Scarecrow
 

I need to hear from people that are using the "scarecrow" sprinkler to scare
off critters as to whether it really works, pros & cons. After two years of
our pond life, a heron has discovered it. We have a bird sanctuary but that
is not the bird we want and before we actually got to see it, some of our
oldest fish are gone and we are heartsick. I have the pond netted right now
but I would like to use the sprinkler if it really works. Thanks for any
comments and suggestions.
Kathy

Drat those herons!

Nets work but for a number of reasons some
pond people do not want to use nets.

And yes, the sprinkler works for some ponders.
We've had reports on rec.ponds over the years.
Jan uses one but she is gone for the day or
I'd E her to get her to answer.

It really depends on how your yard is set up
and where your pond is situtated in the yard.

I've communicated with the company that makes
the sprinklers and they suggest for really aggressive
herons to set up two of the sprinklers at a 75 degree
angle to one another.

You have to be prepared to experiment. I'd
leave the net on while doing it if you don't want to
lose any more finned friends.

kathy :-)
www.blogfromthebog.com
this week ~ raccoons

"Jeff Brown" wrote:

I need to hear from people that are using the "scarecrow" sprinkler to scare
off critters as to whether it really works, pros & cons. After two years of
our pond life, a heron has discovered it. We have a bird sanctuary but that
is not the bird we want and before we actually got to see it, some of our
oldest fish are gone and we are heartsick. I have the pond netted right now
but I would like to use the sprinkler if it really works. Thanks for any
comments and suggestions.
Kathy



I have had one for three years now and it is very effective. The only down
side I have seen is that it is hard to tell when the battery is used up. My
first one also had a defect that made it go off continuously.

Plus, you have to remember to turn it on ;)


San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Goldfish, a RES named Colombo and an Oscar.

"We need to make a sacrifice to the pond gods, find me a young virgin... oh,
and bring something to kill"

Doesn't it also scare off adults or attract children ?

Jeff Brown wrote:
I need to hear from people that are using the "scarecrow" sprinkler to scare
off critters as to whether it really works, pros & cons. After two years of
our pond life, a heron has discovered it. We have a bird sanctuary but that
is not the bird we want and before we actually got to see it, some of our
oldest fish are gone and we are heartsick. I have the pond netted right now
but I would like to use the sprinkler if it really works. Thanks for any
comments and suggestions.
Kathy

I did read on another board about a fellow
who had a scarecrow set up in his yard
during the day while he was gone.

A neighbor saw something suspicious in
the neighborhood and called the police.
A patrolman investigated the neighbor's
backyards and got nailed by the scarecrow.
Luckily he didn't shoot it ;-)

So maybe a ponder might consider posting
a sign on his gate - warning! you may get
soaked!

k :-)

Hi Jeff,
For what it's worth to you. My wife and I have also had potential Heron
problems. Fortunately we saw them just as they arrived. We purchased a
fake Heron and placed it by the pond, we also move it to a different
location every few days. So far, so good. That was last year, and we
haven't lost any fish yet. We would hate to lose any of them. I have heard
stories of people who have lost every one of their fish to these birds.
Hope this helps a little. Bob
--
Find articles, pictures, filter media, homemade pond filter, and more at
www.backyard-pond-guide.com


"Jeff Brown" wrote in message
...
I need to hear from people that are using the "scarecrow" sprinkler to
scare
off critters as to whether it really works, pros & cons. After two years
of
our pond life, a heron has discovered it. We have a bird sanctuary but
that
is not the bird we want and before we actually got to see it, some of our
oldest fish are gone and we are heartsick. I have the pond netted right
now
but I would like to use the sprinkler if it really works. Thanks for any
comments and suggestions.
Kathy

Jeff Brown wrote:
I need to hear from people that are using the "scarecrow" sprinkler
to scare
off critters as to whether it really works, pros & cons. After two
years of
our pond life, a heron has discovered it. We have a bird sanctuary
but that
is not the bird we want and before we actually got to see it, some of
our
oldest fish are gone and we are heartsick. I have the pond netted
right now
but I would like to use the sprinkler if it really works. Thanks for
any
comments and suggestions.
Kathy

I use one for the cats and racoons it works pretty darn well... after
some trial and error I was able to turn down the sensitivity to keep it
from spraying the squirrles and birds.

One word of caution... make sure you use REALLY GOOD garden hose to
connect it, most hoses don't survive the constant presure.

I had a raccoon that made me purchase a Scarecrow. I have one on each pond
now. So far so good, 4-5 years using, no losses to predators. :) They're
also good at soaking Pond Club Presidents. ;) I have a note to myself on
the sliding door, SPRINKLER ON? inside and out. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

I installed one after I lost a Koi to a heron.
http://www.kissingfrogs.tv/scarecrow.html
Haven't lost a fish since. That's the pro.

