Herons

I swear by the motion sprinkler, but you may have to put netting up for
awhile, since the heron has fed. Most deterrents work best before the bird
has been rewarded. And if Kathy didn't mention it in her list, fake fish,
drives them insane. ~ jan
=====================
The herons here took the fake fish one time,... learned their lesson and
went back to the real fish ignoring the fake completely.

Either your herons are very very smart or your fish very dumb. ;o) Once a
bird strikes the fish are suppose to dive for cover. The fake fish should
be securely tied down so the bird can't remove and exam it. ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message
...
I swear by the motion sprinkler, but you may have to put netting up for
awhile, since the heron has fed. Most deterrents work best before the
bird
has been rewarded. And if Kathy didn't mention it in her list, fake
fish,
drives them insane. ~ jan
=====================
The herons here took the fake fish one time,... learned their lesson and
went back to the real fish ignoring the fake completely.

Either your herons are very very smart or your fish very dumb. ;o)

## We had more than one Heron. There would often be one at the edge of the
pond and another in the tree by the driveway to await it's turn. And yes
they are smart, like all predatory birds. Fish are nowhere near as smart as
these birds. The bird stands there like a statue and the fish seem to
"forget" it's there if it does not move. Ask a fisherman about standing dead
still. You catch blueclaw crabs the same way. As soon as the fish comes
within range the heron snaps it up.

Once a
bird strikes the fish are suppose to dive for cover.

## Not all of them do. I have seen the koi actually swim up to where the
CRANE was standing, probably thinking they would be fed. The crane flew off
when I opened the door. The fish, those who do hide, will only stay hidden
for so long, then they venture out (I watched from the window. The ponds
are right in front of my house) and the Heron strikes.

The fake fish should
be securely tied down so the bird can't remove and exam it. ~ jan

## They were tied to pots of plants on a string. One heron got one onto
the rocks. Another heron (maybe the same one) actually stood on the pot and
tried to pry the fake fish loose to carry it off. It was funny to watch.
There was "something" about the fake fish they noticed (?) though because
they didn't bother with them after awhile and the real fish continued to
disappear..... and yes, I moved the fakes around the ponds. That didn't
help. They also ignored the fake owl and snakes.

--
Carol.... the frugal ponder...
"Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway."
~~~~~~~ }((((((o
"They laugh because I'm different, I laugh because they're all the same."
http://www.heartoftn.net/users/windsong/index.html
Completely FREE softwa
http://www.pricelessware.org/thelist/index.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carol wrote #a whole lot of things,
debating each and every point of BV and mine
and jan's

Carol,
I'm very pleased nets work for you.
Really.
I just get tired of you always posting how every other
method won't work. They DO work. For some ponders.
There is NO absolute way. Nets are not for everyone
and I'm not going to point by point go through all your
disagreements, I've read them so very many times before.
I'd rather we all just post possible solutions
and you can always post nets work wonderfully for you.
They should always be an option but not the only
option. Other options do work. And we should always offer
them to posters asking for solutions. Then they can read through,
mull over the possible solutions and make a choice.

kathy

"kathy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Carol wrote #a whole lot of things,
debating each and every point of BV and mine
and jan's
=====================
Carol,
I'm very pleased nets work for you.
Really.
I just get tired of you always posting how every other
method won't work. They DO work. For some ponders.

## For *few* ponders. None that I ever knew. However I knew several over
the years that spent a lot of time and money with sprayers, running wire all
around their ponds, fake fish etc, (including myself, except the sprayer)
and the herons and King Fishers kept right on getting the fish. Perhaps
these things work in towns or in cities where these birds are rare to start
with. But to post as though they do and WILL in general *work* is
misleading. Perhaps we should ask where the people are located who are
asking about herons.

There is NO absolute way. Nets are not for everyone
and I'm not going to point by point go through all your
disagreements,

## Fish are not for everyone either for that matter. If the ugly sprayers
and wires all over the place don't work they can always hire full time pond
guards or forget keeping fish altogether. :-) Lighten up!

I've read them so very many times before.
I'd rather we all just post possible solutions
and you can always post nets work wonderfully for you.
They should always be an option but not the only
option. Other options do work.

## Yes, temporarily. Herons are smart birds. I just don't want anyone
else to experience the losses, disappointments and heartbreak I did.

And we should always offer
them to posters asking for solutions. Then they can read through,
mull over the possible solutions and make a choice.

## How can they make an educated choice without hearing form those who tried
these other methods and none worked long-term and why? Do you realize some
people are blaming herons for taking fish when the problem is snakes or
frogs? We need to ask them if these predators are also in their pond. I
don't recall anyone asking them that question. Some people never see a
snake but suddenly find a shed skin near their pond. We can't assume every
missing fish ended up dinner for some heron.
--
Carol.... the frugal ponder...
"Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway."
~~~~~~~ }((((((o
"They laugh because I'm different, I laugh because they're all the same."
http://www.heartoftn.net/users/windsong/index.html
Completely FREE softwa
http://www.pricelessware.org/thelist/index.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"~ Windsong ~" P@P wrote in message
...

