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Heron raid!
We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and
nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking purposefully across the lawn towards the old fish pond. By the time he got to the back door it had reached the pond and it flew off as he shouted and clapped his hands. I'm pretty sure it ws clasping something in its beak. Why they can't use the River Dart which is all of 2 miles away, I don't know! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
Heron raid!
Sacha wrote:
We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking SNIP I know how you feel, I had my pond completely emptied by a largish heron 2 years ago (20 odd fish). They are always coming back but touch wood Ive been up to their tactics since! |
Heron raid!
On 2009-12-16 15:17:43 +0000, "~Brian~" said:
Sacha wrote: We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking SNIP I know how you feel, I had my pond completely emptied by a largish heron 2 years ago (20 odd fish). They are always coming back but touch wood Ive been up to their tactics since! Usually, they're early morning visitors. Either this one is excessively bold or excessively hungry! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
Heron raid!
Sacha wrote:
On 2009-12-16 15:17:43 +0000, "~Brian~" said: Sacha wrote: We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking SNIP I know how you feel, I had my pond completely emptied by a largish heron 2 years ago (20 odd fish). They are always coming back but touch wood Ive been up to their tactics since! Usually, they're early morning visitors. Either this one is excessively bold or excessively hungry! Yesterday, one dropped by a pond about twenty yards from where I was walking. Remember, when a heron alights, it always does so some distance from the water, then walks in. To deter them, drive some pegs into the ground a few inches from the margin, and tightly run a strand of thin nylon fishing-line round the pond at about four to five inches above the ground. As it steps towards the water, the heron will feel it against its foot and fly off in alarm. -- Rusty |
Heron raid!
Sacha wrote:
On 2009-12-16 15:17:43 +0000, "~Brian~" said: Sacha wrote: We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking SNIP I know how you feel, I had my pond completely emptied by a largish heron 2 years ago (20 odd fish). They are always coming back but touch wood Ive been up to their tactics since! Usually, they're early morning visitors. Either this one is excessively bold or excessively hungry! I am normally up at around 5.00am and was just about to have my first coffee of the day and I saw it by the pond, wow! was it ever big, must have emtied the pond before I saw it. As I walked out to shoo it of it took to the air. They come in from the local marshes and the estuary. Touch wood have not seen one in ages. |
Heron raid!
Rusty Hinge wrote:
Sacha wrote: On 2009-12-16 15:17:43 +0000, "~Brian~" said: Sacha wrote: We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking SNIP I know how you feel, I had my pond completely emptied by a largish heron 2 years ago (20 odd fish). They are always coming back but touch wood Ive been up to their tactics since! Usually, they're early morning visitors. Either this one is excessively bold or excessively hungry! Yesterday, one dropped by a pond about twenty yards from where I was walking. Remember, when a heron alights, it always does so some distance from the water, then walks in. To deter them, drive some pegs into the ground a few inches from the margin, and tightly run a strand of thin nylon fishing-line round the pond at about four to five inches above the ground. As it steps towards the water, the heron will feel it against its foot and fly off in alarm. I did this on my pond for a couple of months, maybe thats why they havent been back? |
Heron raid!
"Sacha" wrote... We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking purposefully across the lawn towards the old fish pond. By the time he got to the back door it had reached the pond and it flew off as he shouted and clapped his hands. I'm pretty sure it ws clasping something in its beak. Why they can't use the River Dart which is all of 2 miles away, I don't know! Last week I had a visit from one of our neighbours, she was just going out and saw something land in her garden just after she saw a Heron fly over low. She noticed it was a fish flapping around and went out and found a Koi a bit worse for wear, put it in her pond and it swam off. It was not one of her fish. It is still alive a week later. -- Regards Bob Hobden W.of London. UK |
Heron raid!
"Sacha" wrote in message ... We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking purposefully across the lawn towards the old fish pond. By the time he got to the back door it had reached the pond and it flew off as he shouted and clapped his hands. I'm pretty sure it ws clasping something in its beak. Why they can't use the River Dart which is all of 2 miles away, I don't know! -- Because, like foxes, captive prey is easier. Sounds like time for a net, or if the pond is too big for that I've heard that a wire at a certain height all round the edge keeps them off as they like to wade in. Can't remember the height but Google is sure to be your friend.. Tina |
Heron raid!
Sacha wrote:
We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking purposefully across the lawn towards the old fish pond. By the time he got to the back door it had reached the pond and it flew off as he shouted and clapped his hands. I'm pretty sure it ws clasping something in its beak. Why they can't use the River Dart which is all of 2 miles away, I don't know! Only too happy to keep topping up my pond with fish if attracts Herons and Kingfishers :-) Larry |
Heron raid!
On 2009-12-16 16:06:34 +0000, Rusty Hinge
said: Sacha wrote: On 2009-12-16 15:17:43 +0000, "~Brian~" said: Sacha wrote: We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking SNIP I know how you feel, I had my pond completely emptied by a largish heron 2 years ago (20 odd fish). They are always coming back but touch wood Ive been up to their tactics since! Usually, they're early morning visitors. Either this one is excessively bold or excessively hungry! Yesterday, one dropped by a pond about twenty yards from where I was walking. Remember, when a heron alights, it always does so some distance from the water, then walks in. To deter them, drive some pegs into the ground a few inches from the margin, and tightly run a strand of thin nylon fishing-line round the pond at about four to five inches above the ground. As it steps towards the water, the heron will feel it against its foot and fly off in alarm. Two problems there, Rusty, this particular pond is surrounded entirely by paving so we can't put posts into anything. We could in the other fishpond which is on the big lawn but I will absolutely guarantee that some member of the public will walk straight into it and trip over it. One could hardly blame them as the line's supposed to be invisible, after all! We reckon this heron was walking from one pond - the lawn one - to the other, the paved one and was just very, very cheeky. We've seen them visiting both ponds but never in the afternoon. Because we've had some sun today (!) the fish were up and basking a little and the herons must know where this buffet table is located. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
Heron raid!
