Pond Predator Unk
 

I came home to something unusual today. There was a decapitated goldfish,
about the size of my hand, laying on the bank of the pond, with the head
nearby, both underneath the bird netting I'd placed over the pond to keep
out leaves. It's the typical black netting, about 1 inch squares, that I've
used for years. The netting will get weighted down with leaves and will rest
on/near the pond's surface until I shake them off and pull it back taut
above the water's surface.

The head looked cleaning severed. The body wasn't in too bad shape, a few
scales missing but I didn't notice any puncture marks on it before I placed
it in it's final resting place, the mulch pile.

I'm thinking GBH. Got frustrated that it couldn't pull the fish through the
netting and flew off, though I would have expected there to be more damage
to the fishes body. Maybe got tangled in the netting and took off? Maybe it
was spooked in my driving up and flew off before it had much time to make a
meal out of it's kill.

Any other ideas from the group?

This is a first in my 10 years of ponding.

TIA

JB

Pond Predator Unk
 

"JB" wrote in message
m...
I came home to something unusual today. There was a decapitated goldfish,
about the size of my hand, laying on the bank of the pond, with the head
nearby, both underneath the bird netting I'd placed over the pond to keep
out leaves. It's the typical black netting, about 1 inch squares, that I've
used for years. The netting will get weighted down with leaves and will
rest on/near the pond's surface until I shake them off and pull it back
taut above the water's surface.

The head looked cleaning severed. The body wasn't in too bad shape, a few
scales missing but I didn't notice any puncture marks on it before I
placed it in it's final resting place, the mulch pile.

I'm thinking GBH. Got frustrated that it couldn't pull the fish through
the netting and flew off, though I would have expected there to be more
damage to the fishes body. Maybe got tangled in the netting and took off?
Maybe it was spooked in my driving up and flew off before it had much time
to make a meal out of it's kill.

Any other ideas from the group?

I'm with you. I would suspect a GBH. They killed some of mine trying
to pull them through the netting. The net has to be about 18" above the
water.


This is a first in my 10 years of ponding.

TIA

JB

Pond Predator Unk
 

I knew that my fish population looked down when I started removing all the
dying vegetation from the summer growth a few weeks ago. I'm guessing a GBH
has been a frequent visitor but unnoticed by me until last week after
putting up the netting. I did have a couple of GBH sightings last winter so
it's not a surprise. Not welcome either! ;-(

"ReelMcKoi" wrote in message
...

"JB" wrote in message
m...
I came home to something unusual today. There was a decapitated goldfish,
about the size of my hand, laying on the bank of the pond, with the head
nearby, both underneath the bird netting I'd placed over the pond to keep
out leaves. It's the typical black netting, about 1 inch squares, that
I've used for years. The netting will get weighted down with leaves and
will rest on/near the pond's surface until I shake them off and pull it
back taut above the water's surface.

The head looked cleaning severed. The body wasn't in too bad shape, a few
scales missing but I didn't notice any puncture marks on it before I
placed it in it's final resting place, the mulch pile.

I'm thinking GBH. Got frustrated that it couldn't pull the fish through
the netting and flew off, though I would have expected there to be more
damage to the fishes body. Maybe got tangled in the netting and took off?
Maybe it was spooked in my driving up and flew off before it had much
time to make a meal out of it's kill.

Any other ideas from the group?

I'm with you. I would suspect a GBH. They killed some of mine trying
to pull them through the netting. The net has to be about 18" above the
water.


This is a first in my 10 years of ponding.

