I had an elderly neighbor just like yours. We had an epidemic of starlings (or grackles) that crapped all over everything...they were roosting in the trees. The old lady called animal control and they told her to play loud rock music and they would go away. She stopped me after work and told me and said I was the only person she knew with loud rock music. So, I put my speakers on the porch and sure enough in a couple days the birds were gone. The next time I played my music...she called the police!