On 2009-12-16 16:49:37 +0000, "Bob Hobden" said:
"Sacha" wrote... We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking purposefully across the lawn towards the old fish pond. By the time he got to the back door it had reached the pond and it flew off as he shouted and clapped his hands. I'm pretty sure it ws clasping something in its beak. Why they can't use the River Dart which is all of 2 miles away, I don't know! Last week I had a visit from one of our neighbours, she was just going out and saw something land in her garden just after she saw a Heron fly over low. She noticed it was a fish flapping around and went out and found a Koi a bit worse for wear, put it in her pond and it swam off. It was not one of her fish. It is still alive a week later. A rescue story from a Knightess in shining armour! We don't begrudge them the odd fish or three but we really don't want both ponds cleared out. Both fishponds are around 3' to 4' deep and there's plenty of vegetation for the fish to hide in but the poor things are traumatised and don't re-surface for days after a heron visit. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
Heron raid!
"Sacha" wrote... "Bob Hobden" said: "Sacha" wrote... We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking purposefully across the lawn towards the old fish pond. By the time he got to the back door it had reached the pond and it flew off as he shouted and clapped his hands. I'm pretty sure it ws clasping something in its beak. Why they can't use the River Dart which is all of 2 miles away, I don't know! Last week I had a visit from one of our neighbours, she was just going out and saw something land in her garden just after she saw a Heron fly over low. She noticed it was a fish flapping around and went out and found a Koi a bit worse for wear, put it in her pond and it swam off. It was not one of her fish. It is still alive a week later. A rescue story from a Knightess in shining armour! We don't begrudge them the odd fish or three but we really don't want both ponds cleared out. Both fishponds are around 3' to 4' deep and there's plenty of vegetation for the fish to hide in but the poor things are traumatised and don't re-surface for days after a heron visit. Always worth putting some large clay flower pots on their side on the bottom of the pond so they have somewhere safe to hide. -- Regards Bob Hobden W.of London. UK |
Heron raid!
On 2009-12-16 22:03:29 +0000, "Bob Hobden" said:
"Sacha" wrote... "Bob Hobden" said: "Sacha" wrote... We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking purposefully across the lawn towards the old fish pond. By the time he got to the back door it had reached the pond and it flew off as he shouted and clapped his hands. I'm pretty sure it ws clasping something in its beak. Why they can't use the River Dart which is all of 2 miles away, I don't know! Last week I had a visit from one of our neighbours, she was just going out and saw something land in her garden just after she saw a Heron fly over low. She noticed it was a fish flapping around and went out and found a Koi a bit worse for wear, put it in her pond and it swam off. It was not one of her fish. It is still alive a week later. A rescue story from a Knightess in shining armour! We don't begrudge them the odd fish or three but we really don't want both ponds cleared out. Both fishponds are around 3' to 4' deep and there's plenty of vegetation for the fish to hide in but the poor things are traumatised and don't re-surface for days after a heron visit. Always worth putting some large clay flower pots on their side on the bottom of the pond so they have somewhere safe to hide. There's so much vegetation I don't think hiding is their problem. Daring to re-surface is, however! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
Heron raid!
"Sacha" wrote ... "Bob Hobden" said: "Sacha" wrote... "Bob Hobden" said: "Sacha" wrote... We were just finishing lunch (well, a sandwich) when Ray spluttered and nearly dropped his water glass. He'd seen a heron stalking purposefully across the lawn towards the old fish pond. By the time he got to the back door it had reached the pond and it flew off as he shouted and clapped his hands. I'm pretty sure it ws clasping something in its beak. Why they can't use the River Dart which is all of 2 miles away, I don't know! Last week I had a visit from one of our neighbours, she was just going out and saw something land in her garden just after she saw a Heron fly over low. She noticed it was a fish flapping around and went out and found a Koi a bit worse for wear, put it in her pond and it swam off. It was not one of her fish. It is still alive a week later. A rescue story from a Knightess in shining armour! We don't begrudge them the odd fish or three but we really don't want both ponds cleared out. Both fishponds are around 3' to 4' deep and there's plenty of vegetation for the fish to hide in but the poor things are traumatised and don't re-surface for days after a heron visit. Always worth putting some large clay flower pots on their side on the bottom of the pond so they have somewhere safe to hide. There's so much vegetation I don't think hiding is their problem. Daring to re-surface is, however! Whilst your ponds are quite deep a lot of people have them only 18 inches deep and a Heron will pad around in the greenery and frighten the fish out, a solid pot or wide necked jar or some other sort of solid "house" will stop this happening. That said I did see a Heron once wading so deep it looked like a duck floating on the water, quite confused me at first. -- Regards Bob Hobden W.of London. UK |
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