My ponds might be emptied by de-watering for gravel excavation in the field next door. There were surveys done, my ponds, and those of the neighbours over the road, have Great Crested newts. Planning permission was granted.
Nothing an individual can do compares with big business
apologies Philippa yes I probably did mis understand your post. I am sorry about that. Also sorry to hear that money speaks and the big business is being a pain to you and the newts. Glad to hear that you are both trying to save the newts. I found one recently on a walk we did crossing a path in a woodland he looked lovely.
They are interesting animals. I've spent hours watching them in and out of the pond. They dive when they're in the pond and see me coming but otherwise don't seem bothered. There was no panic when I lifted the seed tray and found them under there.
another one
a baby, efts I think they're called but we call them newtlets. I can't tell which species at this age
They look wonderful love their colours. They look very sweet, so tiny. You must have an amazing pond there. At the bottom of a field I have there is a stream which has rainbow trout in it. Wildlife is fantastic to view.
Amazing stuff out there clattnow. I found myself more involved with it all the time. I find it painful when people start talking about this and that killer spray knowing how it .all spreads through the food chain
Yes, I do too nut, although I have been guilty of using the tiniest amounts of spot weed killer, but I do it during the day (does that make it any better - no I don't think so), so it has time to quickly dry in the sun before the hedgehogs come out at night. This mass spraying that farmers do, sometimes planes are used well that is dreadful. All insects like aphids have natural predators and perhaps by putting bird feeders out we are preventing the birds from searching for their natural food. All our home grown fruit and veg is organic.
I do wonder about bird feeding sometimes GD. We had quite a few casualties earlier in the breeding season, dead baby goldfinches and chaffinches. I put it down to the cold and wet but OH questioned what he calls the fast food outlet. Unhealthy for us, unhealthy for the birds?
We live in a wooded river valley and already have several ponds so it's an amphibian paradise.
We built our large pond (mini lake!) in May and before it had even filled half way (with water from our spring) the newts and frogs had moved in making the process of building the edging and planting baskets of lilies etc, very awkward. I think they decided it was their new 'des res'! It is now full of baby newts and already teeming with huge Dragonflies, Damsel flies and May flies and we have had a few visits from the Dippers who nest under our bridge.
I still have a lot of work on the pond to do but it is so easy to lose 10 minutes here and there just watching the antics of the pond residents and visitors!
Posts
Not this time Joyce.
I had stuff to do in Belfast so I haven't been about much. I hope I haven't missed anything vital.
pp, Reading back a few days will bring you up to date
money talks.
My ponds might be emptied by de-watering for gravel excavation in the field next door. There were surveys done, my ponds, and those of the neighbours over the road, have Great Crested newts. Planning permission was granted.
Nothing an individual can do compares with big business
In the sticks near Peterborough
apologies Philippa yes I probably did mis understand your post. I am sorry about that. Also sorry to hear that money speaks and the big business is being a pain to you and the newts. Glad to hear that you are both trying to save the newts. I found one recently on a walk we did crossing a path in a woodland he looked lovely.
They are interesting animals. I've spent hours watching them in and out of the pond. They dive when they're in the pond and see me coming but otherwise don't seem bothered. There was no panic when I lifted the seed tray and found them under there.
another one
a baby, efts I think they're called but we call them newtlets. I can't tell which species at this age
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hi there Nutcutlet,
They look wonderful love their colours. They look very sweet, so tiny. You must have an amazing pond there. At the bottom of a field I have there is a stream which has rainbow trout in it. Wildlife is fantastic to view.
Amazing stuff out there clattnow. I found myself more involved with it all the time. I find it painful when people start talking about this and that killer spray knowing how it .all spreads through the food chain
In the sticks near Peterborough
Yes, I do too nut, although I have been guilty of using the tiniest amounts of spot weed killer, but I do it during the day (does that make it any better - no I don't think so), so it has time to quickly dry in the sun before the hedgehogs come out at night. This mass spraying that farmers do, sometimes planes are used well that is dreadful. All insects like aphids have natural predators and perhaps by putting bird feeders out we are preventing the birds from searching for their natural food. All our home grown fruit and veg is organic.
I do wonder about bird feeding sometimes GD. We had quite a few casualties earlier in the breeding season, dead baby goldfinches and chaffinches. I put it down to the cold and wet but OH questioned what he calls the fast food outlet. Unhealthy for us, unhealthy for the birds?
In the sticks near Peterborough
We live in a wooded river valley and already have several ponds so it's an amphibian paradise.
We built our large pond (mini lake!) in May and before it had even filled half way (with water from our spring) the newts and frogs had moved in making the process of building the edging and planting baskets of lilies etc, very awkward. I think they decided it was their new 'des res'! It is now full of baby newts and already teeming with huge Dragonflies, Damsel flies and May flies and we have had a few visits from the Dippers who nest under our bridge.
I still have a lot of work on the pond to do but it is so easy to lose 10 minutes here and there just watching the antics of the pond residents and visitors!