the online meeting place for all who love our amphibians and reptiles |
|
earliest sighting???? |
Post Reply |
Author | |
MORG
Member Joined: 13 Aug 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Posted: 06 Jan 2006 at 4:43pm |
Clearing out one of my garden ponds this afternoon, I came accross a fully crested up male Triturus cristatus swimming around. They returned early last year, but although weve had a mild December, this seems rather early to me. Trouble is, Im going to be out there every chance I get now looking out for any more returning newts. |
|
Morg
love punk-hate racism |
|
Suzi
Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1025 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
I finally got a pond in September last year so a bit late in the season for anything although a frog arrived within days and I think is hibernating in the mud. We have newts in the garden here so am hoping for some in there - not GCNs though. I would be so thrilled to see one of those in my pond. Not beyond the realms of possibility as I'm only 400yards from where one was found in a garden pond last year. They are supposedly rare round here (East Devon) but there are old marl pit/ponds in the vicinity and I don't expect a lot of surveying has been done for them in this area.
|
|
Suz
|
|
administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Hi Morg, Last year we had a couple of smooth newts active in the pond in early January. I'll have to get out with a torch and see if they around this year. It seems some indivdual newts can be around at this time, but I've not seen male GCN or males of either of the other two species in full breeding dress this early. I kept a log of smooth newt sightings in our garden pond last year, it was interesting to see how from a couple of active females in January the numbers rose into the 30's by March. |
|
MORG
Member Joined: 13 Aug 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
After what seems like a very long wait for more returns, it looks like the single male cristatus has at last been joined by another male cristatus, also theres a single male vulgaris swimming around in my smallest pond. Cant see any females as yet though.
Edited by MORG |
|
Morg
love punk-hate racism |
|
MORG
Member Joined: 13 Aug 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Well they are back early again this year. First sighting in my garden ponds was the 2nd of January 2007. This sighting was one fully crested up T cristatus, so last night I spent some time out there pond watching and in one of my small gardens ponds I saw 3 male cristatus, 1 female cristatus[being persued by one of the males tail wafting, and a male T vulgaris. It looks like its back to pond watching every night from now on for me lol. |
|
Morg
love punk-hate racism |
|
Alan Hyde
Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1437 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Hi Morg,
Two days ago I found a couple of last years baby frogs dead in the grass beside my pond. They looked kind of bloated so I cut them open. Inside each frog was a freshly eaten worm. It would seem that these two were confused on a mild day and fed , it must've killed them Speaking of foriegn frogs I have an Asian Foam nest frog here that I bought for scenting pinkies. I only intended on keeping him for a short while but have grown quite fond of his company. He's now been moved from a fauna box to a tank with complete set-up |
|
O-> O+>
|
|
james4
Senior Member Joined: 13 Nov 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 471 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
################
|
|
http://ukreptiles.proboards55.com
|
|
MORG
Member Joined: 13 Aug 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
A bit late returning this year, but it has been a terrible winter Ive spent the last few days clearing dead frogs out of my garden ponds[14 in all] that died during the big freeze, but these few days and nights of warmer weather have started the returns This is the lastest Ive seen returning cresteds since I started recording it though |
|
Morg
love punk-hate racism |
|
Liz Heard
Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
apologies for quality. but hey, aquatic newts are hard to shoot for a beginner.
heres all 3 sp of newt photographed today; |
|
crevalle
Member Joined: 19 Apr 2011 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 10 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
I'm seriously so jealous I don't have the words right now. Unbelievable.
|
|
Post Reply | |
Tweet
|
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |