[Worldwide Koi Club] Anti-heron scare tactics

June 8, 2008 @ 8:19 pm · Filed under Philippines Internet Koi Society

Dear Brenda,
My lines are woven nylon and are a little slack early in the morning but then firm up and become taut quite nicely later on. Sort of like me! I’ve gradually been able to pay a little less attention to the ponds during the day after the morning heron rush hour is over and have actually been able to cat nap a little during the day to make up from my heron induced sleep deprivation. Well there is a thunderstorm rolling in so I better turn off the computer for now. Talk later.
Best, Edgar
On Jun 8, 2008, at 6:59 AM, Brenda Rose wrote:
> Dear Edgar, > > We simply HAVE to stop meeting like this! (hee hee) > > The herons sitting in the trees, now THERE’S a flashback memory. Year > one, the year I suffered such severe heron-induced losses, started > like > that, and it took a neighbour to point this out to me. One day he > stopped by when he saw me raking in the yard and asked if I’d had any > missing fish recently. Of course I told him yes, and it was then that > he proceeded to tell me about the morning show, the one that happened > just moments after I left the house each day (5:30 a.m.). It seems > that the heron was sitting on the peaked roof of a house adjacent > to my > property (I never noticed because, well, at 5:30 a.m. I’m lucky to be > able to find the car!) but within moments of my rounding the > corner, he > (she) was down on the lawn, strutting purposefully toward the feeding > hole. Up until then I’d been blaming everything from local mammals to > nasty teenagers out for a spot of fun. And that was the beginning of > my anti-heron device experimentation. There were many failed > endeavors, the motion-activated sprinkler being one of them, but the > fishing line fence is an enduring success (touch wood). > > By this time your line may have slackened up a bit. If so, I suggest > tightening it up, just to keep it taut and uncomfortable should your > local predators decide to approach it again. Remember, they don’t have > much in those tiny little heads - it’s their gullet doing the talking. > Have a great day. > > Brenda > > On 7-Jun-08, at 4:15 PM, Edgar Owen wrote: > > > Hi Brenda, > > > > Ooops, guess I was being dense! Maybe I do need you to tell me > > everything! > > > > So far your suggestion of string fencing has worked, but this > morning > > when I dragged myself out of bed at 4:30 which is heron arrival > time, > > there were actually two of the beasts this time sitting up in the > > tree tops. That’s the first time there were two together. So I don’t > > know who is winning yet, me or the herons. In any case if the string > > fence doesn’t work I’ll try to reinforce the message by scent > marking > > the posts! And no, you don’t have to tell me how to do that, I > > learned how when I had dogs! And luckily the neighbors shouldn’t > be a > > problem as they can’t see my house or my ponds. I can see myself > > trying to explain that to the judge! “But your honor, Brenda told me > > to do it…..” > > > > Best, > > Edgar > > > > > > On Jun 6, 2008, at 11:04 PM, Brenda Rose wrote: > > > >> Smarty-pants! Urine is a natural repellent no matter what the > species. > >> I was suggesting either dog or human urine, and you already know > where > >> to find human urine. Sigh . . . do I have to tell you everything? > >> (hee hee) > >> > >> Brenda > >> > >> On 6-Jun-08, at 11:06 AM, Edgar Owen wrote: > >> > >>> Thanks Brenda, > >>> > >>> He was around this morning early but never even went down to the > >>> ponds so some at least temporary progress. Thanks for your advice. > >>> > >>> Well, I don’t know where one gets heron urine other than from a > >>> heron. I’ll ask the next one I see to provide me with some! > >>> > >>> Best, > >>> Edgar > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> On Jun 6, 2008, at 5:41 AM, Brenda Rose wrote: > >>> > >>>> Well done, Edgar. And I’m just wondering about heron scent > >> glands. Is > >>>> there a chance that random splotches of urine spread about the > >> yard, > >>>> especially in the heron’s landing area, might serve as an > >> additional > >>>> deterrent? Make him/her unsettled as he patrols your property? > It’s > >>>> just a thought, although I’ve never tried that particular method > >>>> myself. > >>>> > >>>> Yes, they are beautiful birds. Our number one ‘guest’ was a > >> great blue > >>>> heron, but occasionally the less dramatic type has dropped by as > >> well. > >>>> But they’re only beautiful as long as they take no fish. Once the > >>>> first thievery has occurred, they become the enemy. > >>>> > >>>> I wish you continued good luck in thwarting your feathered > friend. > >>>> > >>>> Brenda > >>>> > >>>> On 5-Jun-08, at 4:12 PM, Edgar Owen wrote: > >>>> > >>>>> Hi, > >>>>> > >>>>> I spent the morning putting up a double string fence around > my two > >>>>> ponds. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >>> > >>> > >>> ———————————— > >>> > >>> Yahoo! Groups Links > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > ———————————— > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > >