We live within easy flight distance from the bay here in Pensacola. So we
had our visits from a Great Blue Heron. We were able to scare him away
several times. I covered the pond with screen. It looked terrible. So one
day I am at WalMart and in the garden dept found this 12" replica of a Barn
Owl. ($8.00 and change) Someone had said Herons will not come near Owls ?
Well it seems to have solved our problem. Every once in awhile I see him (or
Her) flying over at about 500' or so, but it keeps going. They do have very
good eye sight. I move the Owl around every couple of days. But the Heron
does not return. ... Solved a problem for us hope it helps someone ..
Bill
Pensacola, FL

I expect the moving is important. My friend sails for the Canadian Coast
Guard 28 days at a time, and came home once to find Gulls had pooped all
over his brand new truck - parked on the wharf for 28 days. So he put a
plastic owl in the back, and came back next time to find they'd pooped all
over the owl. I've seen the same at our harbour ferry terminal, where the
pigeons have left the fake owls the same white color as everything else.

Owls seem to work sometimes, but it's important to move them because other
birds stop even noticing them if they never move. I guess one of the
advantages of an owl over, for instance, a Red-tailed Hawk is that birds
don't expect an owl to move _much_.
--
derek

motion activated/sound emitting owl
http://www.birdbusters.com/scare_bird_owl_decoy.html
______________________
Claudia
Totus Tuus

One of the most effective devices is a gatorgaurd. Floating gater head,
bobs around in the pond, moves with the wind, and in your neck of the woods,
the herons would definitely know what a gator is.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

I visited a trout hatchery last week They ran fishing line about a
foot apart a little bit above the water. They said it confused the
herons.

Steve

Bill.... that is a good idea, moving the Barn Owl from time to time.
We have a heron visiting daily who is chased away by a pair of
resident sea gulls, they live up on the roof of the house. As soon as
they see the heron approching, they make a heck of a noise, calling
other sea gulls nearby to join them in an air battle. I have seen them
dive onto the large bird as a team, turning him over in mid air until
he was almost out of control, and they would peck at his legs until he
had left the area. Normally there would be about half a dozen or so
but one occasion there were as many as twenty of them...quite a sight!
When all the excitment was over, the resident sea gulls would return
to our roof and the remainder dissapeared until thet are needed again.
Every so often the heron will come and sit on the bridge and look into
the pond for what seems hours with the sea gulls looking on from the
roof top. They do not always chase him, maybe they only do it for fun.
I do not mind him visiting as my pond has stright sides and he cannot
wade in to it even he wanted to, the pond is 4 feet 6 ins deep. If
would like to take a look at the live webcam over looking the garden
and pond click

http://www.reg-garden.com/webcam_3.htm

Reg ....Island of Jersey UK

I use the Owl here in Texas for the snakes (found a water moccasin in the
pond one day). Works well.

When I has a heron problem, I installed a motion activited sprinkler. It
was kind of fun watching the heron come in to land and getting whacked by
the sprinkler spray.

You can get them at most pond shops and occasionally at home depot.

Jim

herons dont need to wade in... they float and swim quite well. Ingrid


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

And do you have to remember to disable it in order not to get sprinkled
yourself?
Kirsten

....

This myth needs to die ;-)

Heron can take fish from the surface of the pond without getting their feet wet.
Someone posted a movie clip here a few months ago, the heron was
a few feet from the pond, dashed over and grabbed a fish near the surface
before the fish could react.

I have 3 foot vertical sides and its always worked for raccoons but recently
a heron took his toll. Bird net now and that has worked.