My favourite fish is dead :(

[Shezbug]

Yesterday I was cleaning out the fish pond and rearranging a few things, I went inside to get some lunch ready when I noticed a bird dive straight into my pond. I hurried to get outside but was just in time to see a Kookaburra catch and fly off with my favourite goldfish! I am pretty sure the Kookaburra was rather pleased with himself because he landed in a tree in our yard and just watched me for a while with my fish still hanging out of his beak and wiggling like crazy.
I guess I should be happy for Mr Kookaburra getting a good feed but I just feel so terrible for my fish.....if I had of just put the wire back over the top of the pond he would still be out there happily swimming around.
He was the prettiest goldfish I’ve ever seen with black eye liner and lipstick and an absolutely spectacular arrow on his back that was so perfect you could have sworn he had been hand painted.

Sorry, no photos....I was so in shock from how fast it all happened that I didn’t even think to take a pic of him in the tree with my fish hanging from his beak. I’ve learned my lesson (the hard way!) and that wire will never be off again while the pond is unsupervised.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Oh gosh... I'm so sorry! I'd have been so upset with the kookaburra nabbing my favorite. I loved my goldfish when I kept them in a bow front tank in the living room. I enjoyed watching how graceful they are when they swim.

 

[Fuzzy]

Awwwwww so very sorry, Shezbug. Your poor fish sounded beautiful. I am amazed the Kookaburra acted so fast.

 

[Mizzely]

Oh no I'm so sorry

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Oh no! I'm so sorry! That must've been pretty traumatic seeing your poor fish wiggling in the kookaburra's beak

 

[faislaq]

How awful! I'm so sorry, @Shezbug.

 

[iamwhoiam]

So sorry about that.

 

[Nikomania]

Oh no! How traumatic to have witnessed such horror. I'm so very sorry.

 

[Shezbug]

Thanks everyone for being so kind

I think I was/am more in disbelief and shock than anything. The Kookaburra has to eat but I can not believe he chose my pond to shop from!! I have never even seen a Kookaburra in town here before, they are usually out at the wetlands or further out where there are less houses and more farms.

It was actually quite a spectacular sight to witness, just very very unfortunate for my fish

 

[Yoshi&Raphi]

I swear kookaburras have a thing for goldfish.

 

[Zara]

Awww I´m sorry @Shezbug

 

[Shezbug]

I swear kookaburras have a thing for goldfish.

I think you are right and I also think if he had not have had his gob full of my fish he would have given me a proper bird laugh!! I have seen the goshawk and some other birds of prey checking the pond out but deciding against it to hunt out the back in the empty paddock for lizards and rabbits instead.

Thank you @Zara

 

[Karen]

I’m so sorry that happened.

 

[Beasley]

Aw I’m sorry you lost your fish, that always stings. I know how you feel about the cover, my tanks were always inside but I’ve lost a jumper to a mistakenly left-open tank before

 

[expressmailtome]

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[finchly]

I know what you mean about being in shock! When a hawk swoops down in the yard beside me, it’s happened twice now, and grabs a mockingbird - second time a bunny - its very shocking. You just sort of stand there. I did yell at them but I think when they’re dead set on getting the prey they don’t hear you.

We had a goldfish pond at our last house. Raccoons would get the fish out and play with them on the grass... poor fish couldn’t breathe of course. You’d come home to all the fish laying on the ground.

 

[Dona]

Aww I'm so sorry. Your goldfish sounded so beautiful.

Years ago my friend set up a koi pond that was so lovely. She lives maybe 2 hours from the ocean. She was looking out the window and a heron landed and ate all the koi in a couple minutes.

It also reminds me of seeing a beautiful bright yellow goldfinch flying around my backyard. A few hours later I saw our neighborhood calico cat with the bird in it's mouth.

Nature is so cruel.

 

[Lady Jane]

OH that is a nasty thing that happened but it is also natures way. I am so sorry the fish was taken from you. Can you put a netting over the pond or is it too large?

 

[AutumnRain]

I'm sorry you lost him.

 

[Shezbug]

I know what you mean about being in shock! When a hawk swoops down in the yard beside me, it’s happened twice now, and grabs a mockingbird - second time a bunny - its very shocking. You just sort of stand there. I did yell at them but I think when they’re dead set on getting the prey they don’t hear you.

We had a goldfish pond at our last house. Raccoons would get the fish out and play with them on the grass... poor fish couldn’t breathe of course. You’d come home to all the fish laying on the ground.

That is kind of what I did, I just stood there with my jaw on the ground after stupidly yelling at the Kookaburra "hey, that's my fish!" lol.
I regularly see the kites and hawks snatch sparrows out of the air to eat but I deal with that knowing that they have to eat and I am not attached to or responsible for the sparrows- I just kind of feel like I failed to keep the fish safe and that is my responsibility considering I brought (some of) them home and have them contained in my pond.
I am so glad I have not had to experience what you did with the raccoon, that I think would be harder to accept.....at least I know the Kookaburra ate the fish and did not just kill it for something to do. How awful finding all the fish on the lawn