Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?

I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
wouldn't want to)

Dog is terrified of them although they will shift if they see us but
mostly the hunting is done in the early hours, they take all the fish
once they get to more than an inch, this year they had all the frogs and
judging by the lack of tadpoles the Toads as well and I have also seen
them with grass snakes.

Its not like we are in the countryside !

I was wondering if there were any motion activated devices that would
squirt water or splash the pond surface (scaring the fish) and I assume
making it difficult for them to see their prey

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 30/06/2022 10:24, Charlie Pridham wrote:
> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
>
> I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
> wouldn't want to)
>
> Dog is terrified of them although they will shift if they see us but
> mostly the hunting is done in the early hours, they take all the fish
> once they get to more than an inch, this year they had all the frogs and
> judging by the lack of tadpoles the Toads as well and I have also seen
> them with grass snakes.
>
> Its not like we are in the countryside !
>
> I was wondering if there were any motion activated devices that would
> squirt water or splash the pond surface (scaring the fish) and I assume
> making it difficult for them to see their prey

They are supposed to be dissuaded by another heron, so a fake, full-size
heron by the pond might be worth trying.
<https://www.stopbirdspestcontrol.co.uk/Fake-Heron-Bird-Scarer---Garden-Pond-Bird-Repeller/11.htm>

Other than that, try a black pond dye. They are harmless to wildlife,
and apparently help to make it more difficult for herons to see fish in
the pond. From <https://landscapeplus.com/View/7566/pond-dye>
"Once added to the pond, the pond dye will not only improve the
appearance of the water and deter predatory wildlife such as herons from
harming fish stock, but also help to prevent the growth of algae and weeds."

Or you could try both at once!

--

Jeff

On Thu, 30 Jun 2022 10:24:35 +0100, Charlie Pridham
<charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk> wrote:

>Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
>
>I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
>wouldn't want to)
>
>Dog is terrified of them although they will shift if they see us but
>mostly the hunting is done in the early hours, they take all the fish
>once they get to more than an inch, this year they had all the frogs and
>judging by the lack of tadpoles the Toads as well and I have also seen
>them with grass snakes.

As per Jeff's suggestion, a static model heron is supposed to work.
>
>Its not like we are in the countryside !

Yes you are!
>
>I was wondering if there were any motion activated devices that would
>squirt water or splash the pond surface (scaring the fish) and I assume
>making it difficult for them to see their prey

--
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.

Charlie Pridham <charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk> wrote:
> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
>
> I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
> wouldn't want to)
>
We have found that the only way that really works is a net on our
little pond. We now have an almost invisible net (it's actually fruit
cage/bird netting) which doesn't spoil the look of the pond too much.

--
Chris Green
·

Charlie Pridham wrote:

> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
>
> I don't want to net

Dad had koi, he didn't want to net, he tried those octagonal floating rings,
they didn't help

<http://andyburns.uk/heron>

Eventually we did get some fine black mesh and fitted it using "hoops" of black
water pipe to make a frame, that worked (other than ducks sitting on the mesh)
but dad still wished he didn't have to have net.

Jeff Layman wrote:

> They are supposed to be dissuaded by another heron, so a fake, full-size heron
> by the pond might be worth trying.
> <https://www.stopbirdspestcontrol.co.uk/Fake-Heron-Bird-Scarer---Garden-Pond-Bird-Repeller/11.htm>

Dad had a fake wrought iron heron, I think in the end he thought it was
attracting the real heron

On 30 Jun 2022 12:04, Jeff Layman wrote:
> On 30/06/2022 10:24, Charlie Pridham wrote:
>> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
>>
>> I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
>> wouldn't want to)
>>
>> Dog is terrified of them although they will shift if they see us but
>> mostly the hunting is done in the early hours, they take all the fish
>> once they get to more than an inch, this year they had all the frogs and
>> judging by the lack of tadpoles the Toads as well and I have also seen
>> them with grass snakes.
>>
>> Its not like we are in the countryside !
>>
>> I was wondering if there were any motion activated devices that would
>> squirt water or splash the pond surface (scaring the fish) and I assume
>> making it difficult for them to see their prey
>
> They are supposed to be dissuaded by another heron, so a fake, full-size
> heron by the pond might be worth trying.
> <https://www.stopbirdspestcontrol.co.uk/Fake-Heron-Bird-Scarer---Garden-Pond-Bird-Repeller/11.htm>
>
> Other than that, try a black pond dye. They are harmless to wildlife,
> and apparently help to make it more difficult for herons to see fish in
> the pond. From <https://landscapeplus.com/View/7566/pond-dye>
> "Once added to the pond, the pond dye will not only improve the
> appearance of the water and deter predatory wildlife such as herons from
> harming fish stock, but also help to prevent the growth of algae and weeds."
>
> Or you could try both at once!
>

A fake plastic Heron needs to be daily, at least, moved around the
pond. They are not stupid birds and seen recognise a static ornament.
--
Regards.
Bob Hobden

On 30 Jun 2022 10:24, Charlie Pridham wrote:
> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
>
> I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
> wouldn't want to)
>
> Dog is terrified of them although they will shift if they see us but
> mostly the hunting is done in the early hours, they take all the fish
> once they get to more than an inch, this year they had all the frogs and
> judging by the lack of tadpoles the Toads as well and I have also seen
> them with grass snakes.
>
> Its not like we are in the countryside !
>
> I was wondering if there were any motion activated devices that would
> squirt water or splash the pond surface (scaring the fish) and I assume
> making it difficult for them to see their prey
>

The theory is they need to land on land or very shallow margins before
walking into the pond. One thing that does work is to tightly string
some thin black line around the pond at about a foot high. The bird
then catches it's legs on the line, gets startled, and flys off.

