticed.

Vacant cottages, aging buildings, and remote structures are frequent targets for raccoons, squirrels, bats, and rodents, while shoreline areas attract geese, gulls, beavers, and muskrats. As a result, Kawartha Lakes experiences some of the highest rates of animal entry damage and long-term nesting issues, especially during the spring and fall.

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Towns and Communities Serviced:

• Core and Surrounding Communities: Lindsay, Little Britain, Oakwood, Cambray, Valentia, Dunsford

• Rural and Farmland Areas: Woodville, Argyle, Glenarm, Kirkfield, Victoria Road, Bexley

• Cottage and Waterfront Regions: Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Rosedale, Cameron, Burnt River, Coboconk, Norland, Head Lake

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Common Wildlife and Bird Issues & How We Solve Them:

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🦇 Bats in Rafters, Gables, and Attics
Seasonal cottages and rural homes often have older wood structures or exposed rafters, which provide perfect roosting zones for bats. These colonies often go unnoticed until bat droppings accumulate or activity is heard at night.

Our Solution:
We install bat cones or bat valves during Ontario’s legal exclusion periods, allowing bats to exit unharmed while preventing re-entry. Once the bats have left, we seal and screen all potential roosting areas, including attic vents, gables, and under metal roof edges. For properties with droppings accumulation, we offer guano cleanup and attic sanitization.

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🦝 Raccoons in Attics, Crawlspaces, and Seasonal Homes
Raccoons are highly active in Kawartha Lakes — especially in waterfront and forest-edge cottages. They commonly enter attics through loose soffits or shingle gaps, and are known to den under buildings left unused.

Our Solution:
We perform a thorough inspection and install one-way raccoon doors at active entry points. Once confirmed empty, we reinforce all openings with galvanized flashing or mesh. If insulation is damaged or contaminated, we offer attic restoration and odor control.

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🐿️ Squirrels in Cottages and Roof Cavities
Red squirrels are extremely destructive in Kawartha Lakes, often entering through gables, eaves, or gaps in log and board-and-batten siding. Their chewing can lead to structural damage and fire hazards from exposed wiring.

Our Solution:
We locate all access points and install squirrel-sized one-way exits. After confirming they’ve vacated, we seal and reinforce entry holes using chew-resistant flashing. On seasonal homes, we also recommend pre-winter inspections to prevent overwinter nesting.

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🦨 Skunks Under Decks, Boathouses, and Cabins
Skunks often den under seasonal buildings, particularly if the structure sits on blocks or has ground clearance. You may not know one is there until they spray or begin digging under the floor.

Our Solution:
We trench and install a buried screening barrier with a one-way exit for the skunk to leave safely. Once it's vacated, we fully close and screen the perimeter to stop future access, and deodorize as needed.

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🐁 Mice and Rats in Cottages and Trailers
Rodents are extremely common in seasonal homes that remain unoccupied for long periods. Mice can enter through tiny holes in floors, doors, and siding and often nest in walls or furniture over the winter.

Our Solution:
We perform a detailed exclusion inspection to locate all gaps. Rodent-sized one-way doors are installed as needed, followed by sealing with steel mesh, caulk, and weatherproof materials. For occupied rodent zones, we also provide trapping and sanitation, and advise on seasonal sealing strategies.

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🦦 Beavers and Muskrats Damaging Docks and Shorelines
Along rivers and lakes, beavers and muskrats can undermine shoreline integrity by building lodges or burrows beneath docks, retaining walls, and boathouses.

Our Solution:
We assess the shoreline to determine access points and install exclusion screening or fencing to protect vulnerable structures. In persistent problem areas, we offer wildlife deterrents and partner with licensed trappers if needed (as allowed by local regulations).

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🐦 Birds in Vents, Soffits, and Rafters (Starlings, Sparrows)
Birds often nest in dryer vents, under soffits, and even in rafters of open-frame cabins or boathouses. Their nests can lead to ventilation blockages, mite infestations, and significant mess.

Our Solution:
We carefully remove inactive nests and install bird-proof vent covers or one-way bird tubes if active. We screen rafters, gables, and soffits with fine galvanized mesh to prevent access while maintaining airflow.

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🕊️ Pigeons on Roofs, Boathouses, and Waterfront Structures
Pigeons frequently gather on boathouse rooftops, barns, and marina buildings, where their droppings damage surfaces and attract insects.

Our Solution:
We install spikes, netting, and ledge deterrents, and clean affected areas using safe disinfectants. Where pressure is high, we may recommend ongoing deterrent maintenance during the warmer seasons.

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🪿 Geese and Seagulls on Lawns, Docks, and Parks
Geese and gulls are commonly found on cottage lawns, around docks, and in public park spaces, where they leave droppings and sometimes behave aggressively.

Our Solution:
We provide visual and motion-based deterrents, shoreline barriers (where applicable), and custom exclusion solutions for high-use areas. We also offer seasonal maintenance packages for waterfront properties under repeated bird pressure.

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Every Situation is Unique

Kawartha Lakes presents a wide mix of homes — from seasonal waterfront cabins to multi-generational farmhouses. That’s why every wildlife problem here requires its own plan. At Mitchell’s Nuisance Wildlife Solutions, we approach each job with custom strategies based on the species, structure, and season — providing long-term protection, even when the property is vacant.