Peter is proud to announce
Hi, my Blog entry today;
The Greater Crested newts have returned to my pond and are breeding for the second year.
I'm really pleased they have come back (they leave ponds to live on land for winter)
fascinating to watch, especially the wonderful courtship display where the male waggles his tail and dances, amazing.
I built the pond few years ago. I knew Crested Newts had been around in very very few numbers, so I hoped they would eventually find the pond (they can smell 'clean' (non fish populated) water)
amazing!
and the toads and frogs are mating and croaking.
Pete Crompton
Sat 14th Mar 2009 15:14
The mating bit.
Well in the case of Crested Newts, the male will find an open area of water in the pond (on the pond base) and he will do a courtship dance before a female or 2, he then puts down seed for the female to collect if she likes the dance. She collects it in an opening (her clacoea) . She then will lay eggs on leaves and carefully fold the leave with her hind legs, so by sticking the two halves together with just one egg inside. This protects the egg until it hatches. They like to use water mint to lay on, or other similar sized leaves. They hav ebeen known to use strands of discarded video tape, polythene plastc bags even. Nature finds a way.
I have followed the progress of all of this in my wildlife pond I built. Its much better than big brother. (TV)
Best time to see the activity is dusk and further into the night.
I have some pictures on my facebook albums