We are lucky enough to be blessed with GBH, Great White Egrets, and cormorants here at our place. My take on them is that GBH are the smartest of the three, the GWE are seasonal so they're not as big a problem, and the cormorants are crafty, fish eating machines, and just a general pain in the rear on any BOW. I do have a permit for the cormorants so at least removal via lead is an option with those.
We also have Bald Eagles, and an occasional Osprey, and they're allowed to eat as they want. They're just too majestic to run off, and migrating ducks seem to be their preferred diet.
This is the third year in a row we've had a pair of Canadian geese (we named them Carol and Darryl) show up in late January after most of the others have already migrated, and they have been amazing to watch. They are very protective of the big puddle, and aggressively chase GBH, other geese, and cormorants off "their" water. They do nest, but I'll give those eggs to members Sid or Highflyer, and they can raise them with Sid's other birds. Once the female's egg filled nest is disturbed, they remain another week or two and then just disappear for the year. These geese do earn their keep while they're here, so we leave them alone, but we don't let them hatch their eggs under any circumstances. When the male is alone, stays in a specific area, and starts getting chatty when approached, we know the female is nesting, so we start looking for her in earnest.
It's probably not the smartest thing to do, but we do enjoy watching the 2 of them protect the pond from fish eaters for the month or so they are here. I've sure made worse decisions in my life.
