Koi Fish Information Centre

Hi Brenda,
Yes, I had dogs for years and had no heron problems, but I got tired of all the problems and watching them get old and die.
EDgar

On Jun 4, 2008, at 5:10 PM, Brenda Rose wrote:
> Hello again Edgar. > > The most disappointing heron loss we incurred was our very pregnant > female, a koi of unusual size and colour, and what the heron did > was to > spear her, fly off with her in his beak and then drop her in the field > where we found her the next morning. I swear, protected species or no, > if I had witnessed this atrocity I think I would have throttled the > avian predator with my bare hands! Clearly its eyes were bigger than > its gullet. > > This heron knows you’ve got some good fixings in your pond so it will > take a slightly more aggressive approach to chase it off on a more > permanent basis. Someone here suggested a dog and do you know what? > I’d ask around among your friends to see if you could borrow someone’s > lab or shepherd for a week or two. Something sizeable. Because, well, > floating rubber lids just aren’t all that aesthetically pleasing. (hee > hee) > > Brenda > > On 4-Jun-08, at 6:22 AM, Edgar Owen wrote: > > > Hi Brenda, > > > > That sounds like it might just work if at the correct height to keep > > it from going under or over which I guess would be about 2.5 feet. > > This guy is particularly sneaky and obnoxious and croaks at me > > angrily when I disturb him. I actually wouldn’t mind it taking some > > of the goldfish which had about 100 babies last year which are now > > growing up. I’ve been putting some in the local lake to reduce the > > overpopulation. But I’ve head that herons sometimes kill larger fish > > they can’t eat. (My koi are all too large for them to swallow), CAn > > anyone confirm that? Also concerned about them possibly puncturing > > the pond liner, though not sure that would actually happen. > > > > Thanks for the tip, I may have to try it. He was just there again as > > I write this. > > > > I currently have about a dozen large plastic tub lids floating in > the > > pond and that makes it more difficult for him and easier for fish to > > hide but he still comes back every day. > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > On Jun 3, 2008, at 5:03 PM, Brenda Rose wrote: > > > >> Hi Edgar. We lost several koi to our local heron population a few > >> years ago and I tried a few anti-heron devices before I developed a > >> system that works (touch wood) for me. First off, I purchased some > >> nylon fishing line, something that would hold up under a weighty > fish > >> (or bird). I then created a perimeter fence approximately 2 - 3 > feet > >> off the ground using attractive long metal garden stakes pounded > into > >> the area around the pond, and I wound the fishing line tightly > enough > >> around each stake so that it would trip up anything attempting > to walk > >> toward the water. Then I pounded some ordinary plastic tent pegs in > >> flush to the ground and created an additional over-the-pond zigzag > >> pattern which would trip up anything attempting to land in the > pond. > >> > >> I have watched herons attempt to get through this unobtrusive > design > >> and they are either very stupid herons or I just happened to have > >> created the perfect heron deterrent imaginable. You see, they > approach > >> the pond after having landed on the lawn and walk into the > perimeter > >> fence, but they never think to step OVER it. The line, you see, is > >> about 2 - 3 feet off the ground. They feel the tautness against > their > >> wiry legs, back off and try another approach, and the same thing > >> happens. I’ve watched the same heron walk into the fishing line, > >> ruminate for a spell and then re-approach the pond six to eight > times > >> before flying off, presumably still hungry. > >> > >> Do I expect my luck to hold? It’s hard to say, but this is year > three > >> (although it’s early days yet) with no heron losses, whereas my > >> neighbours, who have fancy goldfish, see herons almost every week. > >> I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this system will continue to work > >> for > >> me. Oh, by the way, the first year we had heron losses we got a > very > >> realistic-looking heron decoy. That was the same year I started > >> experimenting with my fishing line fence. One summer afternoon > when I > >> was sitting quietly by the pond a heron landed on the lawn and > >> proceeded to advance toward the water. I sat very still and > watched as > >> he (she?) moved in once, twice, three times, and each time couldn’t > >> get > >> past the fence. After the fourth unsuccessful approach it turned > >> around, swatted the plastic decoy heron several times with its > wings > >> and then flew off. I think that was a heron hissy fit. > >> > >> Sincerely, > >> Brenda > >> > >> On 3-Jun-08, at 6:32 AM, Edgar Owen wrote: > >> > >>> I’m having a heron problem and wonder if anyone has any tips. He > >>> flies off when I go outside but eventually always comes back. I > want > >>> to put a good scare into him without harming him and wonder if > >> anyone > >>> has any suggestions on how to do that? Last year I”d run > outside and > >>> throw a couple of light white plastic fish food containers at > him as > >>> he flew off and that worked after about a week as he didn’t come > >>> back, but this one is more alert and is gone before I get close > >>> enough to throw anything. > >>> > >>> Thanks, > >>> Edgar > >>> > >>> ———————————— > >>> > >>> Yahoo! Groups Links > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > ———————————— > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > >

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Category: Philippines Internet Koi Society