Winter foliage

[MajorDan]

Are there any pond plants that remain green throughout the winter or do the big herons migrate south?

 

[Stephen Noble]

My horsetail rush stays green all year. But, it is invasive and needs containment.
Stephen

 

[MajorDan]

Thanks Stephen. Looking it up now. Whew, writers are not very kind to this attractive plant.

 

[sissy]

cattails may and the mini ones are great .

 

[Jhn]

Water forget me not in my bog stayed green all winter, but like the horsetail rush it is invasive. Have pulled half of it out of my bog twice this year as it try’s to completely take over. However, that is what makes it a good vehicle for nutrient export.

As for herons migrating it depends where you are located. Here in Maryland they stay around here year round.

 

[Lisak1]

Are there any pond plants that remain green throughout the winter or do the big herons migrate south?

This question reminds me of the old "do you walk to school or do you carry your lunch?" Am I missing something?

 

[MajorDan]

Lisak1,
Since the heron is already visiting my pond that has 3” of water in the hole, I am already thinking about plants that might screen,, discourage or otherwise make a hreon’s Task harder so plants the stay green all year seemed like a good start. Since I am in northern Alabama I guess they will be here all darn year.

 

[addy1]

I have seen them out hunting in the snow.

 

[MajorDan]

That is just depressing. Looks like I will have to use several scarecrows to train them not to stop in.

 

[addy1]

That is just depressing. Looks like I will have to use several scarecrows to train them not to stop in.

The only thing that worked for me, after a 3 year fight, is a high hanging wide weave gill net. Not really noticeable, but the heron quit visiting, finally. They still fly over all of the time.

 

[Mmathis]

The herons stay here all year, as well.

 

[Mmathis]

This question reminds me of the old "do you walk to school or do you carry your lunch?" Am I missing something?

Same here.....which is why I waited to let others answer first, LOL! But now it makes sense.

 

[Tara]

Oh I'm scared too @MajorDan . I live with a river across the road from my house, and a natural wildlife pond up the road about mile. I see them blue herons when I'm hiking, oh I know it's only a question of when they spot my fish, so I'm like a mad woman trying to figure out a way to hide my fish. You should look up a video from BBC on a clever Heron, it's a holiday resort, and the Heron steals bread that the tourists throw to the ducks. So the Heron then goes off to a quiet spot, with bread in beak, and places the bread in the water , then cool as you like, waits for a fish to come up for a nibble. I think you can guess the faith of the fish. Herons are smart enough to use bread as fish bait.

 

[MajorDan]

I must rise to the challenge...man against bird(s). I hope the scarecrow sprinklers do their worst to them but when we get the first heavy frost my sprinkler system is shut down till spring. Then the challenge begins and will probably mean...nets!

 

[Lisak1]

Herons are smart enough to use bread as fish bait.

Herons will vomit in the water to simulate food dropping in to get the fish to come to the surface. They are wiley, patient, intelligent, intrepid hunters. If they find you, they will never forget you. I've read that they have an internal GPS - once they find a pond with fish, they "drop a pin" on the location so they can return again and again.

And now your post makes perfect sense @MajorDan ! haha!