Idea for a Heron deterrent?

[Elean0r]

Hi again

We have a lovely pond that we put in at the beginning of the summer. It's rectangular, 4m x3m which is big enough for both fish and native wildlife, so we put in a dozen cheap goldfish once it had cleared. They've grown beautifully big and were getting quite friendly. But it's all changed.

We went away for a week or so, and when we came back the fish were cowering at the bottom of the pond. The neighbour who had been looking after them said they'd been very timid the whole time we were away.

This evening we realised what was wrong - we looked out of the window and saw a huge heron standing happily in the middle of the pond, probably having enjoying a late meal of our fish. It flew away as soon as we opened the door.

When we looked at the pond we noticed a thick oily film, presumably from the heron. It's something we've noticed before, but hadn't known where it came from. We hope it isn't the remains of a partly digested fish.

We've put some pea/bean netting over the pond for tonight, in case the heron wants breakfast. The netting is held in place by vertical bamboo canes pushed into the lawn and flower bed, but it can't stay like that because we're worried it might trap other creatures, and it looks horrible too.

The pond is paved on two and a half sides, with the liner going beneath and up behind the paving and hidden by grass. The other edging is stone with the liner going up behind it into either gravel or soil. I know it sounds odd, but it works.

Trouble is that we can't work out how we might put a tripwire close enough to the water to deter the heron and any of its chums, that'll still be safe if we walk on the paving. We don't want us or anybody else to trip over anything.

We did think about making a frame and somehow installing some sort for permanent netting, but then we realised it could trap the bats we know drink from the pond in the evening, and we aren't sure if the big dragonflies would be able to get through it - it would have to be suspended above the surface.

Can anybody think of a way of protecting our remaining fish without hurting anything else that wants to visit the pond?

[Phoebe]

It might be worth buying a plastic lifesize heron from your local garden centre. It worked for me. Put it at the side of the pond and move it from time to time, usually another heron will not go near it. Hope this is of some help.

[Jason Green]

Evening Elean0r,

First off, and most importantly with herons - they will NEVER deplete a food source. They will simply leave them after a while and allow them to re-breed and re-populate I've read. Will it then return? Who knows!

Yes, a heron ornament may scare off a heron - or attract one/more that may want a mate! Fencing of a certain forward-pointing angle may help. Personally I love herons. So, so majestic - I wouldn't want to put one off.

Take care,

Jason

[Dutchess]

A quick Google brought up several sites (including the RSPB) with plenty of suggestions. Try Googling "deterring herons in ponds".

(I won't post links here as it is not favoured by admin.)

Hope this helps

D.

[Elean0r]

Thanks everybody

It's really difficult to balance the thrill of seeing a heron in the garden and knowing that fishy pets are being eaten.

Originally Posted by Dutchess

Try Googling "deterring herons in ponds".

I did, and spent absolutely ages reading information. The best way seems to be a trip wire of some sort. The trouble is that we can't work out how to install one because the liner goes a couple of feet from the edge of the pond - to the edge of paving in some parts and under soil in other parts. We don't want to puncture it or make a trip hazard for people.

Originally Posted by Jason Green

First off, and most importantly with herons - they will NEVER deplete a food source.

That's reassuring, the younger members of the family have given the fish names, and are quite upset at seeing them disappear.

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Yes, a heron ornament may scare off a heron - or attract one/more that may want a mate!

Some friends have a plastic heron in their garden even though they haven't got a pond. It seems to act as an attraction.

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Fencing of a certain forward-pointing angle may help.

We can't seem to work out how to do it safely. There isn't anywhere close to the water that will allow us to put something (posts etc) into the ground.

I've had to take the netting off today because the dragonflies couldn't get at the water.

It's a bit of a catch22 situation really.

[Lancashire Lad]

This might be an idea, or might give you some ideas of your own: -

You could place a large earthenware planter at each corner of the pond. (Suitably filled with soil and planted up to look nice of course ).

You could then insert a cane into the soil of each planter, from which you could stretch a cord around the four, to give a "rope frame", from which you could then support further cords as deemed necessary to cross the pond at suitable intervals.

By placing the planters as close to the waters edge as possible, and by inserting the canes at the side nearest to the water, there would be little trip hazard (unless you were walking into the pond anyway ).

You could always attach some sort of high viz indicators along the cords as an extra reminder, that would catch your attention before tripping over it.

4mm white nylon cord can be bought very cheaply in 100m rolls at most DIY stores.

Once the heron has got the message, the cords could be easily removed. You might decide to leave the planters in situ, then they would be ready should the heron decide to return.

Regards,
Mike.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Evening Elean0r,

First off, and most importantly with herons - they will NEVER deplete a food source. They will simply leave them after a while and allow them to re-breed and re-populate I've read. Will it then return? Who knows!

Yes, a heron ornament may scare off a heron - or attract one/more that may want a mate! Fencing of a certain forward-pointing angle may help. Personally I love herons. So, so majestic - I wouldn't want to put one off.

Take care,

Jason

Sorry Jason that just isn't true- if they get the chance they WILL take all the fish in a small pond. They will easily find food elsewhere- they aren't going to think about sustainable fisheries!

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Phoebe

It might be worth buying a plastic lifesize heron from your local garden centre. It worked for me. Put it at the side of the pond and move it from time to time, usually another heron will not go near it. Hope this is of some help.

Years ago I worked at a site that had one of these plastic Herons + it never deterred the real birds coming down + taking fish.

[BloomingMarvellous]

Herons don't like people, so how about putting a Face mask somewhere around the Pond, bet they won't like that.

[Elean0r]

Originally Posted by BloomingMarvellous

Herons don't like people, so how about putting a Face mask somewhere around the Pond, bet they won't like that.

I could always try a self-portrait, that'd be sure to scare it away.

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

You could place a large earthenware planter at each corner of the pond. (Suitably filled with soil and planted up to look nice of course ).

You could then insert a cane into the soil of each planter, from which you could stretch a cord around the four, to give a "rope frame", from which you could then support further cords as deemed necessary to cross the pond at suitable intervals.

That's an idea, thanks.

I wonder if putting canes into the planting baskets in the pond would be effective, and whether they'd be stable enough to stop a heron walking forwards? They're quite large and are full of gravel, so quite heavy even though they're made of plastic.

I'll try it though, we can cut some bamboo (it'll probably do the plant some good) and we've got plenty of green twine. Let's hope it works.

Now that the fish have calmed down a bit it looks as if we've only lost one or two, there's obviously a lot more cover at the bottom of the pond than we thought. We also thought the "favourite" had been eaten, but it's still there, which is a huge relief all round.

Does anybody know if herons take big fish, or if it's only smallish ones that are at risk?

Ours are still fairly small, probably about 5 or 6 inches long. I wondered if they'd be safer when they've grown bigger.