Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Heron wound?

Several years ago I stocked just over 20 rainbow trout which ranged from 15" to 20" in my pond. The next Spring a GBH stabbed one of the smallest trout on the back. The two punctures were about 1 1/2" apart. That fish survived the bird attack. I actually observed that fish to be far more aggressive at feeding time than any of the others.

Three times the next summer I caught and released that fish; it never grew longer than the 15" although its confirmation remained good. One side of the body was very much darker than the other side. The two wounds were on the lighter side and were dark and quite visible on the trout as it swam by the feeding station.

That fish disappeared the following winter.

On another occasion I observed a GBH standing on my floating island flipping a large GSF trying to orient it for swallowing. I drove the bird off and recovered the injured fish. It measured 9"; it was pretty beat up. Later that same summer I got to watch a GBH using the same floating island catch a BG I estimated at 8", work on getting it into its mouth, then stand with its head extended skyward for about 15 minutes. The lump in the bird's throat was clearly visible as it ever so slowly moved down the gullet.

And now my treasured 13" bright orange pond goldfish is missing. It, too, has possibly been struck by another heron.

I have an industrial sized wood chipper capable of handling 12" diameter logs and trees. Maybe the GBHs will enter that infeed chute one of these days.