Topic: Deterring herons

[Hyacinth]

Bob Flowerdew gave a good tip on GQT. He said that herons walk into a pond from a flat surface,  so he stacks logs around his - great for wildlife and prevents herons from getting into the water to get your fish. 8)

[CotswoldLass]

Our pond is raised and has a defined ridge all the way round - so not flat! Heron managed to nick off with three fish AND made holes in the side of the pond which meant we had to drain and repair it. Maybe our heron was particulary adventurous, but  I'm not convinced.......

We've now got netting across the pond.

One thing that is supposed to  work is to have a 'fake' heron by the pond.

CLx

[Margaret]

I can assure you Cotswold lass,that it does not!! It was thought to be a deterrent but extensive studies have now shown that it may work for a time in winter as herons normally fish alone then,and because food is scarce will see another lone heron as a possible threat which may attack,but in summer they are looking for a mate and so are quite keen to investigate!! One way is to keep moving it around as herons are wily birds and will soon suss out it is a fake.


I have always had a fake heron,more of an ornament really! which has certainly not stopped visits from the real thing! The only sure way is a net and though a little unsightly,you do get used to it and it is sure better than losing all your fish.

[shirlton]

herons do like to walk into a pond, We plant all around the edge of the pool and also put containers arond and the only time we lost a fish was when one of us moved a container and forgot to put it back

[silly billy]

I used to use black cotton stretched from one side of the pond to the other and never had any heron trouble although he did try.I found it less intrusive than netting.Sadly though I dont have ponds anymore as the small people have arrived.

[man of the land]

you can buy statues of herrons. that will keep them away.  ;)

[Carol]

Heron season officially started last week!!!!  The Heron has started his daily stopover at our pond.   I thought our Pond was too deep for him to get the fish but he managed to get through about 25 fish 2 winters ago.  I dont know how he managed it because our pond is almost 4ft deep with only a narrow ledge 1ft 6".   The only deterrent is netting and certainly NOT a plastic Heron.  One year we put narrow planks of wood across the pond and that helped as well.

[Kepouros]

Herons not only wade, but can wade into deeper water and swim, and have been known actually to alight on deep water.

Wires stretched across the pond just past the edges of the shelves, together with others 2 or 3 feet apart in a square grid pattern have resulted in our not losing a single fish in the 10 years or so since we adopted the method, although we have several times seen herons alighting by the ponds and found occasional heron feathers caught on the wires or in the water.  Dark green plastic coated wire is probably the least visually obtrusive.

Plastic herons are not an effective deterrent as the heron is a fairly sociable bird, and a realistic copy is more likely to attract than deter another heron.