Internet Outlaw

[addy1]

I second what Pecan said. This forum has been very welcoming, very helpful and at times extremely funny. :banana: You know it's funny when you can read something someone else has written and start laughing out loud!

lol my hubby is always asking me what am I smiling about........

 

[Becky]

Sounds like I'm going to have to keep an eye on you John!! :toothy12:

I'm glad everyone likes the forums so much - it is entirely due to the lovely people here.

 

[j.w]

I was gonna like your comment Becky on how lovely we all are here but I got this pop up,lol! Can I have more likes added to my account as I always seem to run out

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[HARO]

Stuffing the ballot box, j.w.??? :nono:
And Becky, I'll try to behave! :twisted:
John

 

[j.w]

Don't believe him Becky

 

[HARO]

So does anyone here have any experience with Kingfishers? Will a net 7' off the ground stop them, or do they fly under it? Every year I add 25 to 30 fish to the pond, mostly 4-5" in size, yet all I ever have in there are last year's young. Now I know why! I plan to put out my lemon comets and half a dozen VERY nicely coloured shubunkins, but not if they're going to be bird food!!! :grumble:
John

 

[j.w]

John I found this on the net about them: http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/ponds/Lawler_Predatory_birds.html

DIVE FROM AIR
Kingfishers (about 90 species around the world) are represented by three families: Alcedinidae (river kingfishers); Halcyonidae (tree kingfishers); and Cerylidae (water kingfishers). Kingfishers around water normally dive for small fish, but also eat insects, crayfish, and frogs. All kingfishers kill their prey by beating it against a tree or by dropping it.
The local species in my area is the Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon). It will dive into a pond and puncture the liner (40 mil HDPE in my ponds) in shallow waters (usually 8" or less), causing leaks. I have hundreds of holes along the edge of a large liner pond (12 by 60 feet by 4 feet deep) (40 mil HDPE) from kingfisher bill punctures. They were diving after rosy-red fathead minnows, and eventually got all of several thousand fish stocked out. The fatheads swam in schools around the edge of the pond, presenting themselves as easy targets.
There should be overhangs of stone or boards, or netting, etc. to protect the shallow edge areas of a pond from predation and possible liner puncture. Overhangs also give places for fish to swim and hide away from bird predation, and also provide shaded areas for water cooling. Overhangs should be high enough above the water so birds cannot stand on the overhang and reach the water to catch fish.
There may be some protection for the fish if there are no limbs overhanging the pond that the kingfishers can rest on, and dive from, to catch fish. Bird netting stretched tight over a pond/tank can discourage kingfisher predation.

 

[addy1]

Boy that would suck, holes in the liner form the birds and losing all your fish.

 

[HARO]

Thanks, j.w., that's helpful. I have a large spruce beside the pond, but I think I'll take that down anyway, since the needles are a real PITA whenever the wind blows. Twice in the past I've seen a kingfisher perched on the edge of the roof overlooking the pond, but that can't be helped! I'll have to make a frame and cover it with netting, but have to leave some kind of opening for the other birds to be able to get a drink and a bath. I've removed most of the shelf already, so there is only a small shallow area. Fortunately no holes in the liner. YET!!!
John

 

[addy1]

Watch leaving a hole for the other birds, unless you make it so they can't get under the rest of the net. They will get stuck under the net and can't figure a way out. That is one reason I just have one piece of deer fencing over the top of the pond, just so there is not enough room for the heron to fly in and land. I had more net last year and a little bird got stuck and died, so went to just one piece. But i don't have king fishers...............yet

 

[HARO]

Addy; I had considered that possibility, and think maybe I'll construct a second water feature just for the robins, cardinals and other birds that come to the pond for a drink and a dip. We feed the birds year-round, and so we have a large number that depend on that water source.
John

 

[pecan]

Most of the small birds that come to my pond hang out in the stream, small pool/bog at the top of the falls and in the skippies. They rarely get in the actual pond. It would be easy to just cover the pond (where the fishies are) but not the stream and falls. Not sure how your is set up, but that is just a thought.

 

[HARO]

I've had just the pond, and birds would jump onto the lily pads for a drink and a bath, but since I'm in the process of enlarging the pond anyway I've decided to add a few features. First is a vegetative filter of about 400 - 500 gallons to house water hyacinths, and in the former 'beach' area I plan to have a large boulder drilled to accept a hose to bubble water over it. I tried a smaller version of this last year, and the birds loved it, so they should use this one too! And I am taking pictures, so when I figure out the process I WILL post them!!
John

 

[addy1]

Addy; I had considered that possibility, and think maybe I'll construct a second water feature just for the robins, cardinals and other birds that come to the pond for a drink and a dip. We feed the birds year-round, and so we have a large number that depend on that water source.
John

I feed mine year round, they love the bog and constant water source.

Most of the small birds that come to my pond hang out in the stream, small pool/bog at the top of the falls and in the skippies. They rarely get in the actual pond. It would be easy to just cover the pond (where the fishies are) but not the stream and falls. Not sure how your is set up, but that is just a thought.

They just use my bog, the one that got stuck, I am guessing, took off from the bog and ended up under the net. Mine is loosely hung over the pond. I have it now so they can easily get out.

The doves like to jump down to the edge of the pond to drink, but like to bath in the bog.

 

[j.w]

Will be neat to see your new setup John and you better post pix! I do like the idea of that bubbling rock!