Damn heron.

[Tula]

I've read they see the reflection of the water, while flying above. We had a tree come down last Spring and we added a shade sail to provide shade and it has the added benefit of blocking the view of the pond, from above

 

[addy1]

I had a tall fence, like 4 feet around the pond they flapped over it. I had fishing line, they went over and one time through it.
I had a fine weave net for a bit, it trapped small birds, frogs, and the heron landed on it.

The wide weave high hanging net is what finally worked for me. It traps nothing but keeps the heron away. I don't really notice it anymore.

 

[cas]

My brother-in-law used fishing line criss-crossed all over his pond and around the perimeter. The heron still got close enough to get the fish through the fishing line. He went back to using a net.

 

[addy1]

My brother-in-law used fishing line criss-crossed all over his pond and around the perimeter. The heron still got close enough to get the fish through the fishing line. He went back to using a net.

I had the fishing line across mine, the heron stuck his head though it and then pushed it aside and landed in the pond. Had a bit of trouble getting back out, but made it while I screamed at it.
Pond stays netted 24/7/365

 

[Lisak1]

but made it while I screamed at it.

Now there's a video we would all love to see @addy1 !

 

[addy1]

Now there's a video we would all love to see @addy1 !

I posted it long time ago, not the best video, cams are a lot better now. Crazy bird!

I also have one where it tripped on the fishing line and did a header into the pond.

 

[Lisak1]

I posted it long time ago, not the best video, cams are a lot better now. Crazy bird!

They are insane. No fear WHAT SO EVER. We've been lucky to avoid them at our pond, but see them all the time at the natural ponds in our neighborhood. They will walk slowly away from you, turning to give you a dirty look if you get too close. And sometimes they'll even take a few steps in your direction like "oh, yeah? You wanna piece of me?" The most confident bird in the world if you ask me!

 

[Faebinder]

They are insane. No fear WHAT SO EVER. We've been lucky to avoid them at our pond, but see them all the time at the natural ponds in our neighborhood. They will walk slowly away from you, turning to give you a dirty look if you get too close. And sometimes they'll even take a few steps in your direction like "oh, yeah? You wanna piece of me?" The most confident bird in the world if you ask me!

You should tell it.... it may be illegal to kill you but there is now law against kick your ass.

 

[Lisak1]

haha! They are scary! Even my dogs are scared, and they're usually too dumb to know when something is dangerous!

 

[Spartamets]

This thread makes me happy to have an urban pond. While herons are around here--my neighbor had her pond cleaned out eight years ago--they are infrequent visitors compared to the suburbs. Where I live is much more like suburbia than a city, but I haven't seen any herons yet. Our neighborhood red tail hawk is another matter. He made another swooping dive yesterday, but can't quite seem to reach the water. When I hike just outside the city limits by the reservoir, the herons are legion, but they don't seem to find their way here. I really don't want to net my pond.

 

[addy1]

We are just so lucky to have a rookery, to the south west of us, their feeding grounds, at least some of them, east of us. They fly over every day.

We went to look at a car years ago, they had a small pond right under the window in the front yard. Nothing but houses around. While we were there a heron landed walked up the pond and stared at the water. Urban does not mean safe.

 

[HARO]

A former co-worker had a small pond in his back yard... subdivision, house on one side, 6' fence on three sides. Green heron landed in his maple tree, cleaned out his pond in 3-4 days. The GBH is not the only bird you have to look out for. I lost MANY fish to kingfishers before I figured out why they (the fish) kept disappearing. I've seen an osprey flying just east of here with a bright red fish in its talons, at least a foot long. And just this past summer, a customer came to me with a horror story of seagulls cleaning out his pond, again in a small back yard. If you LIKE feeding wild birds, get a hundred feeder fish and keep the birds happy, but if you value your finny friends (as most here do) , then NET YOUR POND!
John

 

[Faebinder]

Meant to say there is no law against kicking the herons ass.

 

[j.w]

A net is the only thing that works for me and I have tried everything else. You get used to the looks of it and the peace of mind knowing your fish are safe is worth it. You can use fancier posts then what I used to make it look nicer.

 

[Spartamets]

We are just so lucky to have a rookery, to the south west of us, their feeding grounds, at least some of them, east of us. They fly over every day.

We went to look at a car years ago, they had a small pond right under the window in the front yard. Nothing but houses around. While we were there a heron landed walked up the pond and stared at the water. Urban does not mean safe.

This is not encouraging. Urban does not mean safe in so many other contexts, I had hoped that maybe with ponds I could get a bye.