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#1
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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... |
#2
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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 |
#3
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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/ |
#4
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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 |
#5
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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 |
#6
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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) ---------------------------------------oo------------------------------ |
#7
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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 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.471 / Virus Database: 269 - Release Date: 4/10/03 |
#8
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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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