It’s the blue heron’s fault!

By NAN BROWN
As published April 2, 2008

We’ve had a series of unfortunate occurrences around here lately and we’re blaming them all on a blue heron that has been terrorizing our pond.

He made his first appearance last fall when Jack saw him standing by our next door neighbor’s pond. Our neighbor was the victim that time, or I should say a couple of his fish were.

Earlier this winter Jack saw the heron standing at the edge of our pond. He scared the unwelcome visitor off and counted our fish which were now twelve in number instead of fourteen. We were very upset as we’re pretty attached to our fish.

Then one day in mid-February when Jack opened the door to let the dogs outside he noticed something lying alongside the pond. When he went out to investigate he discovered it was one of our fish – poor Calico was dead. Jack stuck his head in the door to tell me what happened and to say he was going to do a fish count.

When he was finished he gave me the sad news that we were now down to seven fish, so the old blue devil had gotten to five more, including Calico.

Jack reported that our five Koi, Ol’ Blue Eyes, Dino, Buttercup, Captain Jack and Grady, were okay as were Gretchen who we brought with us from Mt. Airy, and one of the goldfish, Creamsicle.

That meant that between the two raids we had lost Calico, Marmalade, Miss Kitty, Matt, Festus, Doc and Newly, all of whom were goldfish.

We were both very upset at our loss, but I think maybe I took it a little harder because I frequently sat by the pond to watch the fish, talk to them and feed them Cheerios while Jack worked out in the yard.

That night I went to bed feeling quite sad. I had the most incredible dream that night which was actually rather nightmarish. I was looking out our sliding glass door and saw the blue heron at the pond.

Somehow I slipped the door open and was on top of that big blue bird before he even knew what hit him. Then it was Nanbo versus the bird, in hand to beak combat. Let me tell you, Rambo had nothing on me. All I lacked was a camouflage bandana tied around my head.

I grappled with the bird for what seemed like forever dodging his long piercing beak while trying to keep him in my grasp. Finally I snapped his neck back and the victory was mine – he wouldn’t be raiding any more ponds.

Don’t ask me why I had such a dream because I can’t even kill an ant without feeling guilty. I guess it was because I was so angry.

The day after the fish annihilation we went out and bought some netting to put over the pond. We haven’t had any raids since then, although we’ve suffered two more disastrous deaths of an entirely different nature.

After installing the netting, things went well for a while until one day when our Cocker Spaniel, Riley, who is an absolute sweetheart of a dog, turned killer.

Jack let the dogs out one evening after he got home from work and Riley made a beeline for the pond. A dove was stuck under the netting, and before Jack could even realize what was happening, Riley had killed the bird. Jack was finally able to get him away from it and put him inside then returned to the task of cleaning up feathers and disposing of the bird’s body.

We were greatly saddened as this pair of doves has graced us with their presence for a few years now, and since they mate for life it was heartbreaking to think one had died leaving the other behind to mourn its mate’s passing.

What made matters even worse was Riley killed the remaining dove the next evening. Jack let Riley out after first checking the pond to make sure no birds were in the netting. He saw the remaining dove sitting on top of our yard swing. Jack said all of a sudden the dove flew toward the pond, into the netting and ended up in Riley’s mouth. Jack had another bird to dispose of, but we couldn’t really blame Riley because Cockers are a sporting breed whose prey is birds.

It was inconceivable why the bird would fly from a place of safety into the netting near Riley. It was almost as if it was intentional. I theorized that it missed its mate so much it couldn’t go on alone. Whatever the reason, it’s the blue heron’s fault that we had to put the netting on in the first place. Darn that bird anyway.