not "poultry" but a bird ?

[justusnak]

I have a small pond....and earlier today, while I had the hens and roos out...they were by the back yard..I was standing there just watching...enjoying the peace...when suddenly Ruby let out this AWFULL SCREECH...and everyone scattered...there were hens under the truck....behind the trash can..and even in the Muscovy hens nest box.....when I looked up...there he was....a Great Blue Heron.

He was BEAUTIFULL. Guess he came in for a bite to eat. There are several...and I mean like 50 plus....goldfish in my 80 x 120 pond. He sure was pretty. I hope it comes back, I will try to get a pic!

 

[mudhen]

Wow! Hope he does come back so you can get a pic. But it sounds like everyone else thought they saw the biggest chicken ever!

 

[Picco]

Herons are beautiful but watch out... they are predators! You don't have to worry about your adult birds but watch your babies. In February National Geographic Magazine put a photo on their website that showed a blue heron snatching a duckling from under its mother. Here's the link...

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/yourshot/selects/0702/select3.html

 

[justusnak]

OMG! I had NO idea they would eat small duckling or chickies! Ok, time to get out the firecrackers!!! I DONT THINK SO MISTER, NOT ON MY WATCH!! lol

 

[mudhen]

YIKES!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, I mean they do eat frogs and fish, but I wouldn't have thought they'd eat chicks (or ducklings!)

 

[Blisschick]

HOLY COW!!

I used to like these guys, but I guess not so much now!

Not to get off topic here, but one of my chickens caught a frog the other day and was eating it. I had no idea that chickens would do that, and have never seen them do that before.

My chickens have a scream they use for hawks and other big birds flying low. I think they recognize which ones are a real threat, because if one of the giant pileated woodpeckers around here flies low, they don't run for cover, but if they see a hawk, they freeze and sound the alarm, some running for cover. They're all penned in, so I guess they just do it out of instinct. I had a heron fly over really high once, and they didn't like it too much, either, but then we don't have them fly over here often.

 

[CarriBrown]

Quote:
Same here! My girls pretty much ignore Kip... they are on their own agenda, thankyouverymuch. But when he does that scream, they listen STAT! We have a big tree in our yard that they all run for.

 

[chickenhawk]

Last year a great blue heron was sitting on top of my baby call ducklings cage. I am sure a duck dinner was his plan. they were in a wet brooder outside during the summer. So I would watch out for your guest.

 

[justusnak]

I have been encourageing this freeloader to move on. When I see it coming in, I open the door, and let the dogs out in thier yard. Now, I have 3 little Pomeranians...and if anyone knows about them, they are barking, pooping, eating little balls of fur! As soon as they hit the back yard.....BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK!!!

UGH! It sometimes drives ME away...thank goodness we live in the country with no close nabors!

 

[PearlD]

Hey Guys...saw the heron discussion and had to chime in! We have a horrible time with those creatures! DH gives them an 'incentive' to move on everytime we see one at the pond! This week, we saw a young one, and it has to go!! We have a pair of canadian geese nesting there, and I fear for the eggs.