Damn heron.

[j.w]

Yay @ashirley you can relax now

 

[Ruben Miranda]

Hello
Just as I opened my mouth, the friggen heron is back.
He already got one koi.
As I saw it fly away with it in its mouth. :-(

It was back this morning right around sunrise.
I tried to sneak out under that patio cover and waited holding it would come in and I could really scare the crap out of it, maybe get a kick in before it flew off.
So.instead of having a nice weekend I have to do netting or a fence around the ponds.

I know it is against the.law to hurt these birds, and truthfully I don't want to hurt it.
But the feathers seem to be pretty thick do you think I small be be gun would penetrate it. I just want to scare it where it thinks about coming back.

Ruben

 

[Faebinder]

No one can endorse illegal action on a website. Netting is the way to go if u can't kill it. Raised netting.

 

[Tula]

Oh no !! I'm sorry it got one of your koi

 

[addy1]

Net the pond if there is one heron there are many heron's. That is why I went to a wide weave net high over the water, 3 feet or so. The plants can grow the critters can escape but the heron can't eat.

 

[Ruben Miranda]

Hello
@addy1 do you know or have the link where you got the 3" mesh
Can not belave how expensive the netting is I found a 2" mesh but they want like 200. 00 bucks and at that it is not enough size wise.

Thanks for the info
Ruben

 

[j.w]

@Ruben Miranda here's where both @addy1 and I bought our netting. They have much to choose from but this is what I bought and then you ask them to dip it in this black coating stuff so it lasts longer at no cost I believe.
http://www.memphisnet.net/product/75/netting_multi_277
The guy was so nice to talk to if you have any questions. He is a lot of help and does not mind talking to you.
It's really long and 6ft wide so I sewed mine together so it fit across my pond. Here's how I did it:
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/heron-netting-101.13205/

 

[Tula]

@j.w How long has your net been up, I'm wondering what it's life expectancy is, with the black coating added? I had a fine mesh net, because I had huge cedar trees over my pond, but sadly, they toppled in a Spring storm. I think my shade sails have done a good job hiding the pond from heron's view, but not sure it can be left up over the winter.

I've begged hubby to build a pond dome, for the winter.....but so far that's a no go - LOL !

 

[addy1]

Mine has been up for around 4 years now. The only thing that has fallen apart is the fishing line I used to put pieces together to get the right width. And that only broke in one spot an easy fix.

I got a thicker thread than jw. I can look that up once we get home tomorrow. If you are covering a large area I would go with the thicker thread. She sent me a piece for my small pond, it did not like being yanked on. IE I tore it.

 

[addy1]

Here is a shot off my cameras, not real easy to see, the size is around 4-5 inch holes. I have not trapped any critters since using it, including a deer lol But the heron can not strike at the fish. You do need to have it hit the edge of the pond with a slight drape down. My drapes down around a foot. Low enough the bird can not strike.

You will need to weave a rope around the edge, that gives it form so you can pull it tight and in the shape you want. My rope is showing wear, the net not at all.

 

[Ruben Miranda]

Hello
Thank you for the info
Will be ordering the net today.
This her on is like clock work and now he is flying in from difrent areas of the yard, trying to sneak in.
For being a big bird and they look clumsing it lands on top of the wood fence and is able to jump turn and fly off.
They are beautiful but it needs to move on and not eat my babies.

Ruben

 

[j.w]

Mine has been up for 3 yrs w/no problems. If there is a thicker one I would definitely get that tho. When I ordered mine I was not sure exactly which # @addy1 had bought. I think she bought #351 but not positive and comes 6ft wide according to an old message she sent me. I used pretty thick fishing line to weave the nets together and it is still holding up but then we don't get as hot here.
Anthony at 1-800-238-6380 x 1116 was who we talked to at the net company.

 

[ashirley]

Hello
Thank you for the info
Will be ordering the net today.
This her on is like clock work and now he is flying in from difrent areas of the yard, trying to sneak in.
For being a big bird and they look clumsing it lands on top of the wood fence and is able to jump turn and fly off.
They are beautiful but it needs to move on and not eat my babies.

Ruben

I got a fine netting material at Tractor Supply. Its used normally to cover berry bushes to protect them from birds and deer. It was 7' by 100' for like $14.00> If the heron tries to stab through it, its small enough to catch his beak keep him from getting the fish.

 

[j.w]

I've used that fine netting on some veggie plants in my garden when I had one and I had to keep going out and rescuing little birds as they got caught and then tangled up so that is why I bought the big holed netting for the pond. Dragonflies can fly through and so can the birds, just not big herons but you have to have it up high so the heron cannot just stab and reach through it.

 

[EricV]

For those of you that use the trick where you put a fishing line fence around the pond (sorry, I could not find the thread easily).

Would a regular knee-high border fence work as well, or does the fishing line fence work because they can't see it? I have a retention pond right behind my house and a heron flies over every day to get to the retention pond. Last year, on two days out of three I had a heron land in my back yard. I saw it immediately and went out and scared him off. After the third day, I put my net up. This was after the pond had been up and running for a couple of months, so my thought is he finally noticed there were fish when the water cleared up.

But ascetically, I don't like the net. I don't really like the look of the fishing line fence either, so if I could use regular garden border fence instead, I would rather. I think the pond is close enough to the house and otherwise situated that I don't have to worry too much about him landing directly in the pond, but rather approaching.

I don't mind using the net in the fall for leaves and spring while the heron is forming his habits, but during the summer when I am out there, I would prefer something better looking.