Heron

[Lance Morgan]

Originally Posted by Harold Smith

The Romsey Advertiser does not suggest that fisheries are killing Herons or Otters which is illegal anyway. Also, I could not find anything about Herons in the Advertiser though there was a lot about the culling of Otters as they are suspected of killing fish in commercial fish ponds. Oh dear! Here is the same old argument! Something is eating my hobby/livelihood so let’s kill it! Whether it be Heron or Bird of Prey eating the Grouse or Otter or some other wild animal. When are people are going to learn! If you want to make a living from ‘farming’ then put in the measures to protect your livelihood, do not take it out on or blame it on the wildlife if it doesn’t work! To me that is just an excuse for not being able to manage it or adapt as things change.

Also, Nobody is suggesting that you have killed anything. You are entitled to express an opinion as I am, which is what we are doing. However, I do go back to my original question where do your interests lie? In ‘wildlife’ or the contents of your pond?

Harold.

I have several interests including wildlife

[Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Lance Morgan

I have several interests including wildlife

Yes Lance, but we don't want to know about those, there are children on the site after all

[BlueJam]

Great pic!

[Lance Morgan]

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

Yes Lance, but we don't want to know about those, there are children on the site after all

LOL

[bigdave60dog]

Yeah! It is always a problem reconciling interests. In tha past I have had problems with foxes eating lambs, Foxes eating hens,ducks,peafowl -in the daytime too. Carrion crows killing cavies. In many areas they have problems with magpies and crows pecking living lambs eyes out.
I NEVER get all holy and righteous whith caring folk who express frustration about herons killing their favourite fish.
I have seen ponds with life sized, plastic herons around them which may work right now. We have loads of herons feeding on the shores here and they hold feeding places about 80 -120 metres apart. I reckon that they are territorial at this time of year. Later on young herons will gather together in a good feeding spot. ie, when a fish pond is drying up and the fish are forced to areas where herons can reach them. I have seem young herons so stuffed with fish that they can barely get off the ground at these times.
Herons have limit on the depth of water that they can fish in. I never see one standing in water deeper than 400cm (just above a herons` knees) You could try wiring or netting the shallower parts of your ponds. This would prevent herons fron landing in the parts where they could fish.
I don`t shoot these days but I have never shot a heron. Does anyone know what they taste like?

[bigdave60dog]

A couple of other pints. Herons often leave dead fish by the side of their feeding place. Don`t know why. Maybe these were too big to force down. Heron doo feed at night as well as or often in preference to the daytime they also roost on the ground -in treeless areas they have no choice- herons by pond at night could be doing either. Probably fishing though.
I have also seen a heron take a three parts grown moorhen and they are well documented as preying on tern colonies at nightime (eg. Anlgeseas` Sandwich colony)

[Claire Fifi]

Originally Posted by bigdave60dog

Y
I don`t shoot these days but I have never shot a heron. Does anyone know what they taste like?

PMSL!! A bit fishy I suspect!!

Did anyone see those photos in a newspaper last year (can't recall which one) showing a heron eating a baby rabbit?

[sbeau66]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

It's your responsibility to protect your fish. Herons are a natural predator of fish + are doing what they have to, to survive.

Accept it's upsetting if you lose your pets, but it's possible to prevent fish losses over small/medium sized ponds.

Well, i netted over my pond to protect my fish, and this morning there was a dead heron stuck in it, so it looks like i was right and it was responsible for removing large fish from the pond and leaving them dead on the grass, i,ve never netted my pond before, and my intention was to keep the heron out, but now i will keep it on to keep his family away.
So the cat is off the hook, and problem solved, sorry heron lovers, but i only put the net on after reading this thread

[posie]

Originally Posted by sbeau66

Well, i netted over my pond to protect my fish, and this morning there was a dead heron stuck in it, so it looks like i was right and it was responsible for removing large fish from the pond and leaving them dead on the grass, i,ve never netted my pond before, and my intention was to keep the heron out, but now i will keep it on to keep his family away.
So the cat is off the hook, and problem solved, sorry heron lovers, but i only put the net on after reading this thread

There are nets and nets.........Surely there must be a net on the market that will not cause such a terrible death to a poor bird. It makes me feel ill just thinking about the poor bird struggling, I wonder how long it was before he went unconcious, what a cruel death. There will have to be some guidance on WAB of what net to use that will not hurt these beautiful birds. Or maybe it was not fitted properly and he got tangled on the edges...Oh Dear !

[loripo]

Do herons prcatice nest building? We have about 30 nests in our local park, all of which seem to be occupied at the moment. Last weekend I saw one heron break off a branch about a metre long and try very gingerly to make it's way to a fork at the trunk of the tree and balance the broken off branch across. As it had to hold it's head up it was 'feeling' along the branch it was on with its feet and it was quite funny to see, but I thought it was late to actually start building a nest.