Gonna Build a Little Pond

[Amarok]

Getting ready for the cold weather to roll in. Gave the various trees and bushes their last soak of the year and disconnected the hose.
Got the 2x4 frame screwed together and in place over the pond. I'll pull the water pump and drain the filter barrel over the next few days. Not sure if I'll leave the tarp off until the last minute or put it on and leave a section open for the birds. I hate to just suddenly remove that water source.

Hmm. New thought: I may tarp it over but leave the water pump in for a bit. Then the birds still have the return stream with its little pool. The pump is deep enough to be safe for a while yet and there is enough flow through the filter to keep it from icing up.

 

[Jewels]

It gets so stinken cold , I wonder if a 300w pond heater would even cut it. 50 bucks a month is a big investment.

An air bubbler would extend the season, and certainly use less power. An air pump as opposed to a water pump, has the added benefit of not becoming trapped under ice.

Winter is tough times, I imagine a heated bird bath would get a lot of action.

 

[Ramjet159]

Fuckin crows man , my arch nemesis. Too smart those bastards

It’s almost like they know your opinion of them so target you even more 🤣.
As much as it’s hard to watch sometimes , I try to let nature do it’s thing but oh no not the wife .
She’s walking around the backyard on sun up taking shots at the crows in our yard trying to raid other birds nests for the young . I’m grateful it’s only my air rifle or the neighbours would have genuine concern . She’s quite a capable shot as well but tends to get a little excited . I’m like “ stop shooting over neighbours roofs “ , “ Don’t go out near the road , someone’s gonna call the cops “
Guns for us are a pretty big deal , especially in suburbia . Even if they find you with a replica you’d better get a good lawyer and prepare to take a significant financial hit . Jail time is also a possibility .

 

[Ramjet159]

Waxwings are back.
View attachment 182627

That’s bloody awesome stuff and you’ve done a terrific job aesthetically .
I’d lost track of this thread . Glad I popped in for an update 👊🏻

 

[Amarok]

It gets so stinken cold , I wonder if a 300w pond heater would even cut it. 50 bucks a month is a big investment.
View attachment 183697
An air bubbler would extend the season, and certainly use less power. An air pump as opposed to a water pump, has the added benefit of not becoming trapped under ice.

Winter is tough times, I imagine a heated bird bath would get a lot of action.

I was looking at stock tank heaters, but they are all 1500W. I ain't using more power to keep a bunch of 10 cent fish alive than I do to grow weed.
If the bubbler and cover don't do the job, the job won't get done.

 

[Amarok]

That’s bloody awesome stuff and you’ve done a terrific job aesthetically .
I’d lost track of this thread . Glad I popped in for an update 👊🏻

Thanks, RJ. I'm glad too. You are always welcome.

 

[Amarok]

Winter is tough times, I imagine a heated bird bath would get a lot of action.

I have considered putting an aquarium heater in a small container over the winter for the birds. It only pulls 18w so that's not an issue.
The issue for me is whether I want to interfere with nature and/or create dependencies.
It's the same reason I don't feed the smaller birds.

I'm still pondering.

 

[DopeDaniel]

I have considered putting an aquarium heater in a small container over the winter for the birds. It only pulls 18w so that's not an issue.
The issue for me is whether I want to interfere with nature and/or create dependencies.
It's the same reason I don't feed the smaller birds.

I'm still pondering.

When we were renovating a house we had to reroute the exhaust from the boiler. Had to power vent out the side of the house just above ground level. Ended up with a brood of rabbits 🐇.

Schrodinger's pond ering.

 

[Amarok]

Schrodinger's pond ering.

Nice!

 

[Psychobilly]

I have considered putting an aquarium heater in a small container over the winter for the birds. It only pulls 18w so that's not an issue.
The issue for me is whether I want to interfere with nature and/or create dependencies.
It's the same reason I don't feed the smaller birds.

I'm still pondering.

When we were renovating a house we had to reroute the exhaust from the boiler. Had to power vent out the side of the house just above ground level. Ended up with a brood of rabbits 🐇.

Schrodinger's pond ering.

Nice!

