Newts at Berryfields
We've just spent a rather frustrating five hours netting over the pond. It now looks like a giant spider has woven a rather odd web. I smell of pond crud and most of that crud is my hair (particularly frustrating as I've given up shampoo, but that's another blog for somewhere else).
We've done this because Hugh, our lovely newt man from Pond Conservation, asked us to. Yesterday, we spent several hours with him hunting for newts late into the night. We're doing well for water quality. We've got a lot of life including fresh water shrimps, less and greater boatman, diving beetles and mayfly, but our margins are failing the grade. They've taken a battering from the resident ducks. And when push comes to shove, it's the ducks that must move on. Luckily for them there's a pond next door and a brook across the road. Whereas the newts have decided only our pond will do for breeding.
On the plus side we found lots of lovely newts, and learnt how to tell the sexes, ages and different species apart. Our total count was 11 greater crested and 13 smooth newts. The greater crested newts have this really cool stripe on their tail which is part of the mating ritual and white spots under their chins. The smooth newts are lighter in colour and also have a crest and orange belly, but under the chin is clearly orange and brown. The smoothies have been active for a while now, while the greater crested newts, here at least, are just getting into the swing of things. You could say the same thing about us.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~44~RS~)
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Alys, what was the purpose of netting the pond? Would they not rather be left in peace now that they have a sparkling new home to settle into?
We've discovered we have newts in our pond - what sort I'm not sure. I had in mind the best thing to do was to ignore them - they've probably been there quite happily for some time.
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Sorry, missed the explanation re the ducks. We have ducks too, and newts, fish, dragonflies, frogs, toads etc. Do newts take priority over all other forms of wildlife?
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Please tell us why Monty is going to be away from Gardeners' World for so long
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Ok Alys, you cannot say that your hair smells of cud and then not explain why you aren't using shampoo!!!!!
I really want to know now!
Apple
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Alys I,m also interested as to why you are not using shampo on your hair,what are you using instead? I love reading your blog it is just full of interesting things of everyday life except yours is much more intesting than mine. I have to say I am finding this new blog much more difficult to understand and why the large print?
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Alys I quite forgot to say having watched gardeners world since you became headgardener how lovely the gardens and grass are now a real pleasure to see, thank you
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I am in the process of expanding an old pond. From circa 16 square meter surface area to 50 square meter surface area.
It's in a shaded part of the garden, surrounded by mature (100 years) trees which rarely sees direct sunlight.
When I finish digging the pond, fit the liner etc etc. Have you some advice on how to attract newts.
We already have frog spawn in the pond (therefore all digging work has halted).
Any advice on plants etc gratefully received.
Cheers
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Apple,
I've given up shampoo and it's great, and no, my hair doesn't smell. I gave up using it after my father, also a redhead, said that he had and was really impressed my the results. I did a bit research and found out about a movement calle no poo, which is a ridiculous name, but stand for no shampoo, where instead you wash you scalp with bicarbonate of soda and you rinse you hair with cider vinegar. Never had healthier hair, but you be very rigorous with how and when you wash your hair, so it a pain in half the pond ends up on your head. Nothing to do with gardening, but there you go.
Inverherive,
As for newt friendly ponds: lots of marginal plants such as water forget-me-not, Myosotis scorpioides, flote/sweet grass Glyceria fluitans and great hairy willowherb Epilobium hirsutum. The newts lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. These plants are also good for damselflies, dragon flies, water voles and birds. You also new a degree of submergent vegetation, such as curled pondweed pr water crpw foot. But never put in New Zealand stonecrop as this is highly invassive.
Shady ponds, I beleive, are less desirable for newts as the water temperature tends to be lower, all as the leaves fall into the water, this will accelerate the build up of nutrients. On the other hand trees/scrub vegetation are good terresterial habitat. I guess you need to find a balance, perhaps try crown lifting the trees on the south side, by removing some of the lower branches to let a bit more light in?
Trillium
Some creatures great and small, no newts are no more or less important than everything but the ducks.Just kidding. The ducks were mainly coming because they were being feed and it was about an inbalance, they were just more ducks then the size of the pond could manage. I think the long and short of it is in pond conservation is DON'T FEED THE DUCK, EVER.
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Your tip re not feeding the ducks is very good advice indeed and explains the ecological imbalance. We only have one pair and they fly off everytime we go near the pond, so we have never fed them, as it happens, more by luck than judgement.
They are also unlikely to multiply as they habitually lay eggs on the gravel path next to the pond which is walked on several times a day by visitors. Why they think this is a sensible place to breed I have no idea!
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Just remember the sinus cure i gave you last season since mucking about in the pond you bound to catch cold.
Also once done with vinegar you might mix it with bit soap and bit salt make dandy weed killer as long as don't use it near the pond.
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Can anybody help me identify the two creatures i photographed eating a newt in our pond here on the farm. I've posted a picture on our blog. (Your 'lovely newt man' perhaps)
http://www.byrdir.co.uk/index.php/2008/07/pond-life/
Do you have a link to 'Pond Conservation'?
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We found a newt. Okay not that exciting to some but I have never seen a newt before.
It was a baby! a little tiny thing hiding out under the onions we had just lifted. So we put the black weed control back again and left him to finish off his sleep.
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Destiny Cole
I think that finding a new is always exciting. they are so prehistoric looking, they inhabit what seems such a different world from us. I like they way you can see their tiny heart furiously beat and that careful cautious way they move--you can't really see me. No I think that finding every newt pretty exciting, but then i've been known to while a little too much time just looking at water boatmen, so perhaps that says more about me.
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