Pond near to the farm house

[pg123 0]

Hi I was hoping someone with a bit of experience could advise me on a flight pond.

 

Next year I have chance of taking on a small pond for duck flighting. The pond is only small (about the size of 2 semi's on a modern housing development) and is only about 50m from the farm house. The pond is at least at the rear of the farm and most of the day to day activity takes place at the front so the pond is fairly quiet. Being so close to the farm would wild birds come near??

 

I was thinking of releasing half a dozen call ducks and setting up an auto feeder in the hope of creating a small duck shoot for 2 or 3 guns for next year. Within about a mile as the crow fly's (should that say duck??) there is 3 reservoirs so there should be a few ducks around to draw in.

 

Thanks.

[bell 3,600]

Hi I was hoping someone with a bit of experience could advise me on a flight pond.

 

Next year I have chance of taking on a small pond for duck flighting. The pond is only small (about the size of 2 semi's on a modern housing development) and is only about 50m from the farm house. The pond is at least at the rear of the farm and most of the day to day activity takes place at the front so the pond is fairly quiet. Being so close to the farm would wild birds come near??

 

I was thinking of releasing half a dozen call ducks and setting up an auto feeder in the hope of creating a small duck shoot for 2 or 3 guns for next year. Within about a mile as the crow fly's (should that say duck??) there is 3 reservoirs so there should be a few ducks around to draw in.

 

Thanks.

 

Yes without a shadow of a doubt it should still attract wild birds. I shoot a relatives pond occasionally which is about the same distance away from the farmhouse. It has good numbers of mallard, tufties and teal. Might be an idea to plant some fast growing bushes round it to give it a touch of privacy. Best of luck.

[pg123 0]

Cheers. I like the idea of planting a short strip of cover to block out the odd bit of movement from the farm. Just need to research cheap fast growing bushes now.

[remi700 99]

You won't beat sally willows. Take an offcut off an existing bush and stick it in the ground and you'll have a bush in no time. Just keep triming the top off them to thicken them out. Very fast growing!

[saintsman54 15]

You won't beat sally willows. Take an offcut off an existing bush and stick it in the ground and you'll have a bush in no time. Just keep triming the top off them to thicken them out. Very fast growing!

And don't forget about them otherwise you will have a large tree over shadowing the pond and clogging it up with its roots. Which is quite hard to rectify.

[pg123 0]

True. I was thinking a 4 or 5m long row of shrubs would block out any movement from the farm for birds sat on the water.

 

Can anyone think of cheap shrubs that don't get too big?

[waidmann 105]

Rhododendron, look pretty from the house too.

Not cheap but evergreen as well.