newts

[wickerman]

I have two small plastic formed ponds in my garden one had gold fish only two left heron ate them......have seen odd frogs and one toad in 7 years but we always have small newts especially in the pond with no fish .....have seen only one next tadpol and one fully formed but this year in addition to the small newts had a great crested turn up at the back door ....not seen one in years

https://imgur.com/hVXWJIP

 

[Robson Valley]

I have nothing but respect for those who attempt some habitat enhancement. Clearly, the ponds are attractive to rare wildlife.
Well done.

 

[Kav]

You are fulfilling the purpose of Shangri-La in Lost Horizons.

 

[Kadushu]

I've dealt with a few small ponds over the years and it's amazing how much life can be supported in a small volume of water. One I look after is about 8 feet wide and 6 inches or so deep with a few lilies. Every year it's full of newts and damsel/dragonfly larvae.

 

[Robson Valley]

When I lived in the city, I used to keep all sorts of shallow dishes of water in the back yard. Lots of small stones to stand on in most dishes. The parade of wildlife, big and small, during the hot & dry summers, was a sight to behold. Even nocturnal Flying Squirrels.
The dishes must have been the only open water for 500m around the place.
It was a pleasant task to come home from the office for a cold brew and clean & change the water in all the dishes. Lord but the birds could make a mess.

 

[Kadushu]

Pigeons are the worst here. They'll bathe in any shallow water and make it white with dander. They also create some of the biggest piles of guano because they'll sit on one branch for hours in the day or return to a specific spot to roost at night.