We'd seen the heron in the neighboring fir trees. Thought it was just passing through. Great Blue Heron on roof next door ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) Went out this morning and noticed that there were significantly fewer gold fish in the pond. Was thinking "We don't have to worry about catching and finding new homes for the thinned out fish." Just about then the heron took off from the roof. Guess we will be hooking up the new electric fencer, or we will buying new fish. Can only afford to feed a heron one good meal. Great Blue on garage looking down at pond ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )
We have herons around here but, thankfully, they don't visit my pond. I don't have fish but I do have frogs, toads and newts which I wouldn't like to see becoming a meal for them.
We have a Great Blue that visits our pond regularly and struts slowly along the perimeter. He occasionally dips his beak into the water, but we figure he's just admiring his reflection and not eating our fish (yeah, right ). I must admit he's never perched on the roof, though!
Herons are big, impressive and hungry. I wonder if they make 'scare-herons'? Maybe just a scarecrow. I'm sure the crows will not mind. They seem to be a skittish bird so it might not take much to deter it from conducting a one bird fishing tournament in your pond. Jerry
Am guessing this might be the same heron that visited last year. Seems to be much smarter than the raccoons and possums since it is the first to figure out the electric fencer wasn't on. Donna there is no way I'm trading heron for wood chuck. That would make our moles look like midgets. However do you manage a garden? I know, Jerry makes you a scare woodchuck. Jerry, I am waiting for my scare heron. Whatever will it look like? We'd had the pond for almost 30 years. Last year was the first visit by a heron. Guess we'd just been lucky up until then.
Beautiful creature, such a shame he eats your fish. Raccoons, Herons, Deer, Groundhogs, Rabbits ... we are always battling nature, aren't we?
Wow it is so beautiful perched up on your roof. Electric fence around your fish pond to keep out the critters. Ya, we would do the same if we had fishes in a pond. To many raccoons around here.
Great posting Jewell. I like those birds and there is a rookery of them that I pass when biking out to the lottie. They are building nests there at the moment. You knoe Jerry mentioned something like scare-herons. Well, there are here in Nederland. Lots of folks buy them and place then by their ponds for the same reason that you might want to. The scare-heron is like a decoy. It is a life-sized model of a gray heron. If you place it next to your pond the live heron will not come down as they are fiercely territorial. Well, they work here, perhaps they would work there as well. A link to show you what I mean: http://www.nakichekoi.nl/N_frame.html?h ... t_598.html There are also special systems that one can buy that uses a movement sensor and something like a water sprayer that would be directer over the pond. Folks have had success with this as well. Anyhow good luck with that marauder. Don't be so quick to get rid of the groundhog Donna, for you know-- if a woodchuck could chuck wood.........
Thanks, Sjoerd. I thought maybe the metal heron silhouette with a fish inits mouth attracted the heron. Now I know that is not the case. Will check out the garden center. Several rookeries around here. The ones in the park in Seattle has metal collars on trees to keep the raccoons from eating the eggs and fledglings. People have to keep their distance if they don't want extra hair doo. Wild life certainly adapts well.
I know what you mean about the heron poop. It will really make a mess if you are standing under one at the wrong time.
Jerry, we have "scare-herons" here that are called coyotes. Coyotes don't catch herons, but it isn't for want of trying! Hair-doo? Good one, Jewell! Rookeries are also famous for their odor. Perhaps it's all those fish the herons eat that causes such a stink.
