great blue heron

[wannabe fisherman]

I have a small garden pond in my back yard, about 600 gal. I have some very large goldfish in it, some about 10 inches long. Yesterday I found 2 of them in the grass about half frozen, but still alive so I put them back in the pond. The mystery was how did they get there. There's no evidence of some critter getting them as there was no water splashed around the pond perimeter.
I put a couple of white trash bags over the pond because I thought maybe a bird did it.
This morning I spotted it, there was a great Blue Heron perched on the roof of my neighbors house. It was looking toward my pond trying to figure out what was on the water. I watched it for about five minutes or so and when it couldn't figure out what was going on he flew away.
I hope he finds something to eat some where else.

[FishingDog]

I can guarantee you that he WILL NOT leave until your pond is completely empty of fish!!!!!!!!!!! I've been through this same experience with one, and have heard from many other small pond owners with the very same experiences. It's a free meal for them, and very easy. So what's not to like about that? No, you can't kill them. Putting large nets over your pond is about the only way of keeping them out. Good luck!!

[pucker'd]

Have you tried a mesh net over the pond ?? I had a neighbor who had the same issue here in San Diego with a hawk...he put a mesh net over it and didn't have anymore issues.

Speakin of fish-snatchin-birds...and I apologize for highjackin the thread a bit here...but I was a research diver / assistant for tracking white seabass in Mission Bay and off the the San Diego coast. They had a microchip in them from the hatchery and we would track them using sonic equipment.

Every 1 out of 4 we noticed would end up 2 - 3 miles inland. Couldn't figure out what was goin on, turns out the pelican's would watch us release them then go in for the swoop. So I understand your frustration to some degree....Good luck !!

[jhef]

you can kill the blue herron, you just dont need to get caught thought,
he is a burgler right, coming onto your property and taking something that doesnt belong to him, some states its legal to use deadly force to protect your belongings.. that would be what id try to explain to the judge anyways lol