First predator visit

[CountryEscape]

So it's just the gator head, huh, Addy? I thought it was the whole body, floating parts that wiggled back and forth. Neat!

 

[pondlover]

I have the 3 piece gator. But I'm going to order the one like Addy has and put him at the other side of pond. I will try them both and hopefully will not have any unwanted visitors.

 

[j.w]

I have a 3 piece gator in mine too.........had a bit of a problem w/ him leaking from holes but was able to finally patch them. I don't know if he is keeping the heron away or the radio I have on from dawn to dusk on the front deck right next to the pond. The radio was put there first and since then no heron. It's set on talk radio so maybe voices scare them away, loud voices! Not so loud that they bother the neighbors tho.

 

[addy1]

I have the three piece gator, got it after the heron quit visiting, have not put it into the pond. It is listing to the side and too low in the water, tried to get the company to help with getting a new one, no luck. I need to fix it with some foam or cork glued below to make it float right. The gator head is around 2 feet long, I have hours of records watching the heron checking out the gator. It would stare at it, circle the pond looking at it the whole time. Poor bird could see the fish swimming, you could tell it sure wanted the fish, but it would give up and head out into the gardens. The head is anchored to a rock with a 7 foot piece of fishing line, it moves in the wind and with the water current constantly.

The second head was placed among the lilies sort of anchored in them like a still hiding gator. Not enough clear water for it to move around, once the lilies grow
I think the moving one was a lot more effective.

Before the gator head the bird would walk the pond checking out every inch of the chicken wire fence looking for a way in. It did fly in one time, landed with a huge plop, got its feet tangled up in some fishing line, took off without a fish, before the gator head. Since the gator head never flew in again. With it wing span it needs room to fly in and land. So I put one piece of deer fencing down the center of the pond, which keeps it from being able to fly in and land if it decides the gator is safe.

The heron has not come back this year except once in january, flew in and flew out, I didn't see it when it landed in the field and was walking out of the house, it took off right away.

 

[addy1]

Well Harry or his cousin just flew right over our pond, maybe slightly higher than apple tree height, he kept going, bet he will be back though. The fish, due to the cooling and rain, were all under my floating liner, so maybe the pond looked empty to Harry.

 

[j.w]

Well if he comes for a visit lets hope he stays afraid of Mr Gator!

 

[taherrmann4]

I am going to order the gator head in hopes it will deter this damn bird from visiting. It has been here almost every morning and evening for the last week or so. He has gotten several of my goldfish, my wife saw him with one in his mouth early in the week. I really don't want to have to put up netting as it will detract from the natural look I am going for, plus it would be really hard to do with a tree in my pond and I would have to cover up Buddah which may be some bad karma.... :nono: May try the fishing line thing first but then I have to worry about my dog running into it.

This pic was taken about a week ago.


This is a shot of him flying off with the camera zooming in from inside the house.

 

[j.w]

Darn bird tmann! Once they get a taste they always come back unless you can somehow prevent them from getting in again. If you try the gator make sure to let us know how it works. I still have my loud radio protecting my pond dawn to dusk and a short fence to keep him at bay along w/ the smaller 3 piece gator. Took down the fish line as it bugged me. So far haven't even seen the heron this year and hoping I won't! Wishing you good luck on the battle tmann!

 

[addy1]

If you do the fishing line, use the big stuff, string it close and tight, darn harry went right through mine. It was funny got its feet tangled up, did a nose dive into the water.
He or his cousin is flying over every night, right above the pond, so far it has not stopped to visit.

 

[taherrmann4]

I was thinking about the gator head and read mixed reviews and several people have had them fill with water, so I am holding off on that for now. Then I remembered that my wife's parents had gotten her a pelican carved out of cedar wood several years ago and we had this out by the pond. I recall not seeing the heron until last year for the first time on a regular basis, and last year I did not put the pelican outside, it comes inside in the winter. Last week I stuck it back outside and we have not seen the heron come by yet. Now he may be visiting when we aren't here or it may be just coincidence but for now he has become the guardian of the pond.

 

[addy1]

Neat if that keeps working I will add it to my arsenal, the heron flys over roof top height everyday now. I know one of these days it will stop for a visit.

My gator heads have not filled with water, so far doing great.

 

[CountryEscape]

Very cool pelican, T'Mann! Keep us posted to let us know if it helps keep the heron away. So far I have not seen any herons near my house, not even in the farm pond. I'm hoping that they will use the farm pond, if they come this direction, as it is very shallow and easy pickings ... not as easy as my koi and goldfish ponds, I know, but hoping they will get their fill and move on!

 

[pecan]

We don't have Herons and Egrets out here. But we do have pelicans and cormorant. From what I read they follow the fish hatchery trucks stocking local ponds and swoop in when they dump the fish in the pond. I guess it is a real problem, they are doing serious damage to some of the local fish populations. It is legal and the mandate by local wildlife officials to kill the cormorants, but the pelicans are protected.

I have not seen either in my pond but had a missing fish last year with no visible raccoon destruction so it could have been one of those guys.

 

[j.w]

I'm the one w/ the holy gator heads and mine were the 3 piece ones from a certain place. I think addy's were from a different place and hers did not leak. I fixed one of mine and it is now floating and I have not seen Mr Heron here lately either but then I have that good ole radio still blasting away on my front porch deck,lol!

 

[sissy]

they new you sucked better lmao sorry JW you left yourself wide open for that one