October 2017 - Phoenix Pond Sphoenixponds.com/News/2017/October_2017.pdf · October 2017 Monthly...
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October 2017 Monthly Newsletter Published by the Greater Phoenix Pond Society The Next Meeting: October 14 th at 9:00am. The October meeting will be held at the home of Tanya & Ian Brown. ➢ Telephone: 623-451-3432 ➢ Address: 3308 W. Quail Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85027 Bring your lawn chairs & bags/buckets for any plants/fish that may be available.
Transcript of October 2017 - Phoenix Pond Sphoenixponds.com/News/2017/October_2017.pdf · October 2017 Monthly...
October 2017
Monthly Newsletter Published by the
Greater Phoenix Pond Society
The Next Meeting: October 14th at 9:00am.
The October meeting will be held at the home of Tanya & Ian Brown.
➢ Telephone: 623-451-3432
➢ Address: 3308 W. Quail Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85027
Bring your lawn chairs & bags/buckets for any plants/fish that may be available.
Letter from the President Aloha, fellow GPPS friends! Sorry for missing the last meeting, but my beautiful wife wanted to go to Hawaii for her birthday. We had a great time! A big ‘Mahalo!’ to Chuck and Joy Basso for hosting the September meeting. Thanks to Sue Beard for taking charge of the meeting with both myself and Judy gone. Hopefully Judy will be recovered enough to be at the October meeting. I heard everything went great and that we weren’t missed.
SPEAKER: We will have a speaker at the October meeting. Gary Miller from the Iris Society will be speaking on the beautiful Iris. I am sure it will be very interesting. Thank you, Chris Krum, for arranging the speaker.
Election of 2018 Officers: In November, we will be having our annual election of officers. Time to start thinking about what office you would like to step up and fill. Duties of all offices are list and explained in our by-laws which are posted on the GPPS website. Hope everyone will give this some consideration.
December Meeting: Just a reminder so everyone gets it marked on their calendar. The December meeting on the 9th will be at 11:00am at the lovely pond and home of Richard and Pet Smith.
Raccoon: We lost some of our large fish to an unknown predator that didn’t leave a single clue/morsel. Thanks to Mike and Annie for loaning us their raccoon traps for us to try to catch what may be raccoons. We caught several cats but that was all. We appreciate the quick responses from our GPPS family that replied with their opinions and advice. I think Fern decided we just need to move to escape this invisible koi-eating monster… will keep you updated!
NEXT MEETING: The next meeting will be at the home of Ian and Tanya. Hope to see you there.
Don Shaw – GPPS President
A pond Don & Fern saw in one of
the city parks.
Might make you feel better about
your pond.
Zoom in to see
things that people
have thrown onto
the lily pads. ☹
Pictures from the September Meeting
A big thanks to Chuck & Joy for
hosting the meeting &
sharing their beautiful yard! And thank you
to Sue for leading the
meeting!
Great Job!!
Playing shy….
From the Editor
The poll question for this month was: What are some of the greatest or most dreaded visitors to your pond? This month’s question had a great response rate, thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences. Here are the results…
Greatest Visitors: Grandchildren, Frogs, Dragonflies, Butterflies, Bees, Praying Mantis, Hawks, Kestrels, Warblers Hummingbirds, Woodpeckers & all kinds of other birds.
Judy has become quite the bird watcher (and photographer) thanks to her pond. She has used the book “Birds of Arizona” by Tekiela to help identify around 30 different bird species in their yard.
Most Dreaded Visitors: Raccoons, Midges, Snakes, Heron (Blue, Grey & Green), Egrets, Bobcats and Housecats. Other dreaded visitors can also include Disease, Algae and the “Unknown Monsters”.
In case you’re wondering…All Heron ARE protected along with several other birds we may not love in regards to our ponds. Here’s a link to the full list of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Protected Species. https://www.fws.gov/birds/management/managed-species/migratory-bird-treaty-act-protected-species.php
The photo collage below includes pictures of some “good and bad”
visitors GPPS members generously shared. I will let you be the judge of
which is which….
Chase Away Herons
The growing heron population is a big problem for all pond lovers. For fish are the main feed of grey herons. You can recognize this heron species by the black crest at the back of his head. Colorful fish in a clear pond are easy prey for this fish-eater. With its long bill a heron can swallow a fish of 30 cm (11.8 inches) and wound bigger fish perilously. A heron will return until the pond will have been totally fished out. How do you frighten herons and chase them away permanently?
Kinds of heron deterrents or scarers
There are various methods to frighten a heron and to chase it away. In the early morning, when herons are most active, a dog as heron scarer will take the right effect.
• A fake heron at the pond edge is indeed decorative and will chase a male heron, however not the hungry female ones.
