Hello all from a Suffolk pond person.

[whiskey]

hi jw photo just for you.........moorhen

 

[Suffolk tony]

Yes, that's the little devils! I'm currently playing host to two families of them - one mother with four chicks, the other with three, plus a couple of juveniles from a previous hatch. I wish them no harm but I'd like to move them off somehow. Trapping them and relocating is the obvious option.

What I really don't understand is why, other than a water lilly and a couple of marginals, nothing else will grow in the pond. The oxiginators I've introduced, and there have been several different varieties, have all died. The Oase filter keeps the water reasonably ungreen but the pond's just not healthy.

 

[HARO]

View attachment 37839 hi jw photo just for you.........moorhen

Saw all kinds of them in New Zealand. They call them Pukekos. John

 

[j.w]

Thanks Whiskey, don't think we have any of those here. Cute looking funny little bird.

 

[Suffolk tony]

We used to think they were cute too j.w!

Just this morning the little darlings have built a nest in the middle of the netting. This is dual-purpose; a protective haven for the chicks and its weight causes the net to sag, soaking the bottom of the nest so the net sags enough for them to nibble away at the beleaguered lilly! :grumble:

 

[addy1]

Aww the little darlings love you, just like the raccoon babies love tmann!

 

[j.w]

Now what are you supposed to do? I guess when they are done nesting they might leave at least for awhile. How can you stop them from nesting in the middle like that, hmmmmmmmmmm? How many are there and can they fly? Maybe fireworks would scare them away or those water scarecrows that shoot water at anything that walks in front of the motion sensor on them..........................including you, lol!

 

[taherrmann4]

One thing you could do is put a couple pieces of wood under the net from one side to the other so that it keeps the nest from touching the water.

Addy my baby raccoons have not been back in several days, no more grapes to eat, and most of the little snails are gone out of the creek too.

 

[stroppy]

hello tony and welcome to the forum .. nice pond as for the moorhens i think they are protected species, so please try not to disturb them while they have young ... if you just dismantle there nests as they try to build they will get fed up and go elsewhere hopefully

 

[addy1]

One thing you could do is put a couple pieces of wood under the net from one side to the other so that it keeps the nest from touching the water.

Addy my baby raccoons have not been back in several days, no more grapes to eat, and most of the little snails are gone out of the creek too.

well that is probably good, as they will get big and not as cute lol

 

[whiskey]

could always put elastic on either side of net and attach to a catapult.......hay presto some elses problem....weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee only joking

 

[j.w]

I have a feeling............"THEY'LL BE BACK"..............tmann

 

[taherrmann4]

Yeah when I was out there before I found some scat, so they must be coming around later in the night. Just don't know what they are eating, fish look like they are all there.

 

[j.w]

They come to my back deck each night. I know they have been here cuz they leave duckweed from my holding tub in the cat's water dish and make a mess w/ it.

 

[Becky]

Hello and welcome!

Unfortunately I think disturbing an active nest is illegal... might be worth ringing the RSPB to see if there is anything they can advise.