Well, instead of building in the fields behind me, the city council are giving me my very own pond and they don't even know it! They have been building a lot of houses around where I live and I thought they were going to end up filling the fields behind. They have been planning the building for a few years now and no one around here wants them to do it. I really am against the whole process, but if it has to be somewhere, I'm glad its not behind my house.
When they have built in some places, they have been collecting a protective species of newt. I get them in my garden but didn't know they were this important to building sites. The Great Crested Newt is my favourite amphibian and I love finding them in the garden, along with smooth newts, common frogs and toads.
They have collected quite a lot, and this pond they are making is to house these newts. It's a good size and depth. The workers have been on it for over a week now and this is the progress so far.
In the past three days they have moved on to the field behind this one and are making another pond! It's like the council are making me my own little nature reserve. Canada Geese have returned for the fourth year going and have already taken their territory back and are protecting it from their own youngsters. Their offspring from past years have nested in various ponds around the fields. It's always great fun to watch them and especially when their eggs hatch and the littlens are waddling in the long grass. However it's only good fun to watch from a specific distance as I once found out two years back when I was trapped between barbed wire whilst an adult flew at me making a noise.
Meanwhile in the last few weeks or so the Canada Geese have been keeping close to the nest area. The female has been sat on the nest but I haven't had a glimpse of any eggs yet, and the male is keeping on guard. The pond has filled up a lot, and Hawthorn has been planted on one side, so really only we can see into it from the bottom of the garden or from my tree house. The Moorhens have been wondering around it. I think this pond is going to turn out really nicely and hopefully draw in some different wildlife to the area.
Wow, now I'm jelaous ;D
ReplyDeletePonds are so fascinating and they never get boring. It's just relaxing to sit there and watch the scene and listen to the frogs. To have a pond next to your house must be very cool! And it seems that they build a very big one. Oh, and that's a very nice photo of the newt. I didn't see a lot this year so far.
I visited some ponds the last few days and saw many animals. I will post some photos next week :)
Yeah ponds are great. It is going to be good to watch this pond and wildlife establish itself here
DeleteBrilliant news about the pond Sophie, and Great-crested Newts in your garden....excellent.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to bumping into you again at Cockerham Country Park sometime.
thank you, its always great to see!
DeleteI'm going this Saturday for a week, so will probably bump into you if you're out and about :)