"kathy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Carol wrote #a whole lot of things,
debating each and every point of BV and mine
and jan's
=====================
Carol,
I'm very pleased nets work for you.
Really.
I just get tired of you always posting how every other
method won't work. They DO work. For some ponders.

## For *few* ponders. None that I ever knew. However I knew several
over
the years that spent a lot of time and money with sprayers, running wire
all
around their ponds, fake fish etc, (including myself, except the sprayer)
and the herons and King Fishers kept right on getting the fish. Perhaps
these things work in towns or in cities where these birds are rare to
start
with. But to post as though they do and WILL in general *work* is
misleading. Perhaps we should ask where the people are located who are
asking about herons.

I think Kathy is just saying there are options that work. For example, by
hooting, hollering, running, screaming, flapping my arms technique (patent
pending) has worked very well. No fish loss from Heron so far. Your Heron
and Kingfishers may be more persistent then mine. I have many ponds in yards
around me, so maybe they just other, quieter sources of food. Either way, my
solution has so far...worked very well.
snip

## How can they make an educated choice without hearing form those who
tried
these other methods and none worked long-term and why? Do you realize
some
people are blaming herons for taking fish when the problem is snakes or
frogs? We need to ask them if these predators are also in their pond. I
don't recall anyone asking them that question. Some people never see a
snake but suddenly find a shed skin near their pond. We can't assume
every
missing fish ended up dinner for some heron.
snip

True that. Last year, one of our Koi disappeared, plants knocked over and a
very racoon like scat was found on the edge of the pond. Dern Racoons. My
neighbor even mentioned to me he saw a racoon walking down the street
towards my house. He must have heard about the buffet. My fish will swim
into your hand if you sit there, so they are certainly dinner options for
animals.


--
BV
Webporgmaster of iheartmypond.com
http://www.iheartmypond.com
I'll be leaning on the bus stop post.

"Benign Vanilla" wrote in message
...

"~ Windsong ~" P@P wrote in message
...
----
I think Kathy is just saying there are options that work. For example, by
hooting, hollering, running, screaming, flapping my arms technique (patent
pending) has worked very well.

## So you stand outside or have someone stand outside from sunup to
sundown? We can't afford to pay someone to stay out there guarding our
ponds 7 days a week. In summer we often go away for weekends.

No fish loss from Heron so far. Your Heron
and Kingfishers may be more persistent then mine. I have many ponds in
yards
around me, so maybe they just other, quieter sources of food. Either way,
my
solution has so far...worked very well.
snip

## See above. We can't afford to hire a guard and we're not always home.
When we are, we are not at the windows watching for fish predators. I
would run out doing the screaming and flapping, with the 3 dogs no less - I
wrote about it here several years ago. At first it worked. They'd stay
away for a few days. Then, after awhile, a few weeks maybe, the herons
would fly into nearby trees until I went back inside. Within 15 minutes
they were fishing again. Yes, they were persistent. We often saw one
fishing in the ponds while another was up in a nearby tree. Or one was
behind the house fishing the kiddy pools. On one occasion there were three
in our yard.

