Easter Newt Spotting

[zoezakella]

It seems my parents ponds and water features house quite a few newts

So there was I on a lovely sunny day with all my family around me, kids playing, easter egg hunting and me, yes youv'e guessed it, head down snapping away at all these newts, yes a whole hour I did this for with my husband frowning at me and muttering something :lol:

Anyway although as fascinating as they all were, a couple in particular caught my sight, its the ones in pictures 193 204 221 238, is this a smooth newt as the rest are??

I know there are male and females in the piccies but this other newt had as I could only describe (sorry) giraffe type markings :happy:

Anyway would be interested in your opinions. Thanks Zoe

 

[crevalle]

I can't speak to the species, but great pictures, and I don't blame you one bit for taking pictures for so long!

 

[caleb]

Yes, that's a smooth. Looks like he hasn't fully developed his crest yet.

 

[zoezakella]

Thanks thought it was was just more striking than the others but maybe that was because he had a crest :happy:

 

[Molch]

those are some nice water plants too. Is that a Potamogeton in the first pic?

 

[zoezakella]

LOL Molch I could agree with you and try and act knowledgable on this one but sorry no idea on pond plants :blush: will ask my Dad :happy:

 

[Aaran]

Did you find any great crested newts?

Im hoping to go to the canal this weekend and the local nature reserve, (supposedly they have newts there)

I did find some great crested newts 3 years ago in the canal so maybe!

Nice shots and good hunting xD

 

[Dave1812]

Please note: That you do have to be licensed to disturb GCN in the UK - otherwise you could be facing a large fine and even imprisonment!

 

[zoezakella]

Did you find any great crested newts?

Im hoping to go to the canal this weekend and the local nature reserve, (supposedly they have newts there)

I did find some great crested newts 3 years ago in the canal so maybe!

Nice shots and good hunting xD

Hi Aaron,

Sorry only just seen this!

Sadly not but we live on the fields and we have three areas around us that have the GCN, amazing newt and had to take one into a local wildlife centre last year as it was dehydrated, ended up being filmed for the one show because of it.

As Dave says be careful they are highly protected

 

[Aaran]

I only found them by chance, i was aiming on catching tadpoles and caught about 10 of them on my hunt, of course i released them, however that was when i didnt understand the protection etc.

I didnt think i would find newts in the canal but i did!

 

[zoezakella]

I only found them by chance, i was aiming on catching tadpoles and caught about 10 of them on my hunt, of course i released them, however that was when i didnt understand the protection etc.

I didnt think i would find newts in the canal but i did!

Nice

Dont think a lot of people do, I didn't when I found one either

 

[Dave1812]

Just to let you good people know - as soon as you discover that you have disturbed GCN's you should stop that activity - failure to do so would be breaking the law, this even includes looking via the aide of a spot light- unless you have the license, this also applies to the Natterjack Toad, which has the same level of protection.

 

[Aaran]

Thanks for the advise !

Yeah was purely acidental released straight away, kept catching them accidentally aha, was during the day so no spotlights

im going down to the same canal soon, i think they have some smooth and palmate newts near the area hoping to see a few