Owls eating goldfish

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Going on the offense against the owl!
I strung fishing line across the pond. I'm hoping the owl hits it, doesn't like it and doesn't come back. I'm not a fan of the look, so I'm hoping I can remove it in the future.
I didn't mind when the owl was visiting once a month, but taking 2 a night was too much.
IMG_9435.jpg
 

cas

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I love your pond.
I'm not sure you will ever be able to remove the fishing line. Once they find your pond, they keep coming back.
I had a hawk go into my pond after my fish last year. I have a net covering my pond, and the bird got quite a surprise. It's landing tore the net out of the ground supports, but the net stopped him from getting any of the fish. The hawk has been back multiple times since, but he sits on top of the gazebo checking out the pond and then leaves. I also have heron checking out the pond from the same view point.

2023-10 bird, Hawk.jpg
2023-10 bird, Heron.jpg
 
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Available food is hard to resist. Sorry you've lost fish. The owls still stop by here but my fish have learned to hide really well - most of them anyway. Frogs too.
 
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I have herons here every day and not one has been able to take a fish. My fish hide in their cave at the first sign of danger and only come out when it is safe. Also my pond is too deep for anything to be able to land on it without sinking. The only fish I have lost was to a water snake that was here for weeks before it finally snatched my shubie.
That being said, I hope I haven't jinxed myself! I miss my owls (I moved from Upstate New York to Florida three years ago) I used to have a whole family of Barred Owls...I am so jealous when Hound Heaven posts pics of his owlet...SO lucky! However I can imagine your frustration at trying to save your fish since Owls are stealthy hunters. I see you have lily pads for cover....Maybe some more floating plants? Your pond is beautiful and I wouldn't want to have to put up netting unless it was the last resort (which many have had to do)
 

j.w

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I will always have a net over my pond as not worth the risk to my fish. I do have a garter snake that visits each Spring and I suppose he/she will be able to eat any fish it can get into it's mouth. I have seen it zoom across the top of the water and I see it getting bigger each year it comes back!
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I will always have a net over my pond as not worth the risk to my fish. I do have a garter snake that visits each Spring and I suppose he/she will be able to eat any fish it can get into it's mouth. I have seen it zoom across the top of the water and I see it getting bigger each year it comes back!
View attachment 163520
ick. all snakes are Nope Ropes for me.
 

j.w

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ick. all snakes are Nope Ropes for me.
I brought this one from our neighbors yard one year as the hubby does not like any snakes. I don't mind this Garter snake as they aren't poisonous. We have none here like that thankfully.They are all over on the east side of the mountains where it's hotter in Summer. This one can stay, I enjoy seeing it each year and have never seen it go after the fish.
If I see it w/one of my bigger fish in it's mouth I may change my mind and take it to someone else's property w/o a pond :)
 

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