• Reflecting daylight is already very effective to keep herons at a distance. They will be shocked by the restless light reflections, caused by a glittering spinner or a silver ball. Such a glittering heron deterrent is a decorative element in your garden. Place a number of floating balls in your pond to achieve a strengthened effect.
• By stretching threads over the pond, the approach route of the heron will be blocked. This is effective; however, it requires much labor and will mar your garden and pond. It would be simpler to stretch an electric fence round pond side. If they touch it, they will give a shock reaction, as a result of which herons will draw away and never return again to your pond.
• More advanced systems are disposing of a motion sensor which detects arriving herons and cats. Detection will be followed by a strong jet of water in the direction of the invader or by flashes of light and shrill sounds. The unwelcome guests will draw away at once.
• Finally, you may also to use a pond cover. Herons will not be able then to approach fish and will leave. Pond covers are available indifferent sizes so that there is an appropriate cover for every pond.
Source: https://www.velda.com/pond-supplies/protection/heron-deterrent/
Area of town: Arizona City
Family: Three kids, three grands, all in Iowa.
Profession(s): Dan is a kindergarten teacher in Arizona City, Shelly volunteers with the AZ City Library, foster for Pinal County Animal Care and Control and Valley Humane Society, Board member with Valley Humane Society, Casa Grande.
Hobbies: Dan - Reading, helping Shelly with honey do list, Shelly hand crafts, reading, dogs, birds, our pond plans.
What got you involved with water gardening: Just always have loved a water feature. Tim and his brother dug our first pond here in Arizona (Ahwatukee) by hand (pick and hatchet) 30 years ago. It was about 5 feet in diameter and about 3 feet deep. It was simple and very pretty.
What is your favorite part of water gardening: The sound of the water. When I can see my fish instead of having pea soup.
Favorite fish: Discus, oh wait, that's my aquarium, ?
Future plans: A 20 thousand gallon pond.
Additional Info: We moved here in November 2014, leaving a 10K water feature, three ponds and a 15 foot lazy river in Iowa. Finally got it the way I wanted the summer of 2014 and then left it. Been into water gardens since 1999 and love the ongoing progress we keep making with our projects. Planning a waterfall, bog, and part being covered with wood deck. We'll see what we actually turn into.
2017 GPPS Meetings & Events January 14th: Meeting – 9am
Host: Tammy Purtell
February 11th: Meeting - 9am
Hosts: Don & Dawn Jarratt 10th-12th: Chinese Cultural Fair
March 11th: Meeting - 9am
Japanese Friendship Garden
April 8th: Meeting - 9am
Hosts: Annie Foster & Mike Galeski
28th-30th: Home Show
May NO MEETING 13th GPPS Pond Tour 9am-4pm
June 10th: Meeting - 9am
Hosts: Jeff & Rita Karsten
July NO MEETING
August NO MEETING
September 9th: Meeting – 9am
Hosts: Chuck & Joy Basso
October 14th: Meeting - 9am
Hosts: Tanya & Ian Brown
November 11th: Meeting - 9am
Hosts: Ron & Penny Christensen BOD Election
December 9th: Meeting - 11am
Hosts: Richard & Pet Smith Holiday Potluck
White Elephant Gift Exchange Fantastic Food & Fun
Member Corner Dan & Shelly Lambert
GPPS Executive Committee
President Don Shaw 602-332-8112 [email protected]
Vice President Judy Restad [email protected]
Secretary Sue Beard [email protected]
Treasurer Annie Foster [email protected]
Event Coordinator Chris Krum [email protected]
Newsletter Editor Tanya Brown [email protected]
Librarian Jeff Karsten [email protected]
Webmaster Dennis Beard [email protected]
GPPS TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
Jeff Karsten [email protected]
Chuck Basso [email protected]
***If anyone finds a broken link or out of date information on the web pages,
please send information like the page name and what needs to be changed or
fixed to [email protected]***
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***Sale, Trade, or Free***
PLEASE??…Annie has three large lava rocks that are free for the taking! Contact her at 602-616-5138. She can send pictures to interested individuals.
Have an item or service to advertise in the newsletter? Or a question, tip, trick, recommendation or idea to share? Send your submission to: [email protected]
GPPS Newsletter
Monthly Submission Deadline: 18th of each month. Newsletters will be sent out the 28th of each
month. All submissions are subject to review and all materials become the property of GPPS. Due
to space and timing, it is not guaranteed that all submissions will be printed. Submissions can be
emailed to [email protected]
Treasurers Report
Starting Balance $2958.22 Expenses Books for Raffle $15.18 Storage fee $40.69
Ending Balance $2902.35
Do you have your embroidered GPPS
shirt yet? You can have your shirt
embroidered with the society logo for
$10 or $20 including a polo shirt. Contact
Tanya at [email protected] for more
information or to place an order.
