Nigel(la) was indeed pregnant. And there was clearly a Nigel as well, slimmer and a different colour, although I’ve not seen them together. So now the pond is alive again with lots of baby newts hiding in the weedy areas.
While spending some time today getting blanket weed under control, I scooped out some pond water and caught two of the newt tadpoles for a closer look. Unlike frog tadpoles which develop back legs first, newt tadpoles grow front legs first with back legs quite soon after. And, until they emerge from the pond as juveniles (efts), they have external feathery gills.
The holes in the silicon sieve give an idea of the actual size (approx 14mm long). The one below is photographed in an old washing up bowl.
Aside from the newts, there are a couple of tadpoles and hundreds of pond skaters and backswimmers. Robins and magpies use the pond for drinking and bathing and I’ve seen damselflies rest on the lily pads while mating. Some of the plants I added last year have survived. The miniature bullrushes and stripey zebra rush are doing well, but an emerging juicy arum lily was eaten by something and hasn’t regrown.
I lowered the water lily (Nymphaea Gonnere) to the bottom over winter to keep it safe from the frozen surface. In spring I suspended it by its pot handle from a cane across the pond and hoped. Gradually it sent up pads about 4 inches across in colours ranging from a deep green to reds and golden reds. Today I could just make out another stem reaching for the surface. This one is a flower bud. The label says it flowers from June, so fingers crossed for a pretty display soon.
FROG BLOG 