Drama at the backyard pond this morning. After a year and a half, our pond has been ‘discovered’ by the local heron. Screen shot from the video captured by my Ring camera early this morning. *$*#&**#!
niteman3d
Loc: South Central Pennsylvania, USA
Get a plastic one to scare him off?
TriX
Loc: Raleigh, NC
After trying everything including a “scarecrow” (infrared actuated sprayer), I found that a styrofoam floating alligator head was the most effective deterrent (
https://www.amazon.com/Alligator-Decoy-Reflective-Canada-Control/dp/B003X7M5QE ) so far, but nothing is foolproof except netting, which can spoil the view. What I haven’t tried, but I’m considering, is an electric fence wire about 18” above ground surrounding the pond so they can’t approach the pond. A single Heron can wipe out a Koi pond in a week, and they are skittish, but persistent and unpredictable, so watching for them to scare them away is a waste of time.
I’ve had my pond for maybe 15 years, and I don’t encourage the fish to be friendly - I want them to be skittish so that anything approaching the pond causes them to go deep. My pond is 3-1/2 feet deep with plenty of places to hide underwater (ceramic chimney flues turned on the side which also serve as platforms for plants). If anyone on the thread has had good luck deterring Herons, I’d like to hear it.
good luck - pretty pond!
TriX wrote:
After trying everything including a “scarecrow” (infrared actuated sprayer), I found that a styrofoam floating alligator head was the most effective deterrent (
https://www.amazon.com/Alligator-Decoy-Reflective-Canada-Control/dp/B003X7M5QE ) so far, but nothing is foolproof except netting, which can spoil the view. What I haven’t tried, but I’m considering, is an electric fence wire about 18” above ground surrounding the pond so they can’t approach the pond. A single Heron can wipe out a Koi pond in a week, and they are skittish, but persistent and unpredictable, so watching for them to scare them away is a waste of time.
I’ve had my pond for maybe 15 years, and I don’t encourage the fish to be friendly - I want them to be skittish so that anything approaching the pond causes them to go deep. My pond is 3-1/2 feet deep with plenty of places to hide underwater (ceramic chimney flues turned on the side which also serve as platforms for plants). If anyone on the thread has had good luck deterring Herons, I’d like to hear it.
good luck - pretty pond!
After trying everything including a “scarecrow” (i... (
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Thanks for the perspective. I’m open to trying anything at this point. The electric fence wire sounds intriguing. I may try the alligator decoy also.
If it were my pond, I would be proud and over joyed to have it there.
niteman3d wrote:
Get a plastic one to scare him off?
We’ve got “Harry” on guard. I’ve since moved him nearer to the landing site. In the last week we’ve had the visit from the heron and I suspect the possibility of a raccoon. It’s a battle now to preserve the koi. Not only were they expensive, but each of my grandchildren is attached to one of them. Thankfully, the koi are very skittish. That may save them. They won’t even emerge from the fish cave during the day now. And I’m OK with that.
DAN Phillips wrote:
If it were my pond, I would be proud and over joyed to have it there.
I just don’t want my koi to be breakfast.
Bigmike1
Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.
Try popping him with a bb gun when he shows up. He might get the idea that this place ain't worth the sting.
Bigmike1 wrote:
Try popping him with a bb gun when he shows up. He might get the idea that this place ain't worth the sting.
Thanks. Trying the more passive approach first.
I certainly understand about the koi.
Argument for cheap goldfish in a backyard pond.
TriX
Loc: Raleigh, NC
Bigmike1 wrote:
Try popping him with a bb gun when he shows up. He might get the idea that this place ain't worth the sting.
They are so unpredictable that it isn’t practical - you’ll be sitting by the pond for days and if they see the slightest human movement, they’re gone. In desperation one year, I strung monofilament fishing line back and forth across the pond. Looked out my window and the GBH had managed to land anyway. I sneaked through the garage with a slingshot and a round lead fishing weight and let go. The Heron, impeded by rhe monofilament, couldn’t fly out, so he took of running into the woods. I grabbed a pole pruner (if you’d ever been F2F with a 4-5’ tall bird with a beak, you’d understand why) and gave chase. Long story short he got away, and even after that (hopefully) traumatic experience, he was back in 10 minutes!
Now to be clear, I love birds including The majestic Great Blue Herons, and I wouldn’t have killed him or injured him (just wanted to scare him off), but Koi are not like goldfish. Koi can live 50-100 years and big koi (I have several 18-20” long that likely weigh a number of pounds), that size can sell for $1,000 - even 8” long ones may be $75-100 if they’re pretty, so losing one is a big deal - you can get very attached to them over the years. BTW, the way to deal with raccoons is to have a steep sided pond they can’t wade into.
The net-net is that while beautiful, Koi can be a challenge if there’s a GBH in your area - you may have to eventually settle for goldfish, but good luck. Frankly, I think a single electric fence wire may be the best bet - not as unsightly as a net. The Alligator head does work for awhile anyway and it’s always an interesting conversation piece (and surprisingly expensive for a painted piece of styrofoam). I have mine anchored in the middle of the pond with monofilament line and a half brick.
Cheers and again good luck!
TriX wrote:
They are so unpredictable that it isn’t practical - you’ll be sitting by the pond for days and if they see the slightest human movement, they’re gone. In desperation one year, I strung monofilament fishing line back and forth across the pond. Looked out my window and the GBH had managed to land anyway. I sneaked through the garage with a slingshot and a round lead fishing weight and let go. The Heron, impeded by rhe monofilament, couldn’t fly out, so he took of running into the woods. I grabbed a pole pruner (if you’d ever been F2F with a 4-5’ tall bird with a beak, you’d understand why) and gave chase. Long story short he got away, and even after that (hopefully) traumatic experience, he was back in 10 minutes!
Now to be clear, I love birds including The majestic Great Blue Herons, and I wouldn’t have killed him or injured him (just wanted to scare him off), but Koi are not like goldfish. Koi can live 50-100 years and big koi (I have several 18-20” long that likely weigh a number of pounds), that size can sell for $1,000 - even 8” long ones may be $75-100 if they’re pretty, so losing one is a big deal - you can get very attached to them over the years. BTW, the way to deal with raccoons is to have a steep sided pond they can’t wade into.
The net-net is that while beautiful, Koi can be a challenge if there’s a GBH in your area - you may have to eventually settle for goldfish, but good luck. Frankly, I think a single electric fence wire may be the best bet - not as unsightly as a net. The Alligator head does work for awhile anyway and it’s always an interesting conversation piece (and surprisingly expensive for a painted piece of styrofoam). I have mine anchored in the middle of the pond with monofilament line and a half brick.
Cheers and again good luck!
They are so unpredictable that it isn’t practical ... (
show quote)
Another of life’s challenges. Thanks for your thoughts.
TriX
Loc: Raleigh, NC
Celtis87 wrote:
Another of life’s challenges. Thanks for your thoughts.
Best of luck and keep in mind that GBHs are protected under Federal law, so don’t harm them in any way (not that you would of course)
niteman3d
Loc: South Central Pennsylvania, USA
DAN Phillips wrote:
If it were my pond, I would be proud and overjoyed to have it there.
I'd feel the same way if I hadn't looked at the price of koi. Cheapies are around $25 and up. The most expensive one ever sold fetched $1.8 million US with every price in between. We have several fish hatcheries in our area and they don't seem to be overjoyed either. Does this seem like one of those instances where technology should be able to solve the problem?
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