For cons, if it looks into the sun, that can cause it to go off
falsely. And, I have seen a heron land out of range and then walk all
around the pond without setting it off. It moved so slowly that its
motion was not detected. Still, I haven't lost a fish since
installed it.

Steve J. Noll | Ventura California (USDA Zone 10)
| The Glass Block Koi Pond/Fountain:
| http://www.kissingfrogs.tv

It's worked great for us. We tried using a net but frogs kept getting
caught in it and it was hard to use it with tall plants. The Scarecrow was
the answer. It's the noise and the water and of course the suddenness of
all that activity that scares off the predators. Cons are- forgetting it is
turned on, forgetting to turn it on, scaring some animals you may not want
to scare (you can turn its sensitivity down to not scare squirrels though),
goes off with shadows moving or if the wind blows bushes in its range,
having to know when to change the battery and water usage if it goes off a
lot like on a windy day. Pros- nothing gets caught in it, lawn gets watered
too, does not distract from pond view, is very effective at its job, keeps
nosy neighbors from venturing near your pond- lol.

Sharon

"Jeff Brown" wrote in message
...
I need to hear from people that are using the "scarecrow" sprinkler to
scare
off critters as to whether it really works, pros & cons. After two years
of
our pond life, a heron has discovered it. We have a bird sanctuary but
that
is not the bird we want and before we actually got to see it, some of our
oldest fish are gone and we are heartsick. I have the pond netted right
now
but I would like to use the sprinkler if it really works. Thanks for any
comments and suggestions.
Kathy

kathy wrote:

I did read on another board about a fellow
who had a scarecrow set up in his yard
during the day while he was gone.

A neighbor saw something suspicious in
the neighborhood and called the police.
A patrolman investigated the neighbor's
backyards and got nailed by the scarecrow.
Luckily he didn't shoot it ;-)

So maybe a ponder might consider posting
a sign on his gate - warning! you may get
soaked!

That would make them less effective against the raccoons though ('coz I'm
sure those critters can read).
--
derek

San Diego Joe wrote:
I have had one for three years now and it is very effective. The only down
side I have seen is that it is hard to tell when the battery is used up. My
first one also had a defect that made it go off continuously.

Plus, you have to remember to turn it on ;)


And you have to remember to turn it off too ;-)
I seem to have a tough time remembering that one.
(Idilic scene: Morning light slanting through the trees, strolling out
to the pond with morning coffee in had for a bit of tranquility and
then.....)

"Greg Cooper" wrote:

San Diego Joe wrote:
I have had one for three years now and it is very effective. The only down
side I have seen is that it is hard to tell when the battery is used up. My
first one also had a defect that made it go off continuously.

Plus, you have to remember to turn it on ;)


And you have to remember to turn it off too ;-)
I seem to have a tough time remembering that one.
(Idilic scene: Morning light slanting through the trees, strolling out
to the pond with morning coffee in had for a bit of tranquility and
then.....)

Yeah, I've been wet before! I wired mine to a switch, seems to work
okay...unless I forget the switch.


San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Goldfish, a RES named Colombo and an Oscar.

"We need to make a sacrifice to the pond gods, find me a young virgin... oh,
and bring something to kill"

Thank all of you for your more than informing comments and suggestions. We
have decided to get one and hope this will do the trick. The heron still
checks on the pond to see if the net is gone. I saw him one day standing in
our upper pond/filter trying to figure out how he could get to the fish in
the lower pond. All the neighbors are on the outlook and a friend has
offered us his gun. If the sprinkler doesn't work, we'll be contacting our
friend :-). Thanks again.
Kathy Brown
"Jeff Brown" wrote in message
...
I need to hear from people that are using the "scarecrow" sprinkler to
scare off critters as to whether it really works, pros & cons. After two
years of our pond life, a heron has discovered it. We have a bird
sanctuary but that is not the bird we want and before we actually got to
see it, some of our oldest fish are gone and we are heartsick. I have the
pond netted right now but I would like to use the sprinkler if it really
works. Thanks for any comments and suggestions.
Kathy

Kathy Brown wrote All the neighbors are on the outlook and a friend
has
offered us his gun. If the sprinkler doesn't work, we'll be contacting
our
friend :-).

Okay, that's a smiley, not a winky... this is the problem with
the internet. I'm not sure if you are joking or not. So I have to say
it - you can't shoot herons! BIG fines, big jail time! You can call
them bad names, impinge upon their honor, look at them askance, cast
aspersions, cast spells,
make voodoo dolls and skewer them but you can't shoot them...

kathy ~ think I'll research google for heron spells... ;-)