After ten years of water gardening I never had a predator invade my pond
until now! I was recently married and moved my pond to my new home last
fall and our lot borders a creek with a natural pond about 200 feet away
from our house in the woods. We frequently see Blue Herons overhead and
enjoy the sight of them, until this morning when I got up close and personal
with one. I had sixteen big lovely goldfish that I have had for about the
entire length of time I have been water gardening. My husband went out the
other day and noticed orange scales along the edge of the pond and four fish
were missing! I immediately thought, raccoon! But this morning as I was
getting ready for church I looked out of the bedroom window to see a Blue
Heron approaching the pond! Is there any other way to deter them other than
a net over the pond? I thought maybe taking their food supply away for a
week may send them fishing elsewhere, but I suppose as they are flying by if
they look down and see the fish again, they would be back. I was going to
put the fish in a "holding" tank in the garage. Any suggestions on how to
deal with these guys? My fish are like pets to me. They swim and belly rub
right into my hand and I would like to avoid loosing anymore of them if
possible

Thanks,
Lisa

We have been spared the heron problem thus far. Don't tel them where we
live.

Phyllis

--
____________________________________________
See our pond at: home.bellsouth.net\p\pwp-jameshurley
Ask me about Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $120+ per child) at: jogathon.net

"Lisa" wrote in message
news:moCDc.101059$2i5.30855@attbi_s52...
After ten years of water gardening I never had a predator invade my pond
until now! I was recently married and moved my pond to my new home last
fall and our lot borders a creek with a natural pond about 200 feet away
from our house in the woods. We frequently see Blue Herons overhead and
enjoy the sight of them, until this morning when I got up close and
personal
with one. I had sixteen big lovely goldfish that I have had for about the
entire length of time I have been water gardening. My husband went out
the
other day and noticed orange scales along the edge of the pond and four
fish
were missing! I immediately thought, raccoon! But this morning as I was
getting ready for church I looked out of the bedroom window to see a Blue
Heron approaching the pond! Is there any other way to deter them other
than
a net over the pond? I thought maybe taking their food supply away for a
week may send them fishing elsewhere, but I suppose as they are flying by
if
they look down and see the fish again, they would be back. I was going to
put the fish in a "holding" tank in the garage. Any suggestions on how to
deal with these guys? My fish are like pets to me. They swim and belly
rub
right into my hand and I would like to avoid loosing anymore of them if
possible

Thanks,
Lisa

"Lisa" wrote in message
news:moCDc.101059$2i5.30855@attbi_s52...
After ten years of water gardening I never had a predator invade my pond
until now! I was recently married and moved my pond to my new home last
fall and our lot borders a creek with a natural pond about 200 feet away
from our house in the woods. ..........
=====================================
We have herons (and cranes) here as well. The only thing that worked and
worked 100% was to net the ponds with that black bird netting from ACE
Hardware. The nets last for several years and are much less than special
pond netting. These nets also keep out the mud turtles, the bullfrogs, the
large water snakes and the herons - all fish eating predators we have to
cope with where I live. Stringing wire/cord across and around the ponds did
nothing. The turtles, frogs and herons went right under it and feasted on
my fish without missing a beat. Planting heavy vegetation discouraged the
small herons for awhile - then they learned to land on the rocks. Providing
hiding places for the fish was a worthless waste of time since the bullfrogs
and snakes followed them as I saw with my own eyes. Netting them was our
last choice but we haven't lost one koi or GF to predators since.
--
Carol....
"A clean house is the sign of a misspent life."
~~~~~~{@
"They laugh because I'm different, I laugh because they're all the same."
http://www.heartoftn.net/users/windsong/index.html
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