What now?!?!?! Am I found?!!

[miguynmkoi]

IT found my pond!  A GREEN HERON!!!  I noticed a bird flying from the back side of my lily pond the past couple of days when I go out between the rains to check on the feeshies.  Yesterday I thought I got a good look at it and went to our local bird watching website.  Yeppp!  It looks like a green heron.

This morning I catch it sitting on a netting support right over the pond while my stupido feesh are swimming around it, like the bird will feed them!!    I tried to get a photo from my kitchen window but it flew off when the camera focus light blinked    Got to figure out how to turn that stupid thing off.

Now I shouldn't worry too much about this bird because I have my pond double netted (top net is a sheet of door screen fabric).....but if the heron is hungry enough.... :'(

Here are a few headache facts about the green heron:

The Green Heron is one of the few tool-using birds. It commonly drops bait onto the surface of the water and grabs the small fish that are attracted. It uses a variety of baits and lures, including crusts of bread, insects, earthworms, twigs, or feathers.    I can see my babies lined up for a bite, the pigs.

Breeds in swampy thickets. Forages in swamps, along creeks and streams, in marshes, ponds, lake edges, and pastures.  Our creek is now a swollen raging river! 

Winters mostly in coastal areas, especially mangrove swamps.  Does this mean DH is right?  I've create a swamp around the pond? 

I will try my best to get a photo but meanwhile here is one from http://ocbirderca.blogspot.com/2008/01/green-heron.html  I think the green heron over my pond has redder feet    UGGGG!!!!!

[PondJoy]

A ponder's worst nightmare!!!  So sorry to hear it.  Maybe he will be deterred by all the net and go somewhere else! 

[OldMarine]

Would it help to set up 'motion sensor type driveway alarm' aimed at your pond to alert you of any critter intrusion near your pond?

Happy ponding,

Rich 

[Mikey]

The one in the photo below visited our pond only a few times several years ago.  If he's been back I haven't seen him.  Perhaps the one that visited you has a poor memory....

[Kat]

Oh my!!  Hope the nets will deter it enough that it doesn't come back.

[miguynmkoi]

That is a good idea Rich.  Wouldn't it be cooler if a motion sensor device could shoot off a bb gun? 

That's the same bird, Mike!!!!  If he's your buddy I will make sure he finds his way back to you!    I hope he wasn't doing sushi at your place back then!

You know PondJoy and Kat (good to see you again!) that bird got in and out of the yard even though I also have a third netting hanging above the whole pond area (14'x14' net).  I didn't even remember this sky netting until my DD mentioned how crafty this new invader was able to fly in and out with out touching the net  Guess it only works for long legged egrets and herons unless they figure out how it's done.

I'm a little freaked out that I cannot catch this sucker.........

[Johns]

The problem with green herons is that if your net has any openings around he sides, the green heron will go under the net.

[Nassuvian]

I have had them around my ponds every day for years.

They have only caught the mosquito fish, small tropical fish and some goldfish as well as some lizards and they've attempted to catch small birds like Grassquits but I don't know if they've been successful at that.

I've never seen them catch a koi.

[Julles]

That is bad news.  Sorry.  But so fascinating that they have learned to use "tools," like dropping bait into the water to lure the fish to the surface.

[Mikey]

They have only caught the mosquito fish...

The one that visited me also was catching mosquito fish near the edges of the pond.  No harm, no foul....

[miguynmkoi]

I did not see the new visitor yesterday and today, what a relief!  Did a head count and everyone is there! 

I think that since the rain has ended, for now, the creek next door is calmer and the wildlife is getting back to normal.  Hopefully that means Mr. G. Heron stays away.  Now I don't think I will ever be able to leave the netting off the ponds again (Thank you Johns for that info  ).

Nassuvian and Mikey it's good to know they go for the smaller fish.

Julles, I found that info very interesting too.  I know my feesh are stupid enough to fall for it too.  We let our cocketiels play around the pond edge and the fishies actually follow them waiting for food! 

[mascot]

Bummer, Annette!  That's why sometimes I'm glad my remaining fish are too stupid to know that I'm their friend...they still hide from me sometimes and that's probably a good thing since the heron likes my hole-in-the-ground diner!

I can just see your 'tiels dropping food in the water for the fish...that would make for a funny video!

Hope the heron decides that it's not worth it....

[miguynmkoi]

Thanks Mike! 

I can just see your 'tiels dropping food in the water for the fish...that would make for a funny video!

  My "tiels behave more like chickens - in the negative way - although they enjoy eating the fishies pellets.

Don't come back GH! 

[tinkster]

I know how you feel.. Had my first heron visit earlier this winter got one of my fishies.  I put netting over my pond also and so far he has not been back .... still hoping it was a fluke.  Hope the netting works for you also.

tink

[karen J]

Herons are extremely food- fashionable, just like humans. For example, if a human goes into a restaurant and sees a Fillet Mignon with sherry reduction for the same price as a hamburger, the human is going to get the Fillet. The Heron does the same thing. Koi? Or Goldfish? They will go for the Koi every time, and always the most expensive ones.

[miguynmkoi]

They will go for the Koi every time, and always the most expensive ones. fish

I hope you're not talking from experience, Karen  :'(

So far no show again from the green heron, thankfully.  I walked down to the creek yesterday and found that with all the rain we have been experiencing, the creek is a lot wider and deeper.  Plus all the fallen trees and wild branches were all cleared out....with a long clawed excavator dozer!  I did spot the resident egret fishing.  Beautiful, especially when they aren't in my yard 

Tink, my netting is anchored to the ground now so hopefully cunning birds will not invade