The Pikers Pit

Had a look in our garden pond this evening, quite a few smooth newts , mostly males at this point in the season.There were two almost albino males , orange in colour. I found one last year under a slab in the garden and thought it was a one off! I’m sure I read somewhere that it’s down to a limited gene pool but can’t find the article. Anyway thought some of you might be interested to see them. First clump of frog spawn today as well.

Strange.

No frog spawn here, but the frogs are about.

davelumb wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:09 -

Strange.

No frog spawn here, but the frogs are about.

We had the fattest frog I’ve ever seen around our pond the other day, must have been full of spawn. Both newts and frogs seem to appear around valentines week in these parts ( Bristol area)

Mattjb wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:13 -

davelumb wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:09 -

Strange.

No frog spawn here, but the frogs are about.

We had the fattest frog I’ve ever seen around our pond the other day, must have been full of spawn. Both newts and frogs seem to appear around valentines week in these parts ( Bristol area)

Looking at my records today I get frog spawn around the end of this month or start of March.

Ooo their different
Your spoilt where you are Mat, slow worms everywhere now golden newts

Our crested are on the move and one frog needed to be lifted out the koi pond at the weekend.
The way the temps are today they’ll be hopping up all over.

Cyprio wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:17 -

Ooo their different
Your spoilt where you are Mat, slow worms everywhere now golden newts

Our crested are on the move and one frog needed to be lifted out the koi pond at the weekend.
The way the temps are today they’ll be hopping up all over.

Will have to wait a bit longer for the slow worms!
Considering we live in the suburbs of Bristol we get a great range of wildlife in our garden. I think it helps that it’s a long garden and not very tidy! We’ve got a dedicated wildlife area right at the end with brambles, a log pile ,pond , stones and a big compost heap . Next to the compost heap I’ve got some loose stone slabs and pieces of black bitumen roof sheeting laid on the grass which the slow worms love until it gets too hot in the summer.

Cyprio wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:17 -

Ooo their different
Your spoilt where you are Mat, slow worms everywhere now golden newts

Our crested are on the move and one frog needed to be lifted out the koi pond at the weekend.
The way the temps are today they’ll be hopping up all over.

Will have to wait a bit longer for the slow worms!
Considering we live in the suburbs of Bristol we get a great range of wildlife in our garden. I think it helps that it’s a long garden and not very tidy! We’ve got a dedicated wildlife area right at the end with brambles, a log pile ,pond , stones and a big compost heap . Next to the compost heap I’ve got some loose stone slabs and pieces of black bitumen roof sheeting laid on the grass which the slow worms love until it gets too hot in the summer.
Saw some newly born baby slow worms for the time last year

I’m in the countryside, only had one slow worm and a grass snake come through. Always had newts, frogs and toads as have wildlife pond along with three maintained ponds.

Newts are random where they over winter. We always have wood bark stone piles for them to find a safe space.

October I had dug some holes for a fence then the rains came so gave it a miss. Couple of weeks ago looked in the holes, the leaves had collected so I started to remove them only to find a handful of newts over wintering.
Great excuse not to carry on with the fence

Mattjb wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:06 -

Had a look in our garden pond this evening, quite a few smooth newts , mostly males at this point in the season.There were two almost albino males , orange in colour. I found one last year under a slab in the garden and thought it was a one off! I’m sure I read somewhere that it’s down to a limited gene pool but can’t find the article. Anyway thought some of you might be interested to see them. First clump of frog spawn today as well.

Theyre very cool

Never seen a newt in or around my garden pond in 20odd yrs. Frogs have started their wrestling matches this week as soon as the temps rose. They usually wake up around this time here....

Cyprio wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:44 -

I’m in the countryside, only had one slow worm and a grass snake come through. Always had newts, frogs and toads as have wildlife pond along with three maintained ponds.

Newts are random where they over winter. We always have wood bark stone piles for them to find a safe space.

October I had dug some holes for a fence then the rains came so gave it a miss. Couple of weeks ago looked in the holes, the leaves had collected so I started to remove them only to find a handful of newts over wintering.
Great excuse not to carry on with the fence

Nature provides some good excuses for not doing things !
I can’t cut the hedges , birds might be nesting in there is my all time favourite!

Mark_Houghton wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:55 -

Mattjb wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:06 -

Had a look in our garden pond this evening, quite a few smooth newts , mostly males at this point in the season.There were two almost albino males , orange in colour. I found one last year under a slab in the garden and thought it was a one off! I’m sure I read somewhere that it’s down to a limited gene pool but can’t find the article. Anyway thought some of you might be interested to see them. First clump of frog spawn today as well.

Theyre very cool

Never seen a newt in or around my garden pond in 20odd yrs. Frogs have started their wrestling matches this week as soon as the temps rose. They usually wake up around this time here....

DSC_2147-DeNoiseAI-raw.jpg

the one on top has kind of a smug look on his face Mark!

Mattjb wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 22:13 -

Mark_Houghton wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:55 -

Mattjb wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:06 -

Had a look in our garden pond this evening, quite a few smooth newts , mostly males at this point in the season.There were two almost albino males , orange in colour. I found one last year under a slab in the garden and thought it was a one off! I’m sure I read somewhere that it’s down to a limited gene pool but can’t find the article. Anyway thought some of you might be interested to see them. First clump of frog spawn today as well.

Theyre very cool

Never seen a newt in or around my garden pond in 20odd yrs. Frogs have started their wrestling matches this week as soon as the temps rose. They usually wake up around this time here....

DSC_2147-DeNoiseAI-raw.jpg

the one on top has kind of a smug look on his face Mark!

It does....and the female underneath has the "pull me nightie down when youre finished" look

Mark_Houghton wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 22:23 -

Mattjb wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 22:13 -

Mark_Houghton wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:55 -

Mattjb wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15 2024 20:06 -

Had a look in our garden pond this evening, quite a few smooth newts , mostly males at this point in the season.There were two almost albino males , orange in colour. I found one last year under a slab in the garden and thought it was a one off! I’m sure I read somewhere that it’s down to a limited gene pool but can’t find the article. Anyway thought some of you might be interested to see them. First clump of frog spawn today as well.

Theyre very cool

Never seen a newt in or around my garden pond in 20odd yrs. Frogs have started their wrestling matches this week as soon as the temps rose. They usually wake up around this time here....

DSC_2147-DeNoiseAI-raw.jpg

the one on top has kind of a smug look on his face Mark!

It does....and the female underneath has the "pull me nightie down when youre finished" look