Unfortunate sighting

[calyptorhynchus via Canberrabirds <>]

It is astonishing how birds find ponds. When I was growing up in the UK my father and I built a little backyard pond to function as a frog sanctuary. This worked quite well for one season and we had frogs and frog spawn in the pond. Then the next spring I walked up the garden and disturbed a Grey Heron from the pond, and we had no more frogs after that. 

On Sun, 1 Aug 2021 at 14:16, Rods Gardening <> wrote:

We have a small aquatic feature in our garden, namely a round pot approx half a metre deep and half a metre across, the surface of the water almost totally covered with floating aquatic plants. It’s protected overhead and on three sides by citrus trees and star jasmine vine. Christmas present last year from daughter was four tiny goldfish, duly introduced to the pond where three have thrived - but one mysteriously disappeared. Whilst the others have managed to fend for themselves during our absences, they get a “treat” - a sprinkle from the fish food canister - when we return home. But on our return from the coast yesterday only two surfaced to partake in the feast. Hmmm. Anyway, shortly after yesterday’s feast, I was astonished to find a fish on the ground at the feet of a grey butcherbird which wasn’t phased by my sudden appearance. It stood right there as I picked up the fish, still fresh but unfortunately deceased. I guess the fish was on the surface and presented easy pickings for a skilled hunter. Even so, given the surrounding environment, it’s hard to believe  how it managed to find it. The other two missing fish presumably met a similar fate. However, no point in wasting good food, and the bird disappeared with the fish in its beak. About half an hour later there were three grey butcherbirds on the overhead wire singing their hearts out.

And the pond is now covered.

Cheers
Rod

Sent from my iPad

> On 31 Jul 2021, at 11:12 am, sandra henderson via Canberrabirds <> wrote:
>
> Driving along Mugga Lane this morning, I saw what looked like a large dead bird near the Murrays depot. Stopped for a closer look - dead peahen. I know they do fly, but this was some way from their Narrabundah hangout.
>
> Any earlier this week one of the trainers at the gym told me how devastated she was that a big white bird had eaten two of the four fish in her tiny pond. Photo of it sitting on roof of her Isabella Plains house showed a Great Egret. Pond is apparently little more than a metre across.
>
> Sandra H
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John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net

Make nature great again.

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