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My favourite fish is dead :(

Shezbug

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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. :(


Thanks Dona, he was the most beautiful goldfish I have personally ever seen!

I am glad I was able to get outside fast enough to stop him from taking anymore fish, your poor friend must have been beside herself loosing all her fish like that. I am surprised we have not had more birds land and attempt to get my fish as we have a lot of water birds and birds of prey in the area. Maybe having my two dogs outside most days is a deterrent for the bigger birds?

It makes me so angry that people still let their cats roam free to kill and destroy wildlife in not only their own yards but any other yard they feel like entering. I was told there were many cats that frequented our back yard when the old owners lived here as they used to loose a lot of their Gouldian finches every night to them.....them cats all learned in the first few days to stay clear of my yard once we moved in- I tell my dogs to chase them and if the cats continue to return I will set traps to get rid of them like I did at my old house. I am highly opposed to cleaning up after someone else's cat or allow them to kill the birds and lizards I try so hard to attract to my yard.
I am sorry you had to witness the demise of the beautiful finch due to careless cat owners :(

I do not think nature is necessarily cruel but it sure is difficult to deal with at times. I have chosen to not be too sad about my fish (even though I feel I failed to keep him safe) but to be happy that such a beautiful bird was able to get an easy healthy meal for the day.....the fish had a great meal of fresh peas and duckweed only minutes before he got snatched so his last meal was a good one too.

 

Shezbug

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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?

It most certainly is natures way and Mr Kookaburra must eat! I had the wire off the top temporarily as I was cleaning it out and re arranging everything in there, I put it back on while the Kookaburra was sitting in the tree with my fish watching me. Hopefully no more fish will be stolen for meals now!!
 

Rain Bow

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I'm so very sorry! I really miss having fishies, but every time there's an issue of any kind it's darn heart breaking! & as you may well know, fish, it happens all the time!

:sorrow:

:sadhug:
 

Shezbug

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So I put the wire back on top of the pond straight after I saw the Kookaburra steal my fish for his meal.

For the last few days I’ve only been able to count 9 gold fish and there should be 10 (after the 11th already got eaten)....
so I come home from my outing with Burt yesterday afternoon to have my son tell me he had to nearly grab the Kookaburra out of my pond....he was using the wire to hang upside down into the water so he could do more fishing!
My son said he was sure that he got to the bird before the bird got anymore of my fish but now there’s only 8 goldfish!

Argh!!!! I’ve put a heap of extra wire with smaller gaps over the top till I can go buy some smaller gapped wire to save the rest of my fish.

We have one very well fed Kookaburra who is gonna be disappointed next time he comes to my yard to go fishing. My pond now looks like a dumping ground for various wire items.

I am reluctant to use bird netting which I do have for our fruit trees as I don’t want the Kookaburra to get stuck in it and drown :(
 

Beasley

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:omg: That is both upsetting and impressive!
 

Mockinbirdiva

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Could you use a fake owl or hawk to shoo them away?
 

Shezbug

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Considering how many hawks and kites are constantly circling above my house and sitting about roof height in the trees of our yard I don't think a fake bird of prey will be of any help.

We had a heap of them (still ones and motion activated noise and movement ones) at our last house that my mum purchased to keep the wild birds off my fruit trees and our vegetables....hehehehe the birds smaller birds (who do not hunt living things) stayed away for a whole day before learning they had nothing to be concerned about- they cost my mother quite a bit of money to basically be some weird looking fake bird decorations lol.

I will get some wire with smaller gaps in it....probably find some if I go scrounging around in the shed.


Argh yes!! ....he just went to go fishing right now and only briefly landed on the wire of the pond then took off- lets hope I have won this battle for now!
 

JoJo&Loki

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Oh wow! How upsetting that had to be to see, I’m so sorry :sorrow:

The fact that he’s still coming back and finding a way to hang from the wire to fish is very smart indeed. Sad and cruel for your fishies, but a very smart bird.

Nature is definitely cruel :crycry:
 

faislaq

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What about some kind of plastic landscaping netting across the surface? That stuff is pretty tough, right? And if it's taut and only on the surface it shouldn't pose a threat to the fish, I wouldn't think.

Then I found this article. I really liked the different kinds of decoys, especially the de-koi. :)
 

Shezbug

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@faislaq, I’m actually more concerned about the bird getting caught or panicking and being unable to get out of the water. The same for my old dog who’s managed to fall into the pond a few times now. I’d rather a complete safe barrier for all involved if you get what I mean.

I’ll get some wire mesh that’s too small for any of the birds to go through (like aviary wire) and in the meantime I’ll make do with all the wire things I’ve placed on top of the pond and I’ll also give the fish some extra long pvc pipes to hide in. I will just have to apologise to the little birds until I can work out a water thingy that they can use to bathe in....the little birds love getting under the fountain or standing in the plant pots to bathe.

The Kookaburra can actually reach under all the fish hiding spots at the moment which is a problem too.

This Kookaburra is teaching me lots of new things about keeping the fish, birds and old dog safe Lol.
 

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That kookaburra is one crafty little bugger. He probably thinks you're trying to challenge him.
 

Shezbug

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That kookaburra is one crafty little bugger. He probably thinks you're trying to challenge him.
Hahaha that is exactly how it feels to be honest. I bet him at his little fishing game today though :hehe:
 

faislaq

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I will just have to apologise to the little birds until I can work out a water thingy that they can use to bathe in....the little birds love getting under the fountain or standing in the plant pots to bathe.
Could you close in all but one small area, leaving that for the little birds?
 
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