RIP--Mr. Arbuckle

[D&RW]

Neighbor came over this morning. His favorite really big goldfish was dead on the bottom of their pond. On examination, Arbuckle had two puncture marks and recently a blue Heron has been visiting.

Wally, my neighbor, has a fake Heron as do I. But our ponds are different. Mine has steep sides and is deep planning maybe for Koi. Wally's is shallower and has sloping sides.

Without plants yet and only one table under which to hide, the fish were vulnerable. Wally constructed a 6 ft. diameter floating net to augment the table until he can put another in for hiding.

I told him he might consider one of those motion activated sprayers. Anybody had any luck with those?

 

[c2c7390]

those are more for 4 legged animals...but i dont see why it wouldnt work...usually the fake heron works...they also suggest that you move them around the pond often because herons are usually territorial...

 

[DrDave]

Don't waste your money. Been there done that. I still lost all my fish. Don't forget, the raccoons come out at night and they are used to sprinklers. If the GBH doesn't get them, the raccoons do. Best to cover and use alarms so you know when they are out there.

 

[D&RW]

I'll let him know. Thanks.

 

[bunnymp]

He could put string around the perimeter of the pond. Herons won't/can't step over it to get to the ponds edge.

 

[DrDave]

How high would you put the string?

 

[bunnymp]

I never did it myself, but I think about 12".

 

[c2c7390]

thats a good idea...i would imagine that it should be somewhere around hip height...the herons hip of course

 

[DrDave]

My Egrets and GBH are about 18" to the hip. At least those that got away...

 

[c2c7390]

i dont even want to know what happened to the ones that didnt get away