Recently two comets about six inches long, totally disappeared from my
small pond.

The pond is situated in a corner next to a patio wall and a patio
screened in wall.

The ONLY clue was a wing feather from either a red tailed hawk or a
red shouldered hawk. This was out in the yard about 15 feet away.

This bird has been around for over a year because of all the cage
birds we have on the patio.

Absolutely nothing else was disturbed.

The remaining fish acted very frightened.

Can't figure it out. No further attempt has been made in about two
weeks.

WLW

Your hawk sounds like an opportunity feeder.
85% of red tailed hawk's diet is made up of mammals, like mice, squirrels, and
rabbits.* The rest is small birds, snakes, frogs, fish, and grasshoppers.*

You wrote This bird has been around for over a year because of all the cage
birds we have on the patio.

That would bring him in alright.

I would put something rigid over the pond, that the hawk can see and avoid the
pond. You do *not* want to get one of these fellows caught in a net. And you
don't want the hassle of injuring a bird of prey.

Better yet call your fish and wildlife service and ask what they advise. You'll
be covered that way in case your solution doesn't 'work'.


k30a

My guess is that the feather you found was from the hawk that took the
either the predator helping itself to your fish or some small animal coming
to the pond for a drink. Yes, caged birds could indeed draw in hawks, but
to the best of my knowledge, the only bird of prey good at picking up
anything from the water is an Osprey. (Despite the commercials, etc.
showing eagles picking up fish, that is not the nature of an eagle; it's
primarily a scavenger and prefers its food to be already dead.)

As for the remaining fish acting very frightened -- well, something
traumatic happened to somebody in the vicinity of the pond, from the sound
of it! And the fish are reacting accordingly.

As for repeated attacks on your pond, I don't know -- unless your yard is
huge, I can't imagine a Red-Shouldered Hawk having much success there, let
alone a Red-Tailed Hawk (usually seen soaring over pastures, etc.) I'm not
trying, by any means, to minimize your loss.....just to point out that the
pond as you describe it does not sound like the ideal spot for hawks, based
on what I've learned as a birder.

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC


"Weldon Wallick" wrote in message
...
Recently two comets about six inches long, totally disappeared from my
small pond.

The pond is situated in a corner next to a patio wall and a patio
screened in wall.

The ONLY clue was a wing feather from either a red tailed hawk or a
red shouldered hawk. This was out in the yard about 15 feet away.

This bird has been around for over a year because of all the cage
birds we have on the patio.

Absolutely nothing else was disturbed.

The remaining fish acted very frightened.

Can't figure it out. No further attempt has been made in about two
weeks.

WLW

If I may interject! Here in Rancho Cucamonga, California, my pond friends
have indeed lost fish to red tail hawks! They will swoop down from a low
perch and pick out your fish!

--
_______________________________________
"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is
like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
The chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

http://community.webshots.com/user/godwino

"Anne Lurie" wrote in message
om...
My guess is that the feather you found was from the hawk that took the
either the predator helping itself to your fish or some small animal
coming
to the pond for a drink. Yes, caged birds could indeed draw in hawks, but
to the best of my knowledge, the only bird of prey good at picking up
anything from the water is an Osprey. (Despite the commercials, etc.
showing eagles picking up fish, that is not the nature of an eagle; it's
primarily a scavenger and prefers its food to be already dead.)

As for the remaining fish acting very frightened -- well, something
traumatic happened to somebody in the vicinity of the pond, from the sound
of it! And the fish are reacting accordingly.

As for repeated attacks on your pond, I don't know -- unless your yard
is
huge, I can't imagine a Red-Shouldered Hawk having much success there, let
alone a Red-Tailed Hawk (usually seen soaring over pastures, etc.) I'm
not
trying, by any means, to minimize your loss.....just to point out that the
pond as you describe it does not sound like the ideal spot for hawks,
based
on what I've learned as a birder.

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC


"Weldon Wallick" wrote in message
...
Recently two comets about six inches long, totally disappeared from my
small pond.

The pond is situated in a corner next to a patio wall and a patio
screened in wall.

The ONLY clue was a wing feather from either a red tailed hawk or a
red shouldered hawk. This was out in the yard about 15 feet away.

This bird has been around for over a year because of all the cage
birds we have on the patio.

Absolutely nothing else was disturbed.

The remaining fish acted very frightened.

Can't figure it out. No further attempt has been made in about two
weeks.

WLW

Have your friends actually seen a hawk do this?

On Fri, 13 Jun 2003 01:40:35 GMT, "Just Me \"Koi\""
wrote:

If I may interject! Here in Rancho Cucamonga, California, my pond friends
have indeed lost fish to red tail hawks! They will swoop down from a low
perch and pick out your fish!

A few week ago my wife was scared by, I assume, since I didn't see it,
this hawk. It came swooping through the yard screaming.

About a year ago, we looked out our sliding door and saw the hawk
perched on a limb about ten feet from the patio screen.

Needless to say, it didn't get a "warm" welcome.

We have Ospreys all around here, Central Florida. I can't picture one
of them diving into my pond. Also there are lakes all around too.

I guess "ponding" is about occasionally losing some fish ;(

They "only" cost four bucks apiece. And Slocum's has lots more.

But still, it's the "principle of the thing". And one of them was my
"favorite" fish.

WLW

I have had hawks nesting in the trees across the street ever since I have lived
here, and had ponds(6 years) they have never been seen around the ponds.
Jerri

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

Weldon Wallick wrote:
Have your friends actually seen a hawk do this?

On Fri, 13 Jun 2003 01:40:35 GMT, "Just Me \"Koi\""
wrote:


If I may interject! Here in Rancho Cucamonga, California, my pond friends
have indeed lost fish to red tail hawks! They will swoop down from a low
perch and pick out your fish!


A few week ago my wife was scared by, I assume, since I didn't see it,
this hawk. It came swooping through the yard screaming.

About a year ago, we looked out our sliding door and saw the hawk
perched on a limb about ten feet from the patio screen.

Needless to say, it didn't get a "warm" welcome.

We have Ospreys all around here, Central Florida. I can't picture one
of them diving into my pond. Also there are lakes all around too.

I guess "ponding" is about occasionally losing some fish ;(

They "only" cost four bucks apiece. And Slocum's has lots more.

But still, it's the "principle of the thing". And one of them was my
"favorite" fish.

WLW



We've had hawks and falcons in our yard very often. They
usually come to snatch a dove or other bird at the feeders.
I even had a hawk bath in my pond. None have ever gone
after a fish.

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