OK, this is becoming a daily occurrence, a GBH flying up and perching on a
tree limb high above the pond or strolling around the pond perimeter. No
real danger now because the pond is covered with netting and the fish are
resting comfortably on the bottom of the pond. My 3,000 gallon pond is 18"
at it's shallowest but I'm guessing that any fish in this range is a
tempting target for the GBH. Here's my question: How big a fish will the GBH
eat? I have three Koi that will go over 10 lbs each, surely they aren't at
risk, are they?

JB wrote:

OK, this is becoming a daily occurrence, a GBH flying up and perching on a
tree limb high above the pond or strolling around the pond perimeter. No
real danger now because the pond is covered with netting and the fish are
resting comfortably on the bottom of the pond. My 3,000 gallon pond is 18"
at it's shallowest but I'm guessing that any fish in this range is a
tempting target for the GBH. Here's my question: How big a fish will the
GBH eat? I have three Koi that will go over 10 lbs each, surely they
aren't at risk, are they?

Herons don't seem capable of telling how big a fish they can manager. They
have been known to skewer some pretty big fish (though 10lbs sounds bigger
than anything I've heard of) and leave them dieing beside the pond when
they realize they can't fly off with them.
--
derek

"JB" wrote in message
...
OK, this is becoming a daily occurrence, a GBH flying up and perching on a
tree limb high above the pond or strolling around the pond perimeter. No
real danger now because the pond is covered with netting and the fish are
resting comfortably on the bottom of the pond.

If he can reach them through the netting he will kill them although not able
to pull them through the net. The GB here has killed several of my
beautiful goldfish. They pull on them and pull on them before giving up,
leaving the fish paralyzed and sliced into their flesh. Then they try
another,.... just to leave it dying in the tank and go after another. They
probably manage to manipulate the smaller ones through the netting. He put
a deep gash in my Goldie's head a few weeks ago. She's at least 10 years
old and quite large. They're strong enough to flip a large fish onto the
ground. Rip off their fill and leave the rest to rot. We're having a
serious problem here with this bird.

My 3,000 gallon pond is 18"
at it's shallowest but I'm guessing that any fish in this range is a
tempting target for the GBH. Here's my question: How big a fish will the
GBH eat? I have three Koi that will go over 10 lbs each, surely they
aren't at risk, are they?

Indeed they are. The GBH can do enough damage through a net to cause the
fishes death even if it can't flip the fish onto the bank. These birds are
bad news to fish keepers.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

That's how my neighbor lost 2 Koi.
Speared them and then dropped them.

"Derek Broughton" wrote in message
...
JB wrote:

OK, this is becoming a daily occurrence, a GBH flying up and perching on
a
tree limb high above the pond or strolling around the pond perimeter. No
real danger now because the pond is covered with netting and the fish are
resting comfortably on the bottom of the pond. My 3,000 gallon pond is
18"
at it's shallowest but I'm guessing that any fish in this range is a
tempting target for the GBH. Here's my question: How big a fish will the
GBH eat? I have three Koi that will go over 10 lbs each, surely they
aren't at risk, are they?

Herons don't seem capable of telling how big a fish they can manager.
They
have been known to skewer some pretty big fish (though 10lbs sounds bigger
than anything I've heard of) and leave them dieing beside the pond when
they realize they can't fly off with them.
--
derek

"Reel McKoi" wrote:
"JB" wrote in message
[ . . . ]

I mounted my netting 2' above the surface of the pond , which was up to 4'
deep. After netting, I had no more losses from GBH (San Fernando Valley).

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!
I've known US vets who served as far back as the Spanish American War. They
are all my heroes! Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not
forgotten. Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~

"Nick Cramer" wrote in message
...
"Reel McKoi" wrote:
"JB" wrote in message
[ . . . ]

I mounted my netting 2' above the surface of the pond , which was up to 4'
deep. After netting, I had no more losses from GBH (San Fernando Valley).
=======================
Yes, that's what I did with my in-ground ponds but I can't do that above my
720g grow out tanks. I would have to raise the sides 2' with hardware cloth
or 4x2" X 4' fencing. That's a big job and not cheap. The nets are only
about 6" above the surface of the water. The GH reaches right through the
netting and grabs them, then kills them trying to force them through so he
can swallow them.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

In article ,
Nick Cramer wrote:

"Reel McKoi" wrote:
"JB" wrote in message
[ . . . ]

I mounted my netting 2' above the surface of the pond , which was up to 4'
deep. After netting, I had no more losses from GBH (San Fernando Valley).

