I netted raptors and owls for a few years with ornithologists and a
big net with wide holes is used and it is draped so they hit and
"fall" into the folds. Birds need to get their wings ensnared or they
just fly off. I have had my pond netted for years and other than a
morning dove who persisted until they got under the net and drowned I
have had nothing else caught in the netting. it is plain "bird"
netting used all over the world and is not meant to actually catch
birds but keep them off of stuff.

we used leather gloves and grabbed the legs right above the feet, then
took the netting off the wings. At the raptor center I worked at they
conned me into hanging onto a Golden Eagle, hanging onto the feet (the
dangerous part of the bird) while they were doing some procedure to
it. Knowing what the talons can do to human flesh (our head
ornithologist got nailed by an owl one night because he tried to take
it out of the net at night... alone) I had a death grip on those legs.
It is doable.

netting is the only really reliable way to protect fish in a pond.
Ingrid

On Tue, 29 May 2007 00:23:49 CST, wrote:


Ak!
No, I don't think a bird of prey will bounce off
a net. They come down with talons out to grab
their prey. More than likely you've never had one
visit. They are pretty smart birds.

I found this bit of info ~
Care must be taken when selecting and designing both temporary and permanent exclusion systems. Failure to do so can result in systems that are ineffective, cumbersome to work around, and a hazard to either the birds or the fish enclosed.
Selection of proper materials is of critical importance. Use small (1-
to 2-inch mesh) wire or net to exclude all birds, but avoid finely
textured netting that may entangle birds on contact.

Personally I would never net my ponds. Too dangerous for the dogs and
neighborhood cats and any bird, mouse or snake who stops by. My pond
is structured so that is not that easy for the neighborhood heron or
visiting kingfishers.
Also we don't have the big water snakes like in some parts of the
country and only one raccoon visit and they got treed much to their
dismay.

k :-)