I feel like if I'd said this, I'd have about 3 Facepalms in my reactions today.

 

[Amarok]

I feel like if I'd said this, I'd have about 3 Facepalms in my reactions today.

You often use a shotgun. That was a perfectly placed sniper round by Daniel.

 

[Amarok]

She’s walking around the backyard on sun up taking shots at the crows in our yard trying to raid other birds nests for the young .

I realize she is a true Oz barbarian, but if her bloodlust can be tamed, feeding the crows may get them to leave the other birds alone.

The bluejays and magpies needed to be chased away from trying to take over my pond/yard, but the crows left the smaller birds alone.

 

[Psychobilly]

You often use a shotgun. That was a perfectly placed sniper round by Daniel.

I have a Boom Stick????

 

[Amarok]

Crazy how something as big and scary as Winter can sneak up on you, but a couple days ago it was 20C and now the current 14 day forecast never gets above freezing.
It's possible that I might not see temps above freezing until next Spring. I hope not. I want to fish the river a few more times yet.

 

[Hugh Jass]

I feel like if I'd said this, I'd have about 3 Facepalms in my reactions today.

here's one for you, anyway.

 

[Amarok]

The filter barrel is drained and the water pump is put away. The entire barrel's worth got slurped right up by the thirsty ground, there was no surface runoff at all. The haskaps will appreciate those nutrients in the spring.

The pond is covered but the cover isn't fully secured yet. Going to leave a section open for the birds to drink for now. Two 8' x 10' tarps do a great job of coverage, but I need to add a few 2x2s for support between the main beams for when the snow gets heavy. Going to have to figure out the right amount of snow to leave to provide insulation without overloading the frame.

Chopped the outdoor BBM in the bucket and the Cindy that was in the ground. Both are still hanging. I won't bother doing that again unless I rig a greenhouse. My climate just doesn't support outdoor growing of photos.There will be something for the jars, but not a lot. I may try outdoor autos again if some end up in my possession, but it isn't a priority at all.


Not long now.

Edit: oh yeah, @Jewels end of the province might be looking at 6" of snow in the next day.
It has arrived.

 

[Amarok]

Pretty sure the owl was back, late this afternoon. I heard a commotion outside and went out to a convention of bluejays screaming at something in the big spruce in the driveway, just like last time. I walked around looking from different angles and couldn't see him, but that isn't a surprise. The foliage is thick and they camouflage well among the branches.

 

[Jewels]

It has arrived

I just saw this.
And yeah.
Oct 22nd was looking like P(in)C, IndianSummer
the drizzle was greening stuff up.
We were out spotting birds that day.


Jr. has a flicker in sights .




Luckily, I took a last grab of pollen off of this Respect. Next morning she was gone.
Never let up



24th.
Big car, or small tech ?


She stayed low. Wind came up and started piling ice on the shore.


My camera roll insists that this all happened within the same week.
View attachment 20230925_143122.mp4

View attachment 20231028_171438.mp4
View attachment 20231028_172151.mp4

 

[Amarok]

I love your posts, J. Always fun to see your sidekick, too. How was his Halloween?


It's actually been nice here the last couple days and is supposed to continue. Snow is gone and temps are between about -5 nights and +3 days for the next few. I may even try the river tomorrow(though I should go get my new winter tires put on the rims instead).
I keep looking at the pond cover, thinking I should open it up while it's warm, but we know how fast +3 becomes -20 and I don't want to mess around now it's done.


I need to drop my mini u/w scouting camera into the basement fish barrel and try to record the screen with my cell. It's turning into a neat little world. I found an old aquarium heater and dropped it in a while back. It isn't enough to make it too warm, but has definitely upped the metabolism in there. I may pull it once the algae is a little more established. I'd like to get as close to self sustaining as possible, just to see.

 

[Amarok]

Went for a walk this afternoon. I was by the weird tree in the creek valley and looked up to see this big fella, a great horned, as far as I can tell.
Couldn't get a decent focus, so I'll put 'em here instead of the cool pic thread.


I kept trying to get a focus and eventually he got sick of paparazzi and took off. He was just starting to spread his wings when I took this one.