Results 1 to 14 of 14
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03-08-2021, 06:48 PM #1
Is there a safe edge height to deter herons
Hi all, I'm planning on putting rocks around my pond when I finally get it built so was wondering if there is a "safe" height that the rocks could be so that herons can't reach down to the water?
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08-08-2021, 05:10 PM #2
They will stand on the rocks and dive in when a fish passes
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08-08-2021, 05:17 PM #31kGal BD/Skim RDF/UV/k1 2.3kGal 2windows 2airBD/skim Sieve/Eazypod RDFcombi+bakki 3xVP/UV,ASHP
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09-08-2021, 11:24 AM #4
Yes fellas, hence the question, but there must be a height where they can't reach down to the water. I can make 2 high sides which would just leave 2 to protect with a fence but I can't find their maximum reach anywhere. If they are crouching on a rock I'm guessing that they wouldn't be able to reach down more than about 2ft from where their feet are.
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09-08-2021, 11:45 AM #5
They don’t fish in my pond. I have no pergola, perfectly clear water and I know there are herons in my area- there’s a reservoir at the end of my road and I have had a heron in an old ground level pond a few years back.
My jump guards are 28cam high. It definitely helps if you have verticals sides and no plants though. If they can’t wade it makes it very much harder for them.
If I were you I would buy a reel of clear fishing line and string it around some supports at the waters edge- much less ugly than a net and was very effective for my previous ponds. My heron visitor got his legs caught and I had to rescue him- he didn’t return as was so traumatised by the experience2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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09-08-2021, 12:18 PM #6
Hi Feline, yes, that's the plan.. no shelves in the pond with a vertical rock edge above ground on at least 2 sides. The other two will have a fence/jump guard as you describe.
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20-09-2021, 10:36 AM #7
Herons are adaptable, cunning and calculating. You need a net - even in the meantime to deter these Birds. Ive just lost 3 recently and it still returns despite having a net stretched over the pond and borders. A £300 fish dinner for it. Grrr Im awaiting my stainless steel 1x1" mesh panels to hopefully arrive today. In the meantime Im making do with a net. Remember - these are cunning birds. Twilight and early Morning Raiders. Just make things difficult for the bird to attack your fish and fingers crossed it will move on. They can reach and strike over 2ft so high mesh barriers are required. It can wade and wait. It can curry confidence with your fish by regurgitating its stomach to entice your fish to come up to feed - and then strike. But in any case - its just another sign how bad the streams and waterways are - otherwise if those waterways were healthy, then these Birds wouldn't venture into built up urban areas. The Devils.....
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21-09-2021, 03:22 PM #8
I have found that the metal heron / crane statues I have around my ponds have deterred them. I originally only had one in the wildlife pond, but a visiting heron decided to leave this alone and remove a £350 showa instead. Since I purchased a second one I have not had any further visits and it looks nicer than the fishing line I put up as a temporary measure after the first visit.
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10-10-2021, 04:31 PM #9
I have one that visits daily, as yet it doesnt like the jump guards and hasnt attempted to mount the wall and fish, ive no doubt it will, unfortunately for said bird that will be its last action. It may get lucky and not try before the covers go on, who knows......
Evil evil creaturesFibreglassed/5000 gals/4.5 m Tunnel/Spindrifter/Twin drums/Bio chambers/Beads/Showers/Remora ASHP
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05-05-2022, 10:26 AM #10
Hi
i live in an area where they are lots of herons.
so my defence is:-
pond coping is 200mm wide 500mm min above ground level, there are 3 layers of fishing wire 100mm apart some 50 mm from the water edge. The water level is 200 mm below the coping. The water is at least 1500mm deep. The pond has a timber purgula with open rafters at 450 cars.
I have not seen and herons on the pond yet and I am hoping that will surface!?
what are my chances these **** herons are smart birds!
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05-05-2022, 11:10 AM #11
i don't like jump guards or nets,
but as i can remove netted panels in a minute or two, i'd rather do that, and have the nets on when i'm not there.
there are lots of reasons why some open ponds get attacked and other don't.
how close to a house, if you have pets/dogs especially that are capable of killing them.
they are cunning wild animals, and have to weigh up risk vs reward.
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Ajm Thanked / Liked this Post
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06-05-2022, 08:39 PM #12
A duck landed in my garden the other day. The cat shot out and had two claws in it by the time the duck had got 3ft in the air. Fortunately the cat just pulled some feathers out and the duck got away, but I'm quietly confident the heron won't get an easy ride in my garden.
2660 Gallons. 4" Bottom Drain and Skimmer. Draco Solum 16 Drum. Anoxic Filtration. Air lift returns.
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07-05-2022, 11:06 PM #13
they don’t need to wade in to hunt, if there is enough space they can fly/dive in to fish, in an almighty splash. they are cleaver fish, amphibian/small mammal hunters that have not changed much in a very long time.
the slow pond build thread
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15-07-2022, 12:17 PM #14
Unfortunately lost one fish yesterday. I found it dead on the path with a clean puncture wound just behind the gills where the heart would be. I suspect a heron tried to fish it and failed. It explains why they were really jittery and zipped around the pond.
Net put up last evening is causing issues to the local birds attempting to land for a drink. They bounce off - however they found the area near a bush which would be difficult for a heron to get near without being local cat food.
I've seen the female, sushi, and the chargoi male but I've not see the other smaller male as the pond is green at the moment (helps destress them and reduce light penetrating into the pond).
It's a shame - I had a look at the gills, all perfect colour and no signs of parasites like costa etc.14000l, my mutts: Chargoi (2010), Doitsu (2022), Tancho (2022), Kujaku (2022), Hi Utusri (2022)
Best plants to remove Nitrate
pug has a very impressive veg filter on his pond, have a look at some of his his youtube videos....