Disaster at the pond

[Oldspartan]

Apparent fishocide at the small nursery pond.

Went out to clean the fountain we use to Arerate the small pond and found pieces of the juveniles all about the bottom. Not a single survivor. The parts were mainly heads. I am in a quandary as to what animal would leave so many parts.

No death that I could find in the larger pond but I do not rule it out.

The leaving of so many heads is confusing. Seems a bird, snake, or frog would consume the whole. I have seen no signs of a raccoon on the property for years.

Any ideas.

 

[Magnum Man]

Probably a smaller critter, like a weasel

 

[MaloK]

Some birds like heron will leave heads and bones, minks also do the same.

Look for tracks or scats all around the place.

Might sound stupid. But, Install a Game & Trail Camera, there's pretty neat stuff for around 100$.

With that you will always be able to know what happened. While it's even worse when you can see what happened. I still prefer that.

I have one on my birdies bath, and it help to know why you have less visitor some years. Like this year, I have a cat that established it's hunting territory there, and you can see the birds are very nervous accessing the water point.

 

[Ceez]

Some birds like heron will leave heads and bones, minks also do the same.

Look for tracks or scats all around the place.

Might sound stupid. But, Install a Game & Trail Camera, there's pretty neat stuff for around 100$.

With that you will always be able to know what happened. While it's even worse when you can see what happened. I still prefer that.

I have one on my birdies bath, and it help to know why you have less visitor some years. Like this year, I have a cat that established it's hunting territory there, and you can see the birds are very nervous accessing the water point.

I'd pick that cat off with my trusty pellet gun if my dogs weren't doing their job. They do get lazy sometimes lol

 

[GaryE]

That does sound raccoon-ish. They do have a way of coming back, like bad pizzas.

 

[MaloK]

I'd pick that cat off with my trusty pellet gun if my dogs weren't doing their job. They do get lazy sometimes lol

Yeah, but he's wonderful to catch in action. He's a real Feral Squiralator. And he takes on invading Raccoons and skunks on sight. He also cleans the whole place from rats and field mouses.

As an apex predator of the place, I respect his existence and life. and the birds are still a lot faster... Loll.

Thinking about it thoroughly, with the number of pests this guy keeps away... I like him a lot !

 

[Oldspartan]

I may put a camera up, Linda and I talked about it a few weeks ago. Perhaps when building is finished.

For now we installed two strands of wire, one 3 inches above ground and the second at 14 inches. The wire is attached to an old but quite functional and powerful electric fencer. Put that on a timer 8:30 PM to 6:30 .AM.

If it is a fur critter that will likely solve the problem and they will be trained in a week or two at which time I can remove the stuff. If it is Blackbirds, which we have a few, the only solution is a net unless I choose to be lethal. Linda will likely choose a net.

Anyway they only fed on the juveniles in the nurse pond. Fish in the big pond are not affected, yet.