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Old 14-04-2003, 04:20 PM
NTL News
 
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Default Grey Heron Question



Does anyone know what range of fish an adult grey heron can take...?

Last year I lost a 5" golden rudd to the winged hunter, I also had a 9" koi
suffer injury. I am pleased to say that the koi responded to treatment, I
did feel a fool on my knees holding a fish in a wet towel spreading
antiseptic on its wounds.

Recently I have seen a few herons fly over but so far no visits. The fish
are pretty big now, mostly over 12" long.. even my orfe are this size.. I
can't believe the heron has not seem them so I wondered if the bird just
thought they were too big...




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Old 14-04-2003, 05:21 PM
K30a
 
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Default Grey Heron Question


Having bird brains I think many times herons will strike on automatic and not
consider if dinner will fit down their throat.
There was a heron in the San Juan islands in my state, WA, who struck at a
turtle and ended up with the poor turtle stuck on his beak as the heron's beak
went in one leg hole and out the other.
Herons have been known to court *female* heron decoys and attempt to skewer
*male* heron decoys.

Good luck and I hope he doesn't come back!
If he does, netting, a waterspray motion device or an electric dog fence are
ways to try and stop him.


k30a
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Old 14-04-2003, 07:08 PM
Bonnie Espenshade
 
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Default Grey Heron Question

NTL News wrote:
Does anyone know what range of fish an adult grey heron can take...?

Last year I lost a 5" golden rudd to the winged hunter, I also had a 9" koi
suffer injury. I am pleased to say that the koi responded to treatment, I
did feel a fool on my knees holding a fish in a wet towel spreading
antiseptic on its wounds.

Recently I have seen a few herons fly over but so far no visits. The fish
are pretty big now, mostly over 12" long.. even my orfe are this size.. I
can't believe the heron has not seem them so I wondered if the bird just
thought they were too big...





Last year I lost a 10-12" koi to a heron. It didn't swallow
the fish, I scared it off before it had the chance. It was
too late to save the fish though. Apparently the fish was
stabbed before the heron tried to swallow it and the injury
was to severe. I had my ponds netted for several months.
The bird has yet to return - I've been watching and waiting.
They are creatures of habit and it was here daily for quite
awhile.

--
Bonnie
NJ
http://home.earthlink.net/~maebe43/


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Old 15-04-2003, 03:44 AM
Justin
 
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Default Grey Heron Question

"NTL News" wrote in message ...
Does anyone know what range of fish an adult grey heron can take...?

Last year I lost a 5" golden rudd to the winged hunter, I also had a 9" koi
suffer injury. I am pleased to say that the koi responded to treatment, I
did feel a fool on my knees holding a fish in a wet towel spreading
antiseptic on its wounds.

Recently I have seen a few herons fly over but so far no visits. The fish
are pretty big now, mostly over 12" long.. even my orfe are this size.. I
can't believe the heron has not seem them so I wondered if the bird just
thought they were too big...


From what I've heard from others, the question is "Does anyone know
what range of fish an adult grey heron can NOT take?". It seems that
even if the fish is too big to eat, it (the heron) will try anyway
even if the meal is a failure. Too bad it won't put the food back
where it got it if the fish is too big.

Justin
http://www.geocities.com/justinm090
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Old 15-04-2003, 03:44 AM
Jerrispond
 
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Default Grey Heron Question

I have lost fish over 18 inches to herons....I don't think they can swallow
them that large, but they have flown off with them.... the alligator decoy
doesn't work either (nor does the heron decoy)had one visit a few times this
spring, but have only lost goldfish and shubunkins to frogs and snakes.....no
fish taken by herons so far.....Jerri

http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond


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Old 15-04-2003, 11:08 AM
adavisus
 
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Default Grey Heron Question

"NTL News" wrote in message ...
Does anyone know what range of fish an adult grey heron can take...?

Last year I lost a 5" golden rudd to the winged hunter, I also had a 9" koi
suffer injury. I am pleased to say that the koi responded to treatment, I
did feel a fool on my knees holding a fish in a wet towel spreading
antiseptic on its wounds.



Heres a few notes collected from observations and other folks
experience

1) predator nets, cheaper than losing koi, downside, local animals can
get trapped in it, snared. Not very pleasant explaining to your
neighbour why their pedigree cat or dog lost its life or leg through
strangulation

2) suspend strong fish line taut, 12" around the pond, herons hate
trip wires. An elegantly simple way to baffle a dim fishbag on stilts,
it often works, many folk have reported seeing herons 'baffled' this
way....

3) step up cover within the pond... water lilies.... big bits of pipe,
float large sheets of black polythene, hiding places... for fish.
Surprisingly, many black plastic objects, when submersed become
virtually invisible, in a natural setting, so the idea of this clutter
in pond is not as bad as it sounds. I like this method, it creates a
lot of hiding places, and makes it very difficult for the likes of
persistent racoons when they raid.... useful in winter when foliage is
bare, and fish want somewhere quiet, to hibernate, bare crystal clear
ponds must be an easy target for predators....

