Something fishy here?

[tedd]

Hello folks,

So this is where you have been? Having been lonely in that other place it is good to have found ponds'n'stuff.

Tedd

[tedd]

Hello again,

We recently removed the net from our pond as it was trapping dragonflys and a bird got under via the stream.

The net was to keep the herons out.

I have put a series of willow wands round the pond, each bent over toward the centre. Around this I have tied several strings from stick to stick to prevent the heron being able to step in and out of the water.

So far it seems to be working so I shall replace with drilled copper tube and fishing line.

Has anyone else tried this solution?

tedd

[Mrs Ava]

So far we seem to have avoided the heron problem.  It probably won't last, but on our side, our garden is smallish and densely planted .  The neighbours cat is quite interested, but our pond is edged with new sleepers, so the water level is quite a way down, and just out of his daring reach. My father-in-law has netting over his pond, and complains that he doesn't have frogs.  I guess this is why.

[Margaret]

Hi Tedd and Emma.Have you never seen a frog jump through a net on a pond? You ain't seen nothing yet!! they are truly amazing.They seem to jump through and shrink their bodies all at the same time.I have had a net on my big pond for 14 years and yet every winter i have lots of frogs hibernate at the bottom,pairing up and waiting to be fished out in spring!

However i have also heard of some nasty injuries to frogs if the net is not the right sort.The type that places sell as pond netting,cheap green sharp nylon stuff that cuts theirs and your skin.Horrible stuff.i have always used the black netting that you buy to protect fruit bushes from birds,which has a lot of give in it,even when stretched taut across the pond.I have never lost a fish to a heron,and would not consider any other form of protecting them