--
Regards.
Bob Hobden

On 30/06/2022 10:24, Charlie Pridham wrote:
> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
Kill all the fish. Then they wont be back. Works 100%

>
> I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
> wouldn't want to)
>
> Dog is terrified of them although they will shift if they see us but
> mostly the hunting is done in the early hours, they take all the fish
> once they get to more than an inch, this year they had all the frogs and
> judging by the lack of tadpoles the Toads as well and I have also seen
> them with grass snakes.
>
> Its not like we are in the countryside !
>
> I was wondering if there were any motion activated devices that would
> squirt water or splash the pond surface (scaring the fish) and I assume
> making it difficult for them to see their prey
>
Nope. The are pretty good at what they do.

--
"Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They
always run out of other people's money. It's quite a characteristic of them"

Margaret Thatcher

On 30/06/2022 13:18, Chris Green wrote:
> Charlie Pridham <charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk> wrote:
>> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
>>
>> I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
>> wouldn't want to)
>>
> We have found that the only way that really works is a net on our
> little pond. We now have an almost invisible net (it's actually fruit
> cage/bird netting) which doesn't spoil the look of the pond too much.
>

I am not too worried about the look but nets on ponds can make them very
dangerous for anything that falls in. but I think you are right that it
may be the only way

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 30/06/2022 20:50, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 30/06/2022 10:24, Charlie Pridham wrote:
>> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?

> Kill all the fish. Then they wont be back. Works 100%
>

Heron seems to have succeeded in doing that for me!

>>
>> I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
>> wouldn't want to)
>>
>> Dog is terrified of them although they will shift if they see us but
>> mostly the hunting is done in the early hours, they take all the fish
>> once they get to more than an inch, this year they had all the frogs
>> and judging by the lack of tadpoles the Toads as well and I have also
>> seen them with grass snakes.
>>
>> Its not like we are in the countryside !
>>
>> I was wondering if there were any motion activated devices that would
>> squirt water or splash the pond surface (scaring the fish) and I
>> assume making it difficult for them to see their prey
>>
> Nope. The are pretty good at what they do.
>
>

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 30/06/2022 12:19, Chris Hogg wrote:
> On Thu, 30 Jun 2022 10:24:35 +0100, Charlie Pridham
> <charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
>>
>> I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
>> wouldn't want to)
>>
>> Dog is terrified of them although they will shift if they see us but
>> mostly the hunting is done in the early hours, they take all the fish
>> once they get to more than an inch, this year they had all the frogs and
>> judging by the lack of tadpoles the Toads as well and I have also seen
>> them with grass snakes.
>
> As per Jeff's suggestion, a static model heron is supposed to work.
>>
>> Its not like we are in the countryside !
>
> Yes you are!

I had thought (wrongly it seems! ) that all the power lines and phone
lines would be a deterrent

>>
>> I was wondering if there were any motion activated devices that would
>> squirt water or splash the pond surface (scaring the fish) and I assume
>> making it difficult for them to see their prey
>

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 30/06/2022 15:34, Bob Hobden wrote:
> The theory is they need to land on land or very shallow margins before
> walking into the pond. One thing that does work is to tightly string
> some thin black line around the pond at about a foot high. The bird
> then catches it's legs on the line, gets startled, and flys off.

We've done something similar, but with two lines. We haven't seen one in
the pond since we did it. They only come to ours when the frogs are there.

The bad news is that this year a couple of ducks found the pond and ate
_all_ the frogspawn. Haven't seen a single tadpole.

Andy

In article <t9qe4a$2nh1b$3@dont-email.me>,
charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk says...
>
> On 30/06/2022 12:19, Chris Hogg wrote:
> > On Thu, 30 Jun 2022 10:24:35 +0100, Charlie Pridham
> > <charlie@roselandhouse.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >> Anyone got any ideas for discouraging these from raiding our two ponds?
> >>
> >> I don't want to net and I know I am not allowed to harm them (and
> >> wouldn't want to)
> >>
> >> Dog is terrified of them although they will shift if they see us but
> >> mostly the hunting is done in the early hours, they take all the fish
> >> once they get to more than an inch, this year they had all the frogs and
> >> judging by the lack of tadpoles the Toads as well and I have also seen
> >> them with grass snakes.
> >
> > As per Jeff's suggestion, a static model heron is supposed to work.

They aren't afraid of humans. Friends of ours hand-feed
the herons in their garden (with raw sausages). Started
with one heron then she brought her chick, who is now full
grown.
> >>
> >> Its not like we are in the countryside !
> >
> > Yes you are!
>
> I had thought (wrongly it seems! ) that all the power lines and phone
> lines would be a deterrent

Depending on the contruction/shape of your pond, you
could insert canes around the edge and string nylon
fishing line between them. But unless your pond is very
deep,eventually the heron will work out how to fly over
the line to land in the water. BTDTGTTS.

I've never found a permanent fool proof way to keep them
out. Koi carp keepers use a metal drid above the water but
that kind of defeats the pleasure of a pond imho.

Janet