## How can they make an educated choice without hearing form those who
tried
these other methods and none worked long-term and why? Do you realize
some
people are blaming herons for taking fish when the problem is snakes or
frogs? We need to ask them if these predators are also in their pond.
I
don't recall anyone asking them that question. Some people never see a
snake but suddenly find a shed skin near their pond. We can't assume
every
missing fish ended up dinner for some heron.
snip

True that. Last year, one of our Koi disappeared, plants knocked over and
a
very racoon like scat was found on the edge of the pond. Dern Racoons. My
neighbor even mentioned to me he saw a racoon walking down the street
towards my house. He must have heard about the buffet. My fish will swim
into your hand if you sit there, so they are certainly dinner options for
animals.

## Because of the dogs raccoons don't come into our yard. We have them as
well as deer, possums, skunks, red and blue fox, huge flocks of turkeys,
hawks......
--
Carol.... the frugal ponder...
"Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway."
~~~~~~~ }((((((o
http://www.heartoftn.net/users/windsong/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"~ Windsong ~" P@P wrote in message
...
snip
I think Kathy is just saying there are options that work. For example,
by
hooting, hollering, running, screaming, flapping my arms technique
(patent
pending) has worked very well.

## So you stand outside or have someone stand outside from sunup to
sundown? We can't afford to pay someone to stay out there guarding our
ponds 7 days a week. In summer we often go away for weekends.

No, but that's my point. We've done this I think a grand total of three
times, and Mr. Heron has not been back. No maybe that is because of the
weather, but maybe, just maybe it's because we made it an unfriendly place
for him. Or maybe MY heron hates idiots that shout at him. I dunno. I am not
saying I have found the magic cure for Herons, but I have kept that one
away.

As for the summer, we go away a lot as well. So far this has not been a
problem.

No fish loss from Heron so far. Your Heron
and Kingfishers may be more persistent then mine. I have many ponds in
yards
around me, so maybe they just other, quieter sources of food. Either
way,
my
solution has so far...worked very well.
snip

## See above. We can't afford to hire a guard and we're not always home.
When we are, we are not at the windows watching for fish predators. I
would run out doing the screaming and flapping, with the 3 dogs no less -
I
wrote about it here several years ago. At first it worked. They'd stay
away for a few days. Then, after awhile, a few weeks maybe, the herons
would fly into nearby trees until I went back inside. Within 15 minutes
they were fishing again. Yes, they were persistent. We often saw one
fishing in the ponds while another was up in a nearby tree. Or one was
behind the house fishing the kiddy pools. On one occasion there were
three
in our yard.

I've never seen such a Heron problem. You should probably net your pond, and
stop inviting Alfred Hitchcock over for dinner.

snip
True that. Last year, one of our Koi disappeared, plants knocked over
and
a
very racoon like scat was found on the edge of the pond. Dern Racoons.
My
neighbor even mentioned to me he saw a racoon walking down the street
towards my house. He must have heard about the buffet. My fish will swim
into your hand if you sit there, so they are certainly dinner options
for
animals.

## Because of the dogs raccoons don't come into our yard. We have them as
well as deer, possums, skunks, red and blue fox, huge flocks of turkeys,
hawks......

We've got hawks, falcons, racoons, skunks, fox, neighbor cats, my cat, my
dog, more frogs then I can count, and periodically a snake or two. Oh and
there was that kanagaroo looking mouse thing in Novemeber.


--
BV
Webporgmaster of iheartmypond.com
http://www.iheartmypond.com
I'll be leaning on the bus stop post.

We had taken the scarecrow down for the winter and today
a great blue heron visited the pond. Dh chased it off
before it had a chance to catch a fish. The weather is
warm today but that is supposed to change tonight.
Hopefully we'll have a nice layer of ice on the pond soon.
The koi are deep but the goldfish are still up near the surface.
--
Bonnie
NJ

~ Windsong ~ wrote:

And we should always offer
them to posters asking for solutions. Then they can read through,
mull over the possible solutions and make a choice.

## How can they make an educated choice without hearing form those who
## tried

Huh? How can they make an educated choice when you keep telling them there
is one, and only one, way? You're sounding like solo...
--
derek