This is what my budddy in Sedona does.

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

We used to have a rhyme that went:

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck all he could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck
wood.

I think the same principle applies to

How many fish would an heron catch if an heron could catch fish?

Jim

"Reel McKoi" wrote:
"Nick Cramer" wrote in message
"Reel McKoi" wrote:
"JB" wrote in message
[ . . . ]
I mounted my netting 2' above the surface of the pond . . . .
=======================
. . . I can't do that above my 720g grow out tanks. . . .

The ones I got were similar to these, but higher. I think I got them at
Home Depot.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KE4U8Y?...xtag-kitchen-m
p-20&linkCode=asn

http://tinyurl.com/2fx52l (same)

My pond was 8' x 8' x 2' to 4'.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!
I've known US vets who served as far back as the Spanish American War. They
are all my heroes! Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not
forgotten. Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~

"Nick Cramer" wrote in message
...
The ones I got were similar to these, but higher. I think I got them at
Home Depot.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KE4U8Y?...xtag-kitchen-m
p-20&linkCode=asn

and

http://tinyurl.com/2fx52l (same)

That's what I use around the inground ponds. They wont work on the above
ground tanks.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

In article ,
Nick Cramer wrote:

"Reel McKoi" wrote:
"Nick Cramer" wrote in message
"Reel McKoi" wrote:
"JB" wrote in message
[ . . . ]
I mounted my netting 2' above the surface of the pond . . . .
=======================
. . . I can't do that above my 720g grow out tanks. . . .

The ones I got were similar to these, but higher. I think I got them at
Home Depot.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KE4U8Y?...xtag-kitchen-m
p-20&linkCode=asn

http://tinyurl.com/2fx52l (same)

My pond was 8' x 8' x 2' to 4'.

I was thinking that another cheap way to make a cage for the netting
would be to construct it out of pvc pipe.
You get the gray (electrical) PVC and a bunch of elbows, and you can one
that also dismantles easily.
I'm going to try this for mine and will post pix.

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

In article
,
Phyllis and Jim wrote:

We used to have a rhyme that went:

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck all he could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck
wood.

I think the same principle applies to

How many fish would an heron catch if an heron could catch fish?

Jim

You can tuna fish but you can't tuna heron.

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

In article ,
"Reel McKoi" wrote:

"Nick Cramer" wrote in message
...
The ones I got were similar to these, but higher. I think I got them at
Home Depot.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KE4U8Y?...xtag-kitchen-m
p-20&linkCode=asn

and

http://tinyurl.com/2fx52l (same)

That's what I use around the inground ponds. They wont work on the above
ground tanks.

Don't know what above ground tanks look like other than squares, you
just add height to base.

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

Kurt wrote:
[ . . . ]
I was thinking that another cheap way to make a cage for the netting
would be to construct it out of pvc pipe.

I have a friend who builds almost anything out of PVC pipe. Ingenuity is
the key!

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!
I've known US vets who served as far back as the Spanish American War. They
are all my heroes! Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not
forgotten. Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~

http://tinyurl.com/2fx52l (same)

My pond was 8' x 8' x 2' to 4'.

I was thinking that another cheap way to make a cage for the netting
would be to construct it out of pvc pipe.
You get the gray (electrical) PVC and a bunch of elbows, and you can one
that also dismantles easily.
I'm going to try this for mine and will post pix.

Since GBH don't seem to be able to step over things, seems a run of heavy
duty fish line at knee height a foot from the pond would discourage it,
along with the netting, couldn't walk in close enough, and wouldn't fly
right down beside it. I could be wrong..... But it is cheap, and gardening
stakes would be all that is needed to assemble. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us