# Dining At Wolfwood



## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

*Guess who was watching when Kathy brought home & introduced 3 new 10" koi to the front pond garden...!!*









*Could it be the same bird that didn't like to hear Tadger heading out the front door.....????*


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## RizFam (Feb 25, 2006)

I just commented on your pic in the gallery. Hoping he didn't eat anyone during his visit.

Tami


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

RizFam said:


> I just commented on your pic in the gallery. Hoping he didn't eat anyone during his visit.
> 
> Tami


Don't know how long he'd been fishing on the other (shallow-er) end before he moved over here. The bigger fish tend to be on this deeper (~4') end and he was only there long enough for me to find my camera and snap these. But that's certainly long enough. We won't know until after the Algae Bloom is over and, by then, he and his friends will have been back many times for unsupervised swimming.







We've lost many over the years but <**sigh**> we keep telling ourselves that it's all part of the natural life of a healthy pond garden... (so are the weeds!!







)

Maybe we should post a "Swim at Your Own Risk" sign for the fish......


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

I have a cat that can take care of that problem









John


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## Eric&Lesley (Jul 26, 2006)

What a gorgeous pond! Everything looks so lush and GREEN! Around here, nearly all the grass you see is brown - it's been a very long time since we've had ANY rain


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

wolfwood said:


> I just commented on your pic in the gallery. Hoping he didn't eat anyone during his visit.
> 
> Tami


Don't know how long he'd been fishing on the other (shallow-er) end before he moved over here. The bigger fish tend to be on this deeper (~4') end and he was only there long enough for me to find my camera and snap these. But that's certainly long enough. We won't know until after the Algae Bloom is over and, by then, he and his friends will have been back many times for unsupervised swimming.







We've lost many over the years but <**sigh**> we keep telling ourselves that it's all part of the natural life of a healthy pond garden... (so are the weeds!!







)

Maybe we should post a "Swim at Your Own Risk" sign for the fish......
[/quote]
I heard there is a screen you can put over ponds for that reason?


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

johnp2000 said:


> I have a cat that can take care of that problem
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've got a Remington 870 that will fix it too!









Tim


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> I have a cat that can take care of that problem
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've got a Remington 870 that will fix it too!









Tim
[/quote]

I was trying to be nice but if you want to take that road aim for the cat.......please









John


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Wolfie,
Your garden pond area is beautiful! (I bet you and Kathy built yourselves it didn't you?)
Everytime I see a photo of your property, it looks like you live in paradise. You must love it there


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

johnp2000 said:


> I have a cat that can take care of that problem
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've got a Remington 870 that will fix it too!









Tim
[/quote]

I was trying to be nice but if you want to take that road aim for the cat.......please









John
[/quote]

No comment.


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## happycamper (Jul 26, 2005)

I love those pics! Jim


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## z-family (Oct 2, 2004)




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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

Thanks, all! I had thought these guys were residents throughout the country....until I got several PMs asking what it is.

This is a *Great Blue Heron*. They stand from 3 to 4 ft tall (about 1/2 of that is 'leg') with an equal wingspan and, in flight, look like a cross between a Pelican and a Stork. They are tall, thin, majestic birds but, I must admit, do look a bit pre-historic. They're actually a blue-gray color with white chest, head, & underwings edged in blue& black. Their faces have very distinct black & yellow markings and they have a voice that, once heard, will never be mistaken for anything else! Great Blues are generally solitary souls - other than for their mates. Their nest in communities (called "Rookeries") which can sport 50 or more (VERY large) tree-top nests. There is a Rookery about 10 miles from the house and we are blessed with several of these magnificent birds every day all summer! Guess the fishing is good at Wolfwood! When they do fish, they stand absolutely motionless until the fish swims beneath their long, sharp beaks. In one, amazingly fast strike, they get dinner! There have been days when I've looked out to the Pond Garden - ~20ft from the house - and haven't seen the Great Blue statue until he nailed a big orange Gold Fish.







In fact, when I saw the 1st one at the house, I thought Kathy had brought home a handsome garden ornament







... until it moved!!! One of Tadger's favorite sports is to blast out the front door and chase one from the Pond Garden across the front fields. BUT, they have been known to turn and "strut" after a stalking cat --- we're waiting for one to be bold enough to hold its ground with a barking dog flying at them! Not sure which would be more surprised - bird or dog.....

We watched an *exquisite * male this weekend out in the middle of the big pond - he was in full summer plumage - with a huge chest of feathers that he quite proudly fluffed, preened & displayed for all to admire. WHAT A SIGHT!!! Unfortunately, he was too far away for a decent photo but the Spotting Scope sure brought him "up close & personal". Stay tuned...you may be seeing more of them as I pursue another of life's goals - to capture _THE _ photo of a Great Blue!


