Ricky
Raccoon. Forget kitty
cats. Raccoons pose the biggest threat to the inhabitants of your
backyard water garden.
These
masked midnight marauders can climb any fence you can afford to
build. Raccoons love fish, crayfish, mussels, snails, turtles -- basically
anything that lives in water.
Most
people think of cats as the biggest threat to their pool fish.
However, raccoons working on the night shift (when your fish are snoring)
go right into the water after your aquatic appetizers.
Comets
and koi usually move fast enough to evade raccoons. Fantails sort of
waddle up as if asking,
“What’s for dinner.”
Pond
lights help. So do barking dogs. Keep your dogs away from
raccoons. Raccoons can kill dogs. By the way, raccoons also
like dog food. Feed your dogs inside the house. If you build
your pond with a ledge overhang (so raccoons cannot touch the bottom),
theoretically, raccoons won’t drop in for a swim and a snack. They
want to know they can check out after they check in. Pretty smart
little cookies, eh?

Sneaky Snakes. Both brown water
snakes and garter snakes snack on fish. Due to their smaller size,
they pose a threat only to smaller fishes. Half-grown goldfish and
four-inch koi need not fear Iowa snakes.

Chompy Turtles.
Turtles love fish. Snappers, softshells, red-eared sliders,
and western painteds all grow wild in Iowa. The first two can’t get
into your pond by themselves. The other two can wander in under
their own power.

Bad News Birds. You probably won’t see blue herons in your backyard. Although
we’ve seen them while
swimming in the raccoon river that runs next to Grey’s Lake.
We also saw one at Glendale Cemetery -- in the pond right next to the well
traveled University Avenue. Herons usually don’t like people at all. And you
won’t see bald eagles and ospreys.
Eagles congregate below the Red Rock spillway to eat stunned carp.
They’re way too lazy to work your pond for fish.
They’re not big people fans either
(unless there’s a pile of dead fish
around). However, you might see those
little kingfisher birds show up in your backyard. They do like your
fishes.
Fish
farmers hate all long-legged birds.

Ollie Owl. You’re relaxing in
your recliner on a warm summer night watching re-runs, while this guy’s
cruising your backyard. Since owls work the night shift. you rarely
see them in action.
LA
Here's a goldfish that has been grabbed by an owl.
Better
known as rodent eaters, owls eat anything smaller than them that
moves. Your backyard watering hole attracts him and other
wildlife. As your snoozing fish drift to the top, he glides past and
snags a midnight meal.
Several
strands of monofilament fishing line will keep owls from flitting above
your pond.

Friendly Dogs. Dogs like pond
water -- almost as much as they like dead squirrels. They occasionally
feel the need to practice their retrieving skills on your fish. Most dogs
like to jump in the water for the heck of it. They think it makes them smell better.

Freddie Frog. Bullfrogs
grow huge and can catch fish. Leopard
and tree frogs pose no problem --
if you like the sound of the male frogs singing to their potential lady
friends. Personally, we prefer the sounds of frogs and crickets over
most TV sounds.

Curious Kids. Ponds attract fish
like a magnet (certainly better than magnet schools). They like to
watch your fish, of course. Some like to hone their angling skills
with home-made fishing poles. Others prefer home-made bows and
arrows. Jackets make fair to middlin’ fish seines. Sticks make good
fish whackers. And rocks make great splashes whether you can hit a fish or
not. Flagstones make the best splashes. It is rumored that many
lakes have gone dry from all the rocks thrown into them by neighborhood
kids. Perhaps kids should have been at the top of this list. Keep
your eye on them. Like raccoons, fences don’t stop them. LA
© 2003,©
2005 LA Productions

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