Great blue herons are stately in repose. They are serene, these stealth fishermen, but in a quick jabbing moment, they spear fish and swallow them down whole.
Even a fish this big.
There’s too many fish in our little pond, so I don’t mind the heron thinning out their ranks. However, I’m none too pleased that the heron caught one of my prettiest fish.
Of course, the bird has come back to this pool of easy pickings. Lily has a new job- keeping the heron away.
You’d think that a bird that has a hard time heaving itself into the air, and flies slowly, limbs akimbo, wings beating hard, would hurry off when the kitchen door opens. You’d think that when I yell, watch out bird, while holding the eager dog’s collar, that the heron would appreciate the head start and get moving. It takes it’s time. The heron does, slowly, fly out of range. It’s a big bird. Huge. When it lands on a bare branch near the coop, the wood creaks and some bark falls to the ground. To Lily’s dismay, though, the branch holds.
Lily has chased the bird off of the pond three times this morning. She has earned three cookies. I’m sure she’ll be earning more.
We have a creek that runs thru our place and the herrons are back there all the time. They gave been coming here for so long that when I go out they just keep right on fishing. Even the dogs are used to them and the herrons keep right on fishing. You’re lucky at least your dog tries to chase them off. Mine just look and keep on snoozin’. Have a great Tuesday.
Terry, I’m not trying to depress you or anything like that but a friend of mine lost every one of his koi, approx. 20 to a heron. He bought cheap feeder goldfish and the heron got them too. He finally had to cover it with a net and went with the cheap feeder fish again. So far no losses.
He has a beautiful pond and fits perfect in his yard so he was determined to keep it with fish.