4) when you make a pond, make 45° sides, herons have gangly legs, they
like 'easy walking' conditions, they hate 'trippy' pond surroundings

5) I can't be so fiendish, I cant advise you put out snares... a
simple loop of fish line can lock onto a predators leg. Nasty way to
die, that

6) I can't recommend a .22 air rifle, a bit politically incorrect,
even though a heron is easy to hit at 200' with a decent scope,
unfair, too easy I guess. Anyone who has used a rifle properly could
hit a quarter at 100 feet so for the squeemish, clipping some tail
feathers is quite possible .....or hit a bucket placed beside the pond
loud and close enough to frighten the bejasus out of the vile fish
bag... that is a quite effective clean way

.....Alas rifles in most peoples hands are quite counter productive,
you will waste a lot of time waiting for the opportunity to use it, to
learn how to be competent with a rifle, and the consequences of a bad
tempered fool with a lethal tool is well, unpopular...

7) For the flash and the opulent, linking a motion detector and a
sprinkler might provide some amusement to scare off the dratted bird.
Or, a hose with a timer, that briefly blasts water every 15 minutes or
so, enough to startle a pest

8) A heavily planted pond makes life very difficult for predators,
even though the big bright dumber fish will always be taken first, shy
nervous timid (smart) fish and the little 'uns ought to be able to
find good hidey holes easy...

9) fish feeding routine: have a special food signal, like tap a stone
three times at feed time. You don't want your fish to associate every
visitor to your pond, with a free meal.... one day it will be a heron,
looking for freebies...

10) Heron statue... what a novel idea, picturesque even. They always
seem to be coming on the market, second hand. Never heard anyone had
any success with them, other than folk who sell them, I guess....

11) There is a very promising new device coming onto the market....
sonic 'guns' that fire a narrow band of extreme noise in a confined
direction. Link this to a motion detector and it really will do the
job... herons are incredibly sensitive and nervous, a violent sound
like that pointed at the pond area will really blow them away when
they trigger the sonic gun. Because of the controlled direction of the
sonics, its not likely to bother neighbours, much.... Very promising,
that method.....

12) baseball bats. Herons by nature are incredibly careful hunters,
you wan't get within 50 feet with a bat. Anyone thinking of trying
such a method will quickly learn the bird is a lot smarter than them,
and that will be just sooooo embarrasing....

the time when predatory birds go pond hopping is often determined by
local factors, drought, floods or freezes have made difficult or
clouded their usual hunting places, early morning and fog is often a
factor to make them bold enough to go close to places where ponds are,
compact sushi bars are preferred....

regards, andy


over 100 aquatic plants listed!
http://www.members.aol.com/abdavisnc/swglist.html
(andys aquatic plant list for interesting swaps)
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Old 15-04-2003, 02:32 PM
Bill
 
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Default Grey Heron Question


"adavisus" wrote :

Heres a few notes collected from observations and other folks
experience


When I plant strawberries I also plant some red stones. Birds peck at
the stones, learn the error of their ways and don't come back for the
strawberries... hopefully.

I wonder if a concrete koi, placed at an easy to get to area, would
tempt a heron. A few strikes at that could discourage a heron and might even
teach the other koi to run and hide


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Old 15-04-2003, 04:45 PM
Jerrispond
 
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Default Grey Heron Question

wrote :

Heres a few notes collected from observations and other folks
experience


When I plant strawberries I also plant some red stones. Birds peck atthe

stones, learn the error of their ways and don't come back for
thestrawberries... hopefully. I wonder if a concrete koi, placed at an
easy to get to area, would
tempt a heron. A few strikes at that could discourage a heron and might even
teach the other koi to run and hide

I tried both....neither worked Jerri


http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond
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Old 22-04-2003, 08:32 AM
~ jan
 
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Default Grey Heron Question

IMO, the best thing is to have the protection in place before the heron
comes to dine. A free meal once and the beggar will try harder regardless
of the locks on the door. (Or some such saying as that. ;o) ~ jan

On 15 Apr 2003 14:29:10 GMT, (Jerrispond) wrote:

wrote :

Heres a few notes collected from observations and other folks
experience


When I plant strawberries I also plant some red stones. Birds peck atthe

stones, learn the error of their ways and don't come back for
thestrawberries... hopefully. I wonder if a concrete koi, placed at an
easy to get to area, would
tempt a heron. A few strikes at that could discourage a heron and might even
teach the other koi to run and hide

I tried both....neither worked Jerri


http://www.fringeweb.com/Ponds/JerrisPond


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website


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