TIA

JB

Pond Predator Unk
 

something in the weasel family. they always start by chomping off the head. INgrid

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:27:21 EST, "JB" wrote:
I came home to something unusual today. There was a decapitated goldfish,
about the size of my hand, laying on the bank of the pond, with the head
nearby,
Somewhere between zone 5 and 6 tucked along the shore of Lake Michigan
on the council grounds of the Fox, Mascouten, Potawatomi, and Winnebago

Pond Predator Unk
 

Case solved. GBH standing by the pond when I woke up this morning. sigh


wrote in message
...
something in the weasel family. they always start by chomping off the
head. INgrid

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:27:21 EST, "JB" wrote:
I came home to something unusual today. There was a decapitated goldfish,
about the size of my hand, laying on the bank of the pond, with the head
nearby,
Somewhere between zone 5 and 6 tucked along the shore of Lake Michigan
on the council grounds of the Fox, Mascouten, Potawatomi, and Winnebago

Pond Predator Unk
 

"JB" wrote in message
m...
Case solved. GBH standing by the pond when I woke up this morning. sig
h


As long as they see fish in your pond you will never get rid of them.
One GBH cleaned out a small pond full of beautiful shubunkins in one
morning. The way that pond was set up I couldn't net it like I did the
larger ponds. I gave up and filled that pond it.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

Pond Predator Unk
 

GBH seen pond side this morning. Here we go again. sigh


"ReelMcKoi" wrote in message
...

"JB" wrote in message
m...
Case solved. GBH standing by the pond when I woke up this morning. sig
h


As long as they see fish in your pond you will never get rid of them.
One GBH cleaned out a small pond full of beautiful shubunkins in one
morning. The way that pond was set up I couldn't net it like I did the
larger ponds. I gave up and filled that pond it.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

Pond Predator Unk
 

On Fri, 1 Jan 2010 09:21:57 EST, "JB" wrote:

GBH seen pond side this morning. Here we go again. sigh

Why I started leaving my screens on all winter. Predator protection, a bit
of insulation that holds the heat in, keeps winter flying debris out. Lots
less worry for me... #1. ;-) ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Pond Predator Unk
 

~ jan wrote:
On Fri, 1 Jan 2010 09:21:57 EST, "JB" wrote:

GBH seen pond side this morning. Here we go again. sigh

Why I started leaving my screens on all winter. Predator protection, a
bit of insulation that holds the heat in, keeps winter flying debris out.
Lots less worry for me... #1. ;-) ~ jan

Herons have been around for about 15 million years. A lot longer than us.

The government saying we can't kill, hurt or scare them ensures they'll
still be here when we're gone. ;-(

Happy ponding in 2010!

--
Nick, KI6VAV. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their
families: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ Thank a Veteran!
Support Our Troops: http://anymarine.com/ You are not forgotten.
Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~ USMC 1365061

Pond Predator Unk
 

Lucky me - two GBHs yesterday. Leaf netting remains until the spring though
I did manage to lose one fish in spite of this. The GBH was unable to pull
the fish through the netting and I found it, decapitated, lying on the
pond's edge, underneath the netting.


"Nick Cramer" wrote in message
...
~ jan wrote:
On Fri, 1 Jan 2010 09:21:57 EST, "JB" wrote:

GBH seen pond side this morning. Here we go again. sigh

Why I started leaving my screens on all winter. Predator protection, a
bit of insulation that holds the heat in, keeps winter flying debris out.
Lots less worry for me... #1. ;-) ~ jan

Herons have been around for about 15 million years. A lot longer than us.

The government saying we can't kill, hurt or scare them ensures they'll
still be here when we're gone. ;-(

Happy ponding in 2010!

--
Nick, KI6VAV. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their
families: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ Thank a Veteran!
Support Our Troops: http://anymarine.com/ You are not forgotten.
Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~ USMC 1365061

Pond Predator Unk
 

"JB" wrote in message
m...
GBH seen pond side this morning. Here we go again. sigh
-----------------------

They were the bane of our lives until we netted the ponds. Now with no
fish, they stopped coming around. I'm selling off all my pond stuff
including the Lotus. We'll be moving before next winter. I'll leave
the ponds in the ground with water pumps to keep them from stagnating.
Everything else is going.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

If its practical, perhaps rebar could be placed over the pond, it could be used to make an a-frame, or flat...

Cover that with plastic and you have both predator, and a cold frame to improve winter protection, at a time when fish are more vulnerable to predators

While your fish are behind bars and under a cover, Mr GBH won't be able to know they or the pond is there, let alone catch anything even if they do...

A bit drastic, but doable

Regards, andy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21940871@N06/
http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/adavisus/