Heron

[sbeau66]

Originally Posted by 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?

This was the advice i acted upon, and my comment as to trying to catch all the herons relatives was supposed to be taken as the above comment on eating them,ie not seiously, anyway on close inspection the bird has its legs bound for some time with fishing line and some embedded muck with hook/fly/stuff, can,t tell, too far in, so probably the reason it got stuck,and maybe would have died anyway, sorry guys, i do not partake in angling,

[sbeau66]

ps
just so no one else makes the same mistake when buying pond protection netting, the product similar to the one i used is on sale across the nation in all our B&Q stores, stating it keeps the pond safe from predators and birds,maybe those of you that are upset with me should contact the suppliers/sellers of these items, as they are clearly aimed at use for ponds
B&Q Plant Pond Protection Net 4.3m x 4.3m, 0000003713006

[Claire Fifi]

Thanks for that sbeau.

I had a heron casing the joint (so to speak) yesterday when he took a leisurely flap over the garden. He landed on a rather flimsy branch and looked hilarious trying to stay on his perch - but I got a great view of him from my upstairs window. So handsome - and they always look like they are smiling!

I have just launched a Friends group and used a ClipArt image of a flying heron for our poster advertising the inaugural meeting. I am currently doing an art course on printmaking (only 4x3 hour sessions) and hope to make a lino cut of a heron as their shape is instantly recognisable.

By the way, I once found a hedgehog dead in my garden - he had got caught in some pea netting I used. I was so upset and it still makes me angry to think about it - needless to say, I have not used any type of netting in my garden since that incident - nearly 20 years ago.

[thebeard]

although the heron was not directly killed by you sbeau, and although they are common and have 'green' status, it is an offence under the wildlife and countryside act to kill catch and hold herons, so although your aim may not be to kill further individuals, you could be breaking the law by putting these animals at risk.

[posie]

Originally Posted by sbeau66

This was the advice i acted upon, and my comment as to trying to catch all the herons relatives was supposed to be taken as the above comment on eating them,ie not seiously, anyway on close inspection the bird has its legs bound for some time with fishing line and some embedded muck with hook/fly/stuff, can,t tell, too far in, so probably the reason it got stuck,and maybe would have died anyway, sorry guys, i do not partake in angling,

Sbeau has now said that she has removed the netting, and has also put on post the type of netting so we can avoid it. maybe some research and work should be done with regard to this issue, as there must be thousands of other ponds with exactly the same netting on, and what about all the herons that feed from those ponds. Unless of course the netting IS Heron friendly, and it was the FISHING HOOK that caused the problem in the first place. ...Posie..