Check your ponds

morg

morg

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Morg
It seems to be getting earlier each year that newts return to breeding ponds.
Cleared my garden ponds out yesterday, and saw a single male great crested newt in full breeding condition swimming around one of the ponds.
I went out armed with a torch last night, and was amazed to see both male and female crested's[1 male tail wafting], along with a few male smooth newts.
First date I saw them last year must have been a full month later than this.
 
Hey Morg,

The pond here is crawling with L. vulgaris for about a month now, which is very early! During the day you can't see much, but at night...I'm amazed by the numbers and that there are already numerous males in breeding attire and gravid females.
 
I heard more Ambystoma tigrinum are entering breeding ponds earlier in the year too over here.

(Message edited by axolotl_jake on January 04, 2007)
 
Global warming anyone? Hehe. You sure are lucky to be able to observe cresteds in the wild.
 
My ponds are filled with T. pygmaeus
happy.gif

Others have some Waltl.
I have only found one pond with both of the species.
 
The vernal pools out here will be filling with frogs, toads, spotted salamanders, and mole salamanders any time now that the warm rains are arriving.
 
Here in N.W Pennsylvania the sals are awake and out! found 6 species today in less then 4 hours , it is 55 degrees and raining . It is the oddest winter I can remember, even the P. crucifer are calling amazing for January 5th
 
Thanx everybody for your reports of sightings.
Any UK members have any sightings to report?
No more newts back in my garden ponds as yet, but frogs are arriving in large numbers.
 
Well Im not quite sure where i would find them on my island - We dont really have water persay but rather 'bogs' and marshland...
sad.gif
So i doubt we will have any other than the one or two here kept as 'pets'
 
I hope this warm winter continues then if all of these animals are up and about, a prolonged cold snap could be disastrous!

Laura, which island are you on? Lissotriton helveticus is found on some of the larger Scottish islands in bog pools.
 
I don't believe that they have colonised the Outer Hebrides, sorry. I may be wrong though.
 
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