Is there a way to keep a heron out of our Koi pond?
Lately there has been a heron (i’m not sure what sub-species) hanging around our koi pond outside. It has already eaten a couple and i was wondering if there was a way to keep it away due to the fact that our dog (who normally would be guarding the pond) has been staying in more due to it being cold outside. Any suggestions?
Shoot it.
February 13th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Shoot it.
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Just kidding, I like birdies =] And that’s a pretty one.
Cover it with netting – some kind that you can still see through. Or arrange rocks in the pond so that the fish could hide under them. Like the rocks stick out I mean. Get a bird figure and put it by the pond to make it look like another one is there eating first. I think the netting would be best though.
February 13th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Netting is the best way although it doesn’t look very nice. Herons need to walk into the water to catch fish so if you can prevent that it would also help. We use canes with fishing line tied around them at about 6" high as a trip wire all round one of our ponds. The big pond has steep sides so the herons can’t walk in. Plastic decoy herons don’t work for long, if anything they may even attract them, herons have been seen trying to mate with decoys.
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Personal experience
http://www.pond-life.me.uk
February 13th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
I have a friend that uses a motion sensing water squirter. It looks like a standard sprinkler head but shoots really powerful streams of water out when tripped.
This is one from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Contech-Electronics-CRO101-Scarecrow-Motion-Activated/dp/B000071NUS
Hope this helps a bit…the netting always scares me as the last thing I want to do is have to untangle an angry (or worse dead) bird. Best of luck keeping your fish alive and off the menu.
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