Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations I think I'm going to be sick. UPDATE

Then the question is: can a small fish that can be carried by a Kingfisher grow enough from November to May (without any available food) to be able to spawn?

I do believe that a kingfisher could transport a small fish. I have seen them carry one away many times from my pond. Not that they knowingly stock a pond, but more like if one grabbed it from a pond, then flew to a tree over another pond to eat it and dropped it (Dang gone it! Now I have to go get another one...)

I doubt that the fish would survive the possible journey and then the drop to the water.

I can offer this. Growing up my neighbor had a small pond about 2 feet deep. It was not within 3 miles of any other BOW. Every spring it would fill with water. By August it would be bone dry. When we walked around on that dry pond bed, we almost always found a few (less than five) dried up fish 1 to 2 inches long. How did they get there?

Bucket Stocking.

I would consider that but, the pond was way off the road in their woods and every dang year? My neighbor's dad subscribed to the egg on the bird's feet theory.

Perhaps, but how long can a small fish survive out of the water? One minute? I think that is possible.
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How far can a bird fly in a minute?
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Surviving a drop to the water?

My kingfishers sit on branches that are 6 to 10 feet off the water all the time. That's nothing for a fish to fall. Heck, it wasn't that long ago someone posted an old advertisement of stocking remote lakes by dropping fish from planes.

I struggle with the bird/egg explanation.

Okay, it was a bird....a fertilized egg got stuck on the foot, and that bird flew 3 miles over to the pond in question. And that egg never dried out and fell off, despite the jostling, airflow, and vibration. And because it never dried out it remained viable, and somehow became detached and fell off the foot into the new pond. And despite the lack of parents needed to fan clean, oxygenated water over the egg in order to keep it from suffocating, it managed to hatch anyway. And it happened multiple times.

Is there any, documented proof of this happening? Ever? I won't stand on it being impossible, but I'm leaning pretty heavily on highly improbable.

Did the kingfisher grasp the fish, or spear it as if intending to eat it?

OMC's pond had water in November, so the fish needed to be spawning size when it arrived, in order to explain the offspring currently being caught. That's a lot to ask of a bird the size of a kingfisher?

I'm with you. The bird thing is not probable. Thinking back now I wonder if the mystery stocker of that pond from my childhood memories wasn't a broken field drain tile. The farms in that area all have drain tiles and they all lead to the river.....

Someone put them in there and they spawned and here you are! A bass stocked pond at the wrong time.

I don't think kingfishers stab when taking a fish from the pond, and that's why I think they could move fish around. Accidentally or on purpose? I don't know, I can't read their minds. But I think the scenario is possible at times.





I am with you on this. That's why I mentioned it in the above post..

I'm on board with the idea of a kingfisher dropping a small fish once in awhile. If the two bodies of water are close together, I think it's plausible.

Someone needs to try this experiment: fence off a field with ponds at either end, but a land barrier between the two. Stock one pond with fish. Put many waterfowl in the field. Wait a long time. If fish are in the second pond, the theory has merit.

Te he

That's not it.
My property backs up to an exclusive neighborhood that is said to be the highest point in Caddo Parish. There are no ponds in the neighborhood, therefor there are no bodies of water within miles that are higher in elevation than my pond.

Sorry for the confusion OMC. I was talking about that pond when I was growing up that had the mystery fish. The scenario works for there. Can't say that is what happened. I was just wondering.

OK , OMC pond backs up to neighborhood. I will go back to my earlier response. Pond was stocked by fisherman of Caddo Lake. Someone in the neighbor hood went fishing and got in late (maybe after dark) did not want to clean the fish they caught and they did not want to waste their fish so your pond was the place that came to mind to discard their fish.

I fully believe that certain species of bird intentionally 'stock' ponds due to inherent instinct.

In your case, OMC, that one LMB seems too big for the bird theory, IMO.

If someone did bucket stock my pond, it was not someone from that neighborhood. My PROPERTY backs up to the neighborhood, but not my pond. This neighborhood is somewhat exclusive and the fence that separates it from my property is 10' with barbed wire on the top.
From that neighborhood, a person would have to climb that fence, with fish, go through 500+ feet of thick woods, then 200 feet of open field, then walk right by the side of my house where my three large dogs spend most of their time, in order to get to my pond.

If it was bucket stocked, it was done from the road that passes by the front of my house.

OMC, you've heard a lot of our theories as to how those fish came to be in your pond, I'm curious as to what your theory is? You are right there, on site, unlike the rest of us.

How did they get in there, and what is the plan to prevent it happening again?

Well I my "theories" as well, but that is all they are.

My plan right now is to see if I can get these fish DNA tested to see just what I have in there. I think that may give me a getter idea where they came from.

I have been going round and round trying to find a place to test them. Does anyone know of a place?

http://www.sdstate.edu/nrm/people/index.cfm

You might want to contact either of the Department heads there. I believe SDSU was doing a DNA study on LMB a year or two ago before Dr. Dave WIllis passed away.

It is expensive and you need to be university/gov affiliated. Last I checked there were no purly private labs. TA&M used to provide that service. You can call Bob for an update on that. You can also call Justin (below) to check as he did the DNA for the study mentioned above (Eagle's Nest and other lakes).


Justin A. VanDeHey

Assistant Professor of Fisheries

College of Natural Resources

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

800 Reserve Street

Stevens Point, WI 54481

715-346-2090

Not sure how the potential DNA testing will be of a benefit, but who knows??

With the right data a lot is possible. The ability to gather/find the data is very hard ,if it exists.