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## watervalleykampers (Jan 16, 2007)

johnp2000 said:


> I have a cat that can take care of that problem


Wow...you must have quite a big cat!









Your pond is *absolutely* *gorgeous*!

Cheryl


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

wolfwood said:


> When they do fish, they stand absolutely motionless until the fish swims beneath their long, sharp beaks. In one, amazingly fast strike, they get dinner!


There is a great blue heron that frequents the channel by my house. This is the main channel that provides drainage to a spring fed lake and and it has a small dam to control the water level. The road out of the neighborhood passes right over/by the dam spillway, and the heron likes to hang out there. Imagine the surprise it is to be driving down the road and all of a sudden this HUGE bird is flying up out of the spillway!







My heart about jumped out of my chest the first time it happened.







Now I try to take a peek at the spillway before I get there to try to avoid any surprises - easier to do when I'm riding high in the Avalanche then when I'm hugging the road in the Miata.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Wolfie

neighbours had the same vistor....he stayed long enough until dinner was all gone. It took about a week.

thor


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

Camping Fan said:


> Wolfie
> 
> neighbours had the same vistor....he stayed long enough until dinner was all gone. It took about a week.
> 
> thor


So...you're saying I should offer him some Molson or LaBatts to go with dinner?


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

if you go to a hamburger joint for burgers and ice cream shop for ice cream, what do they eat here?








http://www.blueherondining.com/


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## 3athlete (May 14, 2006)

Hi Judi,

We have one, sometimes 2 Great Blues that frequent the small pond in our back yard. Once I heard this absolutely god awful noise...I thought someone was killing an animal...turns out one of the herons had been bitten by a snappping turtle and was trying desperately to shake it off his leg. It was an unbelievable sight. My favorite is when they take off, they do look so prehistoric.

It's always a great sign to me that summer is truly coming when I see them fishing out back. Hope you get that photo, I'm always trying too.


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> I have a cat that can take care of that problem
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've got a Remington 870 that will fix it too!









Tim
[/quote]

I love my 870 Wingmaster









Curtis


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

I've got a parkerized black 870 in my trunk, with folding stock. But my boss would get cranky if I used it for fowling.


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

Camping Fan said:


> When they do fish, they stand absolutely motionless until the fish swims beneath their long, sharp beaks. In one, amazingly fast strike, they get dinner!


There is a great blue heron that frequents the channel by my house. This is the main channel that provides drainage to a spring fed lake and and it has a small dam to control the water level. The road out of the neighborhood passes right over/by the dam spillway, and the heron likes to hang out there. Imagine the surprise it is to be driving down the road and all of a sudden this HUGE bird is flying up out of the spillway!







My heart about jumped out of my chest the first time it happened.







Now I try to take a peek at the spillway before I get there to try to avoid any surprises - easier to do when I'm riding high in the Avalanche then when I'm hugging the road in the Miata.








[/quote]

The local great blue heron decided to show off today instead of swoop up out of the spillway, it was posing on top of the dam as I drove by in the Miata.







Of course I didn't have my digital camera with me,







and I knew he would be long gone if I went back home for it, so got the best picture I could with my phone camera.


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## Doxie-Doglover-Too (Jan 25, 2007)

that's a great pic for phone camera!


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

Camping Fan said:


> When they do fish, they stand absolutely motionless until the fish swims beneath their long, sharp beaks. In one, amazingly fast strike, they get dinner!


There is a great blue heron that frequents the channel by my house. This is the main channel that provides drainage to a spring fed lake and and it has a small dam to control the water level. The road out of the neighborhood passes right over/by the dam spillway, and the heron likes to hang out there. Imagine the surprise it is to be driving down the road and all of a sudden this HUGE bird is flying up out of the spillway!







My heart about jumped out of my chest the first time it happened.







Now I try to take a peek at the spillway before I get there to try to avoid any surprises - easier to do when I'm riding high in the Avalanche then when I'm hugging the road in the Miata.








[/quote]

The local great blue heron decided to show off today instead of swoop up out of the spillway, it was posing on top of the dam as I drove by in the Miata.







Of course I didn't have my digital camera with me,







and I knew he would be long gone if I went back home for it, so got the best picture I could with my phone camera.









[/quote]..
Miatas & Great Blues! Sounds more like summer than October ... but either way ... what a great combination!! Nice job with the camera phone!!!


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## Camping Fan (Dec 18, 2005)

wolfwood said:


> Miatas & Great Blues! Sounds more like summer than October ... but either way ... what a great combination!! Nice job with the camera phone!!!


Yeah, gotta take advantange of those last few sunny 70* days







before it's time for Little Red's long winter nap.


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