Gonna Build a Little Pond

[belleswell]

I've been trying to befriend a pair of Ravens that visit our pond for a couple of years now. Every spring I lose a few bluegills when the ice goes out on the pond.
I scoop a dead one that still looks good from the edge of the pond and lay it on the far side of the pond from our house. I also
place a small shiny bauble as they like such things and put the dead blue gill and the bauble right beside each other.

They take the fish but leave the bauble. I talk to them sometimes when I'm walking the pond perimeter throwing floating fish food
for the bluegills. I figure they know me enough to be friends. They don't fly off like they used to but are still a little skittish.
I was thinking that if I could become friends, I would have them as friends forevermore.

I was going through some paperwork a while back looking for info on the model of the geo-thermal furnace we have as I wanted to know the
replacement model # for the filter as they are a special order, and found some pond info left by the prior owner. He had this .6 of an acre pond dug to a depth of 14 feet
for 5k. That was 25 years ago, but still I feel a small price to pay for the joy we get from it. We fell in love with this place because of the seclusion and
the pond and the wild life it attracts as well.

Ravens and a Shiny Bauble







Our pond brings us endless joy.



I add Aquashade pond dye to the water twice a year. Once in the spring and again late summer.
It cuts down on the wave length of light that promotes weed growth. It also looks nice.


Hybrid Bluegill Bed



Perch

 

[Amarok]

And just like that we are getting back into the routine. Went out this morning, tossed out some food, and within seconds one was feeding in the yard and the wary mate was in the tree above.

They take the fish but leave the bauble.

I experimented with shiny things, having heard they like them, but like you have seen no interest from the corvids.

Our pond brings us endless joy.

Absolutely. I love it so much that it actually makes winter worse.

Looking forward to see what critters show up. I'd love to see some tadpoles. Last year at this time I was just starting to dig and by the time it was filled, the frogs had already spawned.

 

[Psychobilly]

If I had a pond that size... LOL I'd have to put signs up, and a fence though; That way no one would get hurt. You know what I'd have a Goonch in there. Wouldn't even need a heater. Just no dogs or people could ever go in there is all LOL.

 

[Amarok]

Just had two feeding within ~12 feet of me after one landed on the fence only 6' away.

Just realized that the big bag of food is almost gone. Got 2+ years from it so hard to complain about that. Quality cat food provides good nutrition for crows so it's easy.

 

[belleswell]

Absolutely. I love it so much that it actually makes winter worse.

Looking forward to see what critters show up. I'd love to see some tadpoles.

If I had a pond that size... LOL I'd have to put signs up, and a fence though; That way no one would get hurt. You know what I'd have a Goonch in there. Wouldn't even need a heater. Just no dogs or people could ever go in there is all LOL.

I found another pic of one that got to a bluegill before the Eagles or raccoons could.
He/she is perched on top of it in this pic.

When I feed the bluegills walking around the pond perimeter, any of the floating pellets that are left if the bluegills don't get them all, the wood ducks scoop up.
They like it as well. 40% protein, and at $50 for a 50 lb bag, I'm sure they appreciate the handout. I go through about 8 to 10 bags per season. I've not seen many
perch feeding on them, but the bluegills and bass love them. Zeiglers 3/16" floating pellets.

I saw some fish feeding this morning breaking the surface, so I got into the 1/4 of a bag I have left from last year and threw out a small fraction of what I would
normally throw out, and even though the water temps are not quite 40 degrees, some were feeding on the pellets. So it begins.

No need for a fence as roadside there is a 1 acre swamp/fen/thicket that is thick and impenetrable, and our nearest neighbor is about a half mile away.


This shot was taken from inside about a hundred yards away.





A few short pond vids shot with the same camera I use for pics. A Canon PS60 SX which is a point and shoot style camera that has 65x zoom, and also
shoot nice vids

Feeding the Bluegills




Another short vid with a surprise at the end.



Wood duck hen with ducklings

 

[Psychobilly]

I found another pic of one that got to a bluegill before the Eagles or raccoons could.
He/she is perched on top of it in this pic.

When I feed the bluegills walking around the pond perimeter, any of the floating pellets that are left if the bluegills don't get them all, the wood ducks scoop up.
They like it as well. 40% protein, and at $50 for a 50 lb bag, I'm sure they appreciate the handout. I go through about 8 to 10 bags per season. I've not seen many
perch feeding on them, but the bluegills and bass love them. Zeiglers 3/16" floating pellets

No need for a fence as roadside there is a 1 acre swamp/fen/thicket that is thick and impenetrable, and I our nearest neighbor is about a half mile away.


This shot was taken from inside about a hundred yards away.

View attachment 199883



A few short pond vids shot with the same camera I use for pics. A Canon PS60 SX which is a point and shoot style camera that has 65x zoom, and also
shoot nice vids

Feeding the Bluegills




Another short vid with a surprise at the end.



Wood duck hen with ducklings

You ever put any Channel Cats, or like, Bullheads, or Mad Toms in there? I was kind of surprised when I learned what Mad Toms were LOL, I didn't know we had Catfish here that were small enough for a "normal" size tank. I've thought about getting a Bullhead as a pet, but I don't have space for another tank right now, or indoor pond, and they need a decent amount of room.

 

[belleswell]

You ever put any Channel Cats, or like, Bullheads, or Mad Toms in there?

No. Just Largemouth bass, yellow bellied perch, and hybrid bluegills. Last year I added 100 red eared sunfish but the hatchery only had 2 - 4 inch ones so time will tell
if the bass got them or not. I have artificial structure in the pond that gives the smaller fish places to hide. Clay drain tiles, and also artificial structure from Pond King.
I'm hoping the bass didn't get them all.

Bass are the apex predators in the pond with all sizes/year classes represented up to 7 lbs which is large for a bass in Michigan.

The largest perch caught was 16" and bloated with eggs caught ice fishing.

The largest hybrid bluegill caught was 13 1/4 inches which is a monster. All are released. They are kind of like pets. I would feel guilty killing any of them.
I have so many great lakes for pan fish close to home that catching limits for the table from some local lakes is easy. Therefore the pond fish get a free pass.

 

[Psychobilly]

No. Just Largemouth bass, yellow bellied perch, and hybrid bluegills. Last year I added 100 red eared sunfish but the hatchery only had 2 - 4 inch ones so time will tell
if the bass got them or not. I have artificial structure in the pond that gives the smaller fish places to hide. Clay drain tiles, and also artificial structure from Pond King.
I'm hoping the bass didn't get them all.

Bass are the apex predators in the pond with all sizes/year classes represented up to 7 lbs which is large for a bass in Michigan.

The largest perch caught was 16" and bloated with eggs caught ice fishing.

The largest hybrid bluegill caught was 13 1/4 inches which is a monster. All are released. They are kind of like pets. I would feel guilty killing any of them.
I have so many great lakes for pan fish close to home that catching limits for the table from some local lakes is easy. There for the pond fish get a free pass.

That's awesome bro. I was actually reading through our DNR's list of areas you can go to get stock for ponds in Michigan. I was kind of shocked you could order Chinook / King Salmon, and even Sturgeon through these sites, which I admit would be REALLY awesome. I'd love to catch a Sturgeon, but I'd have to be pretty damn hungry to actually harvest one. I love those things.

 

[belleswell]

"That's awesome bro. I was actually reading through our DNR's list of areas you can go to get stock for ponds in Michigan."

I go to Stoney Creek Fisheries and Equipment. They are about a 60 mile drive away located northwest of Grand Rapids. My wife had to drive a
friend to the airport in Grand Rapids today, so I gave her some extra money to get me started on the Zeigler fish food. I gave her enough for gas money to
and from Grand Rapids with a little bit of a pit stop on her way back at the hatchery for a couple of bags of Zeigler fish food. That should tide me over for a couple months
at which point we'll make another trip for more fish food, some minnows for the perch, and maybe 100 more of the hybrid bluegills.

 

[Amarok]

Almost like they never left.

 

[Amarok]

Spring!

Not running through the filter yet, just getting some circulation to aid the melt.

 

[Amarok]

+1C and the return stream to the pond is full of bathing robins, splashing merrily away.

 

[Amarok]

It's incredible how many birds are around my yard. Robins, bluejays, sparrows, waxwings, at least two species of woodpecker, and whole bunch of I don't know, just in the last ten minutes. There is a chorus of songs going on, and movement everywhere.

I remember how much I wanted a camera overlooking the pond last year, before getting sidetracked by the crows. I've got to start keeping an eye out for a deal.

 

[Amarok]

Still attracting a huge variety of birds to the pond. I'm teaching one of the new crows that it has to share with the little ones, as it's trying to get territorial.
The crows are currently cleaning up my berm by gathering nesting material from the debris. They're building on the vacant lot south of me.

Got a dust of snow overnight and I thought it looked cool.

 

[belleswell]

Good to go for the season on Zeigler fish food. 3/16 inch floating pellets. All of the bluegills, and bass up to 12 inches or so love them. The bass larger than a foot long
graduate to eating smaller fish.

Amarok, I have a childhood best friend who used to play in the band with me that moved to the east coast years ago. He worked at a lawn and garden center
owned by his wife's family. He was the manager of the garden pond section of the store. When he retired a few years ago, he started his own business specializing in
garden ponds and supplies. He's one of two on the whole east coast that has permits for importing Koi fish for his clients. He's always very busy this time of year
as everybody wants him to service their Koi ponds. Let me know and I'll send you a pm of his business. I know Pond Guy has a great mail order business, but my
friend is putting a big dent in his business.

10 bags at 44 lbs per bag. Each have 40 % protein. That's 176 lbs of protein for the fish.

 

[Amarok]

Back from taking another stray cat out across the bridge to play with the coyotes. I keep shoring up my fences to keep them out, but if they are determined then so am I.


--------------------
Thanks for the heads up. belleswell.

 

[Psychobilly]

Back from taking another stray cat out across the bridge to play with the coyotes. I keep shoring up my fences to keep them out, but if they are determined then so am I.


--------------------
Thanks for the heads up. belleswell.

Bring the Cats here bro.

 

[Amarok]

Bring the Cats here bro.

If I had a catapult maybe. Bye Kitty.

(yes, I know that word has "cat" in it)

 

[Psychobilly]

If I had a catapult maybe. Bye Kitty.

(yes, I know that word has "cat" in it)

Sounds like something I would get a facepalm for lol. But no you savage just drive them... haha

 

[Bullfrog]

Would be a blast to launch some "stuff" though. Don't think I could bring myself to launch anything living, although I suppose a cat would probably be the most logical